Nike’s New Super Shoe-Inspired Trainer Is Shockingly Affordable

It’s official: Nike, once again, makes the fastest shoes in the world.

Both the men’s and women’s world records in the marathon have now been set in the carbon-plated Alphafly 3. And don’t forget a previous version of the shoe propelled Eliud Kipchoge to the first sub-two-hour marathon in human history.

All to say, the Beaverton-based company can effectively charge however much it damn wants for its top-of-the-line racer — which, as it stands, goes for the humble sum of $285.

Nike

Nike Alphafly 3

• $285 at Nike

So what’s the company doing making another PR chaser for $100?

Whatever the reason, the simple fact is this: Nike quietly rolled out a plated, super shoe-inspired version of the Rival Fly. And it might just be the single best bargain in all of running right now.

Nike

New Release

Nike Rival Fly 4

• $100 at Nike

Step up to the plate

As its name suggests, the new Rival Fly 4 shoe marks the fourth generation in Nike’s Rival Fly series — a hybrid line that falls in-between an everyday trainer and PR-chasing racer.

But even if the Rival Fly has been around the block before, this latest version is the first to introduce a plate nestled in the midsole — tech popularized with Nike’s original Vaporfly line.

Nike

Although the plate in question here is made from plastic instead of carbon fiber, Nike says it “offers faster, more responsive transitions” than the plateless version of the shoe.

It’s also not uncommon for so-called “super trainers” to feature mixed materials for reasons that include durability and price. Nonetheless, even shoes equipped with plastic plates traditionally sit closer to the $200, or even $300, mark.

Slim, streamlined design

Price and plate aside, the Rival Fly 4 offers something unique within the Nike catalog: a slim profile.

As trends in running-shoe design have pushed stack height up in the form of chunky, oversized midsoles, the Rival Fly 4 can be seen as a modern take on an old-school racing flat.

Nike

It also boasts Cushlon 3.0 foam — the same stuff found in shoes like the Structure 25 favored by Olympic champion Cole Hocker — as well as an Air Zoom unit.

Pricing and availability

The Rival Fly 4 is available now in three colors — black, white and off-white. It costs $100 at full price, making it considerably cheaper than even Nike’s entry-level Pegasus trainer ($140).

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