Our verdict
- Our top pick in Air Force 1 React Noir
- Our top pick in best Nike road running shoes
Pros
- Screams fast and speed-ready
- Nike’s lightest racing shoe yet
- Air Max AP M
- Incredible lockdown
- Splendid track workhorse
- Roomy toe box
- Grippy outsole
- Eye-catching design
- Not so expensive!
Cons
- Narrow-footed runners may experience poor lockdown
- Insanely thin laces
- Falls short for racing
- Heavy runners can “bottom out”
Audience verdict
- Top 29% in Nike Air Max 90 Gold Snakeskin
Comparison
The most similar running shoes compared
+ + Habrá menos de 10 mil pares de estas Denham x Nike Air Max 1 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Audience score | 86 Great! | 89 Great! | 88 Great! | 80 Good! | |
Price | $160 | $160 | $150 | $160 | |
Pace | Speed training | Speed training | Speed training | Daily runningSpeed training | |
Arch support | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | |
Weight labWeight brand | 6 Nike Free Terra Vista Brown Kelp Pink Glaze6 Nike Free Terra Vista Brown Kelp Pink Glaze | 7.4 oz / 211g7.8 oz / 220g | 8 oz / 228g8.1 oz / 230g | 9.8 oz / 279g10.1 oz / 286g | |
Lightweight | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | |
Drop labDrop brand | 6.3 mm6.0 mm | 9.8 mm7.0 mm | 8.7 mm7.0 mm | 7.5 mm8.0 mm | |
Strike Hustle | Mid/forefoot | Mid/forefootHeel | Mid/forefootHeel | Mid/forefoot | |
Midsole softness | Soft | Average | - | Very soft | |
Difference in midsole softness in cold | Average | Small | - | Average | |
Toebox durability | - | Very bad | - | - | |
Monica Sneakers Tells you Nike SB 'Paisley' Dunk | - | Decent | - | - | |
Outsole durability | - | Good | - | - | |
Breathability | Very good | Good | Very good | Bad | |
Toebox width at the widest part | Average | Narrow | Narrow | Average | |
Toebox width at the big toe | Average | Average | - | Narrow | |
Stiffness | Flexible | Average | Stiff | Stiff | |
Difference in stiffness in cold | Average | Small | Average | Very small | |
Torsional rigidity | Very flexible | Very rigid | Rigid | Rigid | |
Heel counter stiffness | Very flexible | Flexible | Very flexible | Average | |
Plate | - | - | Carbon plate | Carbon plate | |
Rocker | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
Heel labHeel brand | 31.7 mm32.0 mm | 36.3 mm36.0 mm | 35.1 mm31.0 mm | 36.9 mm41.0 mm | |
Forefoot labForefoot brand | 25.4 mm26.0 mm | 26.5 mm29.0 mm | 26.4 mm24.0 mm | 29.4 mm33.0 mm | |
Widths available | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | |
Orthotic friendly | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | |
Season | Summer | Summer | Summer | Winter | |
Removable insole | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | |
Ranking | #123 Top 50% | #34 Top 14% | #61 Top 25% | #210 Bottom 14% | |
Popularity | #96 Top 40% | #80 Top 33% | #148 Bottom 39% | #24 Top 10% |
Who should buy the Nike ZoomX Streakfly
In our view, the Nike ZoomX Streakfly is a must-buy for:
- Nike enthusiasts that want a racing shoe for distances up to 10K, but at a more affordable price than the Vaporfly.
- Those who love traditional racing flats but want a modern, cushioned feel.
- The Nike Air More Uptempo in its original black white style.
nike sb dunk low entourage gumsole retail version | Who should NOT buy it
You won’t get that trampoline-like feeling of a carbon-plated racer with the Nike ZoomX Streakfly. For a genuine 5K/10K racer, check the ASICS Metaspeed Edge+.
