Nike reworks Vaporfly after marathon feedback
25/04/2019
Nike ZoomX Vaporfly Next% has an upper made from Vaporweave rather than Flyknit (after water weighed down Shalane Flanagan in Boston), a retooled midsole and a redesigned traction pattern (suggested by Eliud Kipchoge, who ran a very wet race in Berlin).
The laces are offset to alleviate pressure along the sensitive part of the foot and more Nike ZoomX foam has been added in the midsole.
The foam has been redistributed to decrease the offset from 11mm to 8mm to provide a more stable feeling and help maximise energy return at the toe-off.
Designers also merged Geoffrey Kirui, Kipchoge and Mo Farah’s custom traction patterns to improve the forefoot grip so the shoe handles better in wet weather, and contoured treads with deep grooves on the outsole to facilitate smoother movement during turns.
“This shoe is the result of our athletes, sport scientists, engineers and designers closely collaborating throughout the entire process of design, testing and manufacturing,” said Brett Holts, Nike VP of Running Footwear.
“We are all so excited to see the NEXT% continue to push the limits of human performance on marathon courses around the world.”
The name NEXT% represents aiming to cross the line faster, taking inspiration from Mo Farah: “As an athlete, you’re always looking for that next percent.”
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