Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas For Outdoorsy Couples (His & Hers)
Five free ways to say I love you outdoors, plus practical his and hers gear picks
I’ve never been shy about my issues with the Vaporfly 3. For me it was fast, but also a bit of a handful with that narrow platform, occasional wobble, and the odd lacing setup that made lockdown feel fussier than it needed to be.
So the Nike Vaporfly 4 had one job to perfect: keep the speed, improve the ride and fit.
The epic colorway you’re seeing in this review is from Nike’s “Glam Gods” (aka “Glam”) capsule, inspired by the Diamond League and built for spring marathon + track season.
It’s rolling out across Alphafly 3, Vaporfly 4, Zoom Fly 6, Streakfly 2, and Zoom Rival Fly 4; and because it’s a seasonal drop, sizes tend to disappear fast if people latch onto it.
After testing the VF4 in speed sessions and race-pace efforts, I’m happy to say it’s a meaningful refinement.
It feels lighter on foot, more “disappearing” overall, and noticeably more stable than the V3.
Key specifications
- Price: $280 at Nike / $270 for other colorways – (I recommend buying at Nike for the best price and colorway options)
- Weight: 5.9 oz / 167 g (US men’s 9 — my pair)
- Drop / Stack: 6mm (35mm heel / 29mm forefoot)
- Upper: Engineered mesh (lighter than v3; reduced tongue + heel bulk)
- Midsole: Nike ZoomX + full-length carbon Flyplate (trimmed to cut weight)
- Outsole: Thin rubber with wavy waffle forefoot pattern + small heel patches
- Other notes: Higher plate angle for a more forward feel; midsole shaping refined to reduce weight
I recommend buying these at Nike.com for competitive prices on running shoes + often sales up to 40% off • Nike Membership perks • Free shipping on $50+ for members • Easy 60-day returns for members • New app sign-up: 15% off first purchase
Sizing and fit
The fit is still race-day snug, but it’s more forgiving than the Vaporfly 3, especially through the midfoot and forefoot.
The engineered mesh and updated last give it a little more breathing room without turning it into a wide shoe – it’s ‘race snug’.
Heel lockdown is improved now that the asymmetrical lacing is gone, but it’s still a shoe I lace up properly and don’t mess around with.
If I leave the laces even slightly loose, I can feel a bit of heel movement.
Racer’s loop lacing helps if you’re sensitive to that, but also these laces have stretch in them, so I recommend doing them up tight, and letting the lace stretch work as intended.
Performance review
The weight drop is the headline (and you feel it on the run)
At 5.9oz in my US9, it’s almost comically light in the hand, and that translates on the run too.
It’s the kind of shoe that makes high cadence, fast paces feel easier to access, especially in interval work and tempo sessions where you want quick turnover without feeling like you’re fighting the shoe.
Compared to the V3, the Vaporfly 4 has a slightly firmer (still super bouncy), lower-to-the-ground sensation. It’s not harsh, just more direct.
It rolls quickly from heel to toe, and the ZoomX foam + carbon fiber Flyplate combo still gives that familiar propulsion, but without the slightly floaty instability I got in the previous version.
Stability is noticeably better than the Vaporfly 3
The V3 could feel sketchy for non-elites when fatigue hit, you landed towards the heel, or the road camber got weird.
The V4’s lower profile and updated geometry make it easier to hold a line, and I feel more confident pushing pace through gentle turns.
That said, this is still a carbon racer; If you’re bombing tight corners or running on uneven pavement, it rewards a bit of focus…
Upper comfort is better, breathability still excellent
The mesh feels like a cleaner execution now. It’s very breathable, lightweight, and the lacing system and lockdown are just much better.
It fits close like a proper racer should, but it doesn’t give me that “midfoot squeeze” sensation the Vaporfly 3 did.
Traction is very good… until it isn’t
On dry roads, the outsole is excellent but on wet pavement, and especially in proper rain, I notice traction slip when I land.
Nothing catastrophic, but enough that I’m adjusting my stride, and cornering angles.
If wet traction is a big deal where you live, just avoid slick surfaces like painted lines on the road when it’s raining; to be fair to the Vaporfly 4, many road racing shoes have similar issues.
My verdict
The Nike Vaporfly 4 feels like the version that should’ve followed the Vaporfly 2; it’s lighter, cleaner, more stable, and less annoying to live with on race day.
It’s a brilliant tool for intervals, tempo runs, and racing up to the marathon, especially if you like a more direct, quick-transition super shoe.
It’s so good that it’s now in my rotation along with the Hoka Rocket X 3, when I want to go zoom zoom. Be sure to check out the Glam Gods capsule over on Nike, if you’re in need for some fresh new racing shoes for Spring/Summer 2026.