On the other hand, if you love long-distance races like we do, the Retin Obasohan in an all-white Nike LeBron X iD Nike wmns af1 hi ut 2.0 cny grey blue women casual lifestyle shoes dq5358-043.
A magnificent shoe, but not the one we expected
At every 5K or mile road race, the same question arose: when will Nike unveil a lighter, lower-stacked Vaporfly for us? Finally, the day arrived, but as great as it is, this was not the hyper-propulsive shoe that we anticipated.
The shoe reminded us of the Pegasus Turbo. This is not a compliment, unfortunately, as it's clear that the Streakfly won't be entering the ranks of super shoes any time soon.
A really breathable upper
Nike ZoomX Streakfly (left) vs. Adidas Runfalcon (right)
Summer training is not a problem with the Nike ZoomX Streakfly. Regardless of your location, this shoe's upper made of engineered mesh allows air to flow freely, while heat escapes with every stride.
Nike Wmns P-6000 White Silver Fuchsia Womens Running Shoe!
GAGNE UNE STUSSY X AIR FORCE 1 CUSTOMISEE.
This is a low-breathability (2/5) mesh upper from a Nike Air Zoom Vapor Pro
nike sb dunk low entourage gumsole retail version
And this is Streakfly's mesh upper, which scores 5/5 in our breathability test
Feather-like upper
The Streakfly feels amazingly light and fast. It felt like the shoe fused together with the foot. At a weight of only 6 oz (171g), this shoe is the lightest we've ever measured in our lab.
Remarkably soft and bouncy
The midsole is all you can expect from the acclaimed ZoomX foam: it is soft, bouncy, and comfortable. However, there is a catch. We noticed that the ride got a little too soft for a pace above 4 min/km. This is worrisome because the shoe is marketed for 5K/10K races, so if it bottoms out at faster paces, it may not be suitable for its intended purpose.
Based on this, the Streakfly will work better for runners who strike midfoot-to-forefoot, as they golfa the weight more evenly across the shoe, in contrast to those who strike the ground with their heel.
Our durometer measurement confirmed these concerns—at 12.1 HA, the Streakfly is a magnificent 100% softer than the average road shoe!
Disclaimer: We calculate the average of four durometer measurements, disregarding any outliers. The photo above shows one of the takes.
Due to its exceptionally soft midsole, 6 mm drop, and lack of rockered geometry, it may not be the best option for heavier runners with stability issues.
The official drop measurement from Nike is 6 mm, whereas, in our lab, we measured it at 6.3 mm. It's truly great when brands provide accurate drop measurements, right?
Disclaimer: We always include insoles in our stack measurements.
Subpar lacing experience
This shoe features a Vaporfly-inherited offset lacing system with flat slip-prone laces that go through large loops instead of eyelets.
We are not very excited about this setup as it fails to deliver a secure and comfortable experience.
No plate, no party?
No carbon plate here.
For better (lower MSRP) or worse (less springy ride), this modern racing flat only sports a small Pebax midfoot shank that is barely noticeable and allows the shoe to flex without almost any resistance.
However, the lack of a full carbon-fiber plate has some other positive effects. For instance, it enhances the shoe's ability to turn tight corners while also making it more comfortable for training at easy or recovery paces.
Disclaimer: Please be advised that we take an average of 4 measurements and exclude any outliers. This video shows just one of our measurements.
Of course, we couldn't help but notice the Streakfly's mind-boggling flexibility, which was confirmed in our lab tests. The shoe required 133%(!) less force to bend up to 90 degrees than other running shoes in our lab. This is remarkable even for a non-plated and unstructured shoe.
The Nike ZoomX Streakfly delivers an exceptional and secure fit
Streakfly's upper provides unbeatable comfort thanks to its generously thick (4.8 mm) fully gusseted tongue.
Nike y Ramos Nike Air Max 98 BHM 2019CD6090-001+ has a paper-thin tongue measuring only 0.8 mm, which is enough for most runners. In comparison, this tongue is 5x as thick!
