Nike is a household name with a massive selection of apparel and sportswear – but one of the most pivotal products released by the label was a running shoe (shout out to the AM1s), and Nike’s running roots are still a big part of their identity. Carrie Dimoff, leader of the Alphafly team (a lineup of lightweight marathon running shoes from Nike), has been in the lab since 2016 developing the Alphafly runners, and in 2022, long-distance runner Eliud Kipchopge broke the Marathon world record while wearing some Alphafly 2s. Upon release, the 2s were already some of the lightest runners you could get, and now Nike is back with the Alphafly 3s, the latest (and lightest) in the Alphafly lineup that’s sure to break some more records (and help with some personal ones, too).
Nodding to the shoe’s name (intentional or not), the Alphafly 3s feature a trio of Nike technology to deliver tested and reliable running performance. They start with a breathable Atomknit upper, then combine a pair of responsive Air Zoom units, a full-length carbon fiber plate that pushes you forward and keeps you stable, and a ZoomX foam midsole to ensure your feet stay comfortable during long races.
They’ve also been designed (and tested at Nike Sport Research Lab) to provide natural heel-to-toe transitions for speed, and are the lightest Alphaflys from Nike to date (15% lighter than the already impressive Alphafly 2s). On top of that, you get a padded knit tongue to minimize lace pressure, and the laces are notched to keep them out of the way and make adjustments easier.
The Nike Alphafly 3 will officially launch in January 2024 for $285 to ring in the new year, and at the time of writing, it looks like it’s just in the White/Phantom/Total Orange/Black colorway featured above (for now).
