Our Thoughts on the Recent Past and Future of Nike as a Running Shoe Brand

Welcome to our newest series: The Mileage Index. We’re using this series to track each brand’s momentum throughout the year based on our testing and reviews from the hobby jogger community. This week we kick things off with Nike.

First came the slightly overpriced but solid Pegasus Plus, then a big dip with the underwhelming Zoom Fly 6. Momentum shot back up with the innovative Pegasus Premium and the Streakfly 2—a true banger. But just as things were looking up, the Vaporfly 4 dropped… and tanked the stock again. Still, with the Vomero Plus, Premium, and Alphafly 4 on the horizon, the futures market is looking strong for the swoosh.

August 2024: Pegasus Plus

After the disappointing Pegasus 41, Nike released a solid (albeit overpriced) retro-inspired speed trainer in the Pegasus Plus. Things were looking up.

Speed Training

Nike Pegasus Plus

Speed training shoe with a firm and peppy ride

Price

$180

Plated?

No

Foam

TPE & PEBA Blend

Weight (oz)

8.4

Drop (mm)

10

Support

Neutral

see details

November 2024: Zoom Fly 6

Things took a slight downward turn for Nike with the release of the Zoom Fly 6. In our testing, the Zoom Fly lacked the magic of Nike’s best shoes, delivering a borderline uncomfortable ride due to its plate position.

Speed Training

Nike Zoom Fly 6

Plated training shoe designed for speed workouts

Price

$170

Plated?

Yes

Foam

PEBA, EVA

Weight (oz)

8.6

Drop (mm)

8

Support

Neutral

see details

February 2025: Vomero 18

Nike led off the year with a fantastic update to their daily trainer. A well-priced, comfortable and reliable training shoe is always a winning formula.

Daily Trainer

Nike Vomero 18

Cushioned everyday running shoe with cushioned and smooth ride

Price

$150

Plated?

No

Foam

PEBA, TPE

Weight (oz)

10.5

Drop (mm)

10

Support

Mild Stability

see details

February 2025: Pegasus Premium

The Pegasus Premium was a hallmark moment—this was Nike’s first truly innovative shoe in 3+ years. It may not have achieved Alphafly levels of acclaim, but the full-length AirZoom unit showed the brand was actually trying again.

Max Cushion

Nike Pegasus Premium

Bouncy max cushioned shoe with a fun, floaty ride

Price

$210

Plated?

No

Foam

PEBA, Oxygen

Weight (oz)

10.9

Drop (mm)

10

Support

Neutral

see details

March 2025: Streakfly 2

Nike followed up the Peg Premium with another wildly innovative shoe in the Streakfly 2, a unique track spike for the roads. Check out our multi-tester review of the Streakfly 2.

Race Day

Nike Streakfly 2

Aggressive short-distance racing shoe with a direct and nimble ride

Price

$180

Plated?

Yes

Foam

PEBA

Weight (oz)

4.5

Drop (mm)

4

Support

Neutral

see details

March 2025: Vaporfly 4

This was an underwhelming update to the most iconic race shoe on the market—where other brands are innovating, the swoosh is stagnating.

Race Day

Nike Vaporfly Next% 4

A comfortable and lightweight racing shoe that lacks excitement and bounce

Price

$260

Plated?

Yes

Foam

PEBA

Weight (oz)

5.9

Drop (mm)

6

Support

Neutral

see details

Nike's Future: Vomero Plus, Vomero Premium, Alphafly 4

The Subpar Vaporfly 4 might have tanked Nike’s position temporarily, but things are looking promising for the swoosh. With exciting new releases such as the Vomero Plus, Vomero Premium and Alphafly 4 on the horizon, Nike is well-positioned for a strong back half of 2025.

If you want to learn more about ZoomX, Nike's premiere race foam, check out our article on the current applications of ZoomX foam in the Nike line-up.

Check out Yowana's comparison video of Nike's 3 current race day shoes on the YouTube channel:

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