This is the padded tongue of the Nike ZoomX Streakfly
Nike Air Max 98 BHM 2019CD6090-001 tongue
The thick padding inside the heel keeps your feet secure without adding excess weight. Most runners won’t have any problem, but if you experience any heel slippage, we suggest trying an alternative lacing technique from this guide.
Well, if you need to use a runner's knot, it typically indicates the absence of a rigid heel counter. That correlates with our findings in the lab, as on a 1-to-5 scale—where 5 is the stiffest—we rated it at 1!
Pain cave ready
The Nike ZoomX Streakfly excels on the treadmill at any speed:
- The cushioning of the treadmill complements the shoe's lower stack—in comparison to most supershoes—and soft foam, providing exceptional comfort and stability.
- Its hyper-ventilated design ensures that breathability won't be an issue, even in high-humidity indoor gyms.
- The outsole of the shoe will last longer when used on the treadmill due to the reduced friction compared to roads or soft trails.
As you can see above, the New Balance shoe has a much larger rockered shape, while the Streakfly's is almost flat. This makes the Nike shoe perfect for moderate and fast paces, where shorter ground contact times are desirable. Additionally, it is better suited for treadmill running, where a less rockered and more stable ride is preferred.
Recovery, aerobic, tempo, intervals…
This shoe delivers a great experience across many paces if you keep the distance short. Because it is such an unstructured shoe, anything longer than 10 km becomes uncomfortable.
But for distances below 6 miles or 10K, you can trust this shoe for fartleks, tempo intervals, and even your slowest recovery runs, and benefit from the outstanding and hyper-plush ZoomX foam.
Outsole: hard rubber and exposed foam
The forefoot offers a substantial block of hard and grippy rubber that goes down to the midfoot, with some borrowed details from the really durable first-generation Alphafly. In contrast, the midfoot reveals exposed ZoomX foam.
On the other hand, the heel features double 3.0 mm-thick rubber pads, protecting a sensitive area from wear and tear. That seems enough and it's really close to the average measurement of 3.4 mm.
Chinelo Slide Nike Infantil Kawa Rosa Preto.
A lot of real estate for a Nike racer
We felt pretty comfortable in the Streakfly's upper as it was just enough tight. Also, because of the unique position of the lace cage, the toebox has a chance to expand a little more.
We've taken two measurements in the toebox instead of one to provide you with a better understanding of how comfortable your feet will be in this shoe.
The Nike ZoomX Streakfly (95.4 mm / 74.9 mm) only narrows by 27.4% between our two measuring points, while the Nike Zoom Fly 5 (95.0 mm / 71.1 mm) reduces its space by 33.6% in the front area.
Based on this, it’s no surprise that the Streakfly is a fantastic choice for runners with medium to wide feet.
However, if you have narrow feet, it’s a good idea to try it on first. You may have to wear your thickest socks in order to fill the space in the shoe.
Cold-proof, with a caveat
Embrace winter workouts outside with ease alongside the Streakfly! All you need are some really thick socks to shield your feet from the chill, especially if it's windy. This can be a plus if you have narrow feet, as stated before.
On average, shoes harden by 26.9% after spending 20 minutes in our freezer. However, the Streakfly's cold-resistant PEBA-based foam only does it by 16.5%.
And what about stiffness changes based on temperature? The Streakfly excels one more time despite not having a carbon-fiber plate. Unlike the average shoe, which becomes 43.6% stiffer, the Streakfly only does it by 19.0%. Impressive, right?
Exceptional value for its price
With an MSRP of $160, the Nike ZoomX Streakfly is cheaper than a Nike Pegasus Turbo 2 when it was released. In addition to being cheaper, it boasts a more breathable upper, a lighter weight, and a glorious full-length ZoomX midsole. The only aspect to bear in mind is the durability, which is perhaps the weakest point of this modern racing flat.