Less than two weeks after launching the Alphafly 4, Nike is introducing another innovation for marathons as it seeks to put more “super” in the super shoe.
The Nike Apex, as the name suggests, will be the new pinnacle of the Swoosh’s race day fleet. It offers 40 percent better energy return compared to the Alphafly 3, well surpassing the 10 percent gain on the Alphafly 4.
A double-stacked Air Zoom unit leads the way at the forefoot, the appearance of which is highlighted by using a different color for each bubble. Surrounding the duo is a midsole made of the ZoomX LT foam that just debuted on the Alphafly 4, and sitting above is a carbon fiber plate redesigned with a raised inverse-wave shape.
Nike chief innovation, design and product officer Phil McCartney said in a statement that the Apex “represents one of the biggest leaps we’ve ever made in marathon racing, bringing together everything we’ve learned about speed, efficiency, endurance and Air-powered innovation in a system designed to help runners chase every possible second.”
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The Apex also surpasses the Alphafly 4 in weight savings, as the former model is 10 percent lighter than the Alphafly 3 compared to a 5 percent reduction on the latter.
Fresh rocker geometry targets stability alongside a wider outsole platform, and perhaps most surprisingly, the shoe features zero drop from heel to forefoot.
Two outsole technologies appear on the Apex. One of them, Goatek, crosses over from extreme mountain races after being announced for the ACG Picklejus that’ll launch next year and delivers 45 percent better traction than any previous outsoles from Nike ACG. Strategic placement limits Goatek to the forefoot where it’s needed most, while Fast Shot is used in other regions.
For the upper, a minimalist Flyknit X fabric offers a glove-like fit.
“I’ve relied on Nike prototypes during some of the most important races of my career in the last few months, from breaking the half marathon world record in Lisbon to running the fastest marathon time of my life in London,” said Jacob Kiplimo, whose record has since been surpassed. “The best innovations are the ones that let you focus less on what’s happening beneath your feet and more on the challenge in front of you — that is what Nike Apex does.”
The Nike Apex will release in January through Nike’s website and specialty run stores. Pricing is set at $350.
