Nike Alphafly 4 now on sale in Spain: 279.99 euros and lighter

The Nike Alphafly 4 is now on sale in Spain. Since 29 October it can be bought from Nike’s store and selected retailers for 279.99 euros, about 30 euros less than the Alphafly 3 cost at launch. It is the fourth generation of the brand’s most recognisable marathon shoe, and it arrives lighter, with a new foam and the promise of returning more energy with every stride.

It is not a complete debut. Nike opened a limited release on its website on 17 September, and the general launch coincides with the end of the autumn major marathon season, with New York as the last big race and the Valencia Marathon on 6 December on the horizon for thousands of runners in Spain.

What changes inside

The main change is in the midsole. The familiar ZoomX foam is now joined by ZoomX LT, a version that, according to the brand, weighs up to 17% less and returns 8% more energy than the original. The two foams sit above and below the full-length Flyplate carbon plate, which now has a wider base and a more pronounced rocker, designed to roll the foot forward with less effort.

The two forefoot Air Zoom pods, the family’s signature, have also been rebuilt. They are no longer glued but heat-welded, making them lighter and slightly softer and, along the way, fixing the squeak that many owners of the previous version complained about. Overall, Nike claims 10% more energy return than the Alphafly 3, a lab figure from the brand itself that should be read as such.

Up top, the Atomknit upper gains open-mesh zones in the toe box for better ventilation and midfoot cables that keep the foot centred over the plate, while the Fast Shot outsole concentrates rubber under the forefoot and in the heel area that wears fastest. Stack heights are 39 millimetres at the heel and 31 at the forefoot, with an 8 mm drop, just under the 40 mm limit World Athletics allows for road racing.

Lighter and cheaper

On the scale, the Alphafly 4 weighs about 208 grams in a men’s EU 44, compared with around 218 for its predecessor, a reduction Nike puts at roughly 5%. That is still far from the 97 grams of the adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, back in stores these days at 500 euros, but they are two different approaches: Nike bets on plenty of foam, air pods and stability to last 42 kilometres, and adidas on the lowest possible weight.

The price is perhaps the most striking move of the launch. In a market where super shoes kept getting more expensive, Nike has priced the fourth generation below the third, which came out in January 2024 at 309.99 euros. The Vaporfly 4, the brand’s other racer, costs 259.99, so the gap between the two has narrowed to just 20 euros.

The launch also has an immediate effect in the shop window: the Alphafly 3 has dropped in price in Nike’s store, where at the end of October it was listed at between 216.99 and 223.99 euros depending on the version. For anyone who does not need the latest release, it is probably the best chance to get a top-level marathon shoe.

Who it makes sense for

The Alphafly is still a racing shoe, not a daily trainer. Its natural terrain is the road marathon and half marathon, and its advantages show mostly at fast paces; specialist reviews place it at its best below about 4:15 per kilometre and for light to medium-weight runners. At slower paces, the plate and rocker are used less and the price weighs more than the benefits.

It is not free of drawbacks either. Some testers have warned that its stability may not convince every runner, a common complaint with shoes this tall, and early independent tests point to some abrasion of the exposed foam after relatively few kilometres. These are details worth checking before wearing it in an important race, always after several runs at goal pace.

An evolution, not a revolution

The general reading among those who have already tried it is that the Alphafly 4 polishes what worked and fixes what bothered: less weight, less noise, more light foam and a more reasonable price. Anyone with a pair of Alphafly 3 in good condition has no urgent reason to switch; anyone looking for their first plated shoe for a marathon, on the other hand, now finds two solid options from the same family about 60 euros apart.

Five weeks out from the Valencia Marathon, the temptation to race in new shoes is strong, but the old runner’s rule still applies: nothing new on race day. If it is your goal, our Valencia Marathon 2026 guide has everything you need about the race.

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