Nike Zoom Fly 5 First Run Review: A Softer Cruiser, Not a Speed Machine

Introduction

The Nike Zoom Fly 5 arrived with some of the highest expectations a training shoe has had in a while. The headline change is the long-awaited arrival of ZoomX foam in the midsole, the same family of springy, lightweight foam Nike uses in its flagship racing shoes. On paper, that sounded like the “Pegasus Turbo with a plate” many runners had hoped for.

On a first easy run, the reality is more nuanced. This is a noticeably chunky, fairly heavy shoe that ticks over very comfortably at relaxed paces but shows few signs of being a genuine fast training partner. Here is what the first outing revealed.

Key Specs at a Glance

The price carries over exactly from the Zoom Fly 4: £144.95 in the UK and $160 in the US. The drop is believed to still be around 8mm, though the stack height of the Zoom Fly 5 looks and feels slightly higher, with confirmed figures not yet available.

Weight is the interesting one. The test pair, in a US 8.5, weighs 304g on one shoe and 324g on the other, a surprising disparity of 10.7 versus 11.4 ounces. Either way, both figures are heavier than the Zoom Fly 4, where a size 9 came in at 289g. So the bigger previous shoe weighs less on paper than this one.

What Changed: ZoomX Foam, But Not the Way You Expected

The big news is a ZoomX core in the midsole, and it is the change everyone was hoping to see. But it is not a full ZoomX midsole. The ZoomX runs all the way through the shoe, yet it is only the core, visible through a window at the bottom, and it is surrounded by a carrier foam called SR-02, an EVA-based foam.

That carrier changes the feel substantially. You get a hint of ZoomX softness and springiness compared with the React foam of the Zoom Fly 4, but nothing like the underfoot sensation of the Vaporfly, Alphafly, or Invincible. The ride is firm, with a decent roll, but not big, bouncy, or soft.

The shoe also gets a full-length plate. It is not confirmed as carbon, but it feels very stiff, like carbon. Around it, the midsole has been reconfigured to sit noticeably wider at the heel and forefoot than the Zoom Fly 4, which should add stability.

The upper is similar to the Zoom Fly 4: almost a two-layer design, with a thin mesh overlay over a softer layer beneath that wraps the foot. The tongue is now completely separate and more cushioned than before. Fit is comfortable, helped by the raised lacing system, though the upper is clearly not designed to cut weight.

That weight theme extends to the outsole, which has very full coverage on the forefoot and heel, more extensive than the Zoom Fly 4’s two rear strips of rubber. It is thick rubber with almost mini lugs, offering good grip and apparently very durable, tested on trails on the first run, but again, it does nothing to shave weight.

Fit and Sizing

The test pair is a UK 8.5, half a size down from the usual size, and it fits perfectly well. The tester normally sits between sizes and takes a 9 for extra toe-box room, and even the 8.5 works, though it is slightly short on the right foot. True to size seems the safe bet, but runners between sizes may find the half size down fits well too.

How It Rides: Built for Cruising, Not Speed Work

On a relaxed, easy hour-long run of about 14.3k, the shoe was a pleasant surprise. It is one of those shoes where you run a bit faster on easy days than you expect, which suggests something is happening in the midsole and plate combination. It settles into a rhythm quickly and feels comfortable and cruisy.

But the same weaknesses as previous versions are still here. It is a big shoe, it feels heavy, and it simply does not feel quick. There is not a lot of ZoomX feel underfoot; it does not run soft and spongy, and it bears little resemblance to the Invincible, let alone the Vaporfly or Alphafly.

It is also clearly not a speed-day shoe. When pace work is on the agenda, the idea of reaching for it does not appeal, and it falls well short of rivals like the Saucony Endorphin Speed, which is lighter, faster, and more nimble. The overall ride feels built for cruising long, easy miles rather than any kind of explosive pace, which makes its positioning as a fast training shoe confusing.

Who the Zoom Fly 5 Is Actually For

The honest conclusion is that this is closer to a Hoka Bondi X or Adidas Boston 10: a big, max-stack, comfortable daily trainer with some super-shoe technology, like a plate and foam core, but not something to view as a true super shoe. That is arguably a more comfortable market position than being pitched as a fast, cheaper Vaporfly alternative, though it faces stiff competition there too.

If you liked the Zoom Fly 4, you will get more of the same here with a slightly improved, a little softer and bouncier feel. If you found the Zoom Fly 4 heavy and suited only to easy runs, the Zoom Fly 5 will probably leave you with the same impression. It is an improvement, but not a radical upgrade.

Buying Advice

Buy the Zoom Fly 5 if you want a cushioned, stable cruiser for long easy miles and you are happy to ignore the fast-shoe marketing. Look at alternatives like the Saucony Endorphin Speed if genuine speed-work performance matters to you. At £144.95 in the UK or $160 in the US, the price matches the Zoom Fly 4, which remains a consideration given how heavy this version runs.

Conclusion

The Zoom Fly 5 is a comfortable, cruisy trainer with a firmer ride than its ZoomX headline suggests, best suited to relaxed and long runs rather than pace work. It improves on its predecessor without transforming it, and runners hoping for a plated Pegasus Turbo will need to keep waiting.