Nike Zoom Fly 4 Review: A Capable Tempo Partner Held Back by Its Foam

Introduction

The Zoom Fly 4 is the fourth generation of Nike’s carbon-plated trainer, and it occupies a familiar but awkward spot in the lineup: it is the training companion to the Vaporfly, built with a carbon plate but paired with React foam rather than Nike’s racier compound. We put a completely new, untouched pair through its paces on a 14k coastal run at a mix of easy and around half marathon pace. The short version: the upper and the plate impress, the foam does not, and the whole package lands at roughly a six and a half to seven out of ten.

Who the Zoom Fly 4 Is For

This is best understood as a session shoe. It is propulsive in the way you want for tempo runs and harder workouts, and it is versatile enough that you could get away with using it on easy runs too. The plate is present and adds life to the ride, but it is not as stiff as the one in the Vaporfly, which is partly why the shoe can stretch beyond pure speedwork.

That said, it is not a true daily trainer for most runners. A shoe with a carbon plate puts extra stress on the body over high mileage, and Nike has never quite mastered the daily trainer category. If you want one shoe to do everything, day in and day out, this probably is not it.

Main Strengths

The standout surprise was comfort. The new Flyknit upper hugs the foot down really nicely, and Nike has added a heel-lock style construction from its elite racing shoes, giving a secure lockdown feel in the heel. Fit ran true to size, and comfort was close to a ten out of ten on the test run, a genuine strength of this update.

The carbon plate also does real work here. It is not as aggressive as the Vaporfly’s, but it helps bring the React midsole to life and gives the shoe a propulsive character that makes tempo work feel natural. Over the 14k test, which finished around a 4:08 per kilometre average with portions at roughly half marathon effort, the shoe held up well and never felt like it was getting in the way.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The main limitation is the foam. React is old, it is not as springy as modern compounds, and it shows next to what brands like Hoka, Saucony, and New Balance are using in comparable shoes. The plate helps compensate, but the ride is simply less fun than expected, and it feels like a dated material in an otherwise fresh package.

It is also a bit stiff. Not race-shoe stiff, but enough that runners who prefer a softer, more flexible everyday ride may find it tiring outside of workouts.

Buying Advice

If you are a fan of the earlier Zoom Fly versions, you will like this update: the upper alone is a big improvement, and if React has always worked for you, this generation is the best expression of that formula. For those buyers, this is an easy recommendation.

If you are shopping more broadly for a shoe to handle your sessions, alternatives deserve a look first. The Hoka Rocket X or the New Balance 1080 v11, which is widely considered an excellent daily trainer, offer more versatility for a similar role. And while comparisons to the Nike Tempo Next% come up often, it is really a very different shoe, though for a forefoot runner the Tempo Next% remains a strong option.

Conclusion

The Zoom Fly 4 does not disappoint, but it does not fully excite either. A superb new Flyknit upper, a comfortable heel lockdown, and a helpful carbon plate make it a solid tempo partner, while the aging React foam keeps it from feeling special. Situated around six and a half to seven out of ten, it suits runners already loyal to the Zoom Fly line far better than shoppers hunting for an all-round trainer. We will be putting more miles on this pair, up to around 100k, including a head-to-head with the Vaporfly, before a final verdict.