The Nike Zoom Fly 6 is a big update on the Zoom Fly 5, with a new midsole set up that uses a mix of ZoomX and SR02 foams, plus a carbon plate, a higher stack, but a much lower overall weight. It looks like a shoe that can compete with the top super-trainers on the market, but does it live up to that promise on the run? Nick used it for a long track session in his first run; here are his early thoughts on the Nike Zoom Fly 6.
00:00 – Intro
00:15 – Design & Key Stats
02:53 – How’s The Fit?
03:52 – First Run
07:12 – Early Verdict
More ways to enjoy The Run Testers
Check out our website:
Best running shoes of 2024:
Best carbon plate running shoes of 2024:
Subscribe:
Follow Us:
Listen to The Run Testers Podcast:
Watch The Run Testers Shorts:
Hello and welcome to the Run testers my Name is Nick and this is our first run Review of the Nike zoomfly [Music] 6 so the zoomfly is Nike's plated Training shoe it is almost the original Training partner shoe with the original Coming out in line with the vapor fly When it first came out in nik's range And it's been quite a ride with the Range so far it's fair to say the early Versions particularly the first and Second Zoom flyes were really good shoes Really lived up to the role as fast Training shoes that you could use for Racing that worked in partnership with a Carbon plate racer and then the line Kind of went very heavy and big and Became more of a daily training shoe With a plate I just didn't really get on At all with the Zoom Flight 5 in Particular and the four just became big Bulky shoes that I don't think offered a Lot and in the very competitive market In the super trainer Market the zoom Flow 6 looks a lot more in line with top Shoes in this area stuff like the hok Mac X2 New Balance SC train of3 sakon Endorphin speed 4 Puma D Vietnam Runo Neo Vista all these great shoes that Have been coming out with plates you Know really impressive Foams that offer A reverse stle ride hopefully the zoomly 6 is a shoe that can now do that as
Opposed to the slightly bulky shoe it Had become so key changes to the shoe Are basically made it lighter bouncier And hopefully faster it's a pretty Expensive shoe it's £155 or $170 but That is not too bad for a super trainer Or kind of in line with other super Trainers in this area it weighs in at 266 G or 9.4 o which is a big drop in Weight on the zoom fly 5 now my zoom fly 5 actually the two shoes were very Different weights like 20 G in Difference but even the lighter one of The two was over 300 G and the heavy one Was like 324 so big droing weight here But you have an increase in stack heite It's 42 mm at the heel 34 at the 4T for An 8 mm drop comes to the design of the Shoe you've got a two- layer woven mesh Upper that two- layer effect that Nike Sometimes does which creates quite a Comfortable feeling can add weight Sometimes but this is a pretty Lightweight shoe you've got quite a lot Of padding around the heel and tongue And internal heel counter as well it's Quite a comfort focused upper I would Say like more so than some of the super Trainers which does give the idea Zoom P Six can be used as a daily trainer you Know for quite relaxed runs as well Midol has got a lot going on so you got A two layer midso here top layer is Nike Zoomx foam it's not the Recycled zoomx
That we had on the zoomfly 5 it is the Fresh stuff the good stuff it's fair to Say and then the bottom layer is made From an sr2 foam which again was used on The zoomfly 5 but with the zoomfly 6 the Balance has been shifted so there's more Zoom X foam in particular in between Those you've got a full length carbon Fly plate similar to what you get on Models like the alphafly and Vapor fly But does seem to have slightly more Flex The zoom 6 but I've seen some people Really flexing the shoe and I've not Really been able to do that without Putting loads of force into it so it is Still a pretty stiff shoe as you'd Expect from a kind of plated training Shoe like this and then the rubber outso You can see covers the 4 foot two Patches at the back and a classic setup We have now on fast running shoes where They leave a lot of exposed foam in the Midsole but it's this Sr O2 foam that's Exposed that hopefully will be fairly Durable all [Music] Around so it comes to the fit of the Zoom fly 6 I found it really comfortable Like today I ran about 20 7 28k in the Shoe out of the box and it was really Exceptionally comfortable all around I'd Say I've got nice hold at the heel Without any of this kind of padding or Shaping on the shoe irritating my
Achilles at all it just credles the foot Quite nicely I've not had to heel lock The shoe or anything like that and I've Got enough room in the toe box in my Normal size I've got a uk9 here which is A us10 that's a size I generally have With Nike shoes I'd say there probably a Little bit less room at the front of This shoe than some others it's slightly More dialed in but you I'm fairly small For my size so it was perfectly good for Me but maybe if you're quite big for Your size it might be a little bit tight In the forfeit there but overall I Enjoyed the fit a lot it's two layer Upper entirely sure why Nike does this I Guess it's a comfort thing but add a bit Of weight maybe will make the shoe a bit Warm but it was a pretty cold day today I was running in so yeah no concerns at All with the fit like I said it was Really comfortable for me and I would Stick to your normal size for the most Part she wear it might be a fraction Shorter than some of Nike's other shoes In the same [Music] Size good morning from London I'm about To head out doing my first run in the Nike Zoom fly 6 got long long session Today I'm doing 10 times one mile Off 2 Minutes Paces are not like flat out They're going to be progressing Throughout the session so I'm doing the
First three reps at 530 a mile then Three at 525 three at 520 and then a Kick last a mile and basically the test Will be interesting to see at what point Do I think the zoom fly no longer feels Quick enough so I've also got the alpha Fly with me I might swap into them to Compare them during the session kind of Session I probably wouldn't have even Done one or two reps in the previous Models of the zoom fly CU it was just Like a heavy shoe that I thought was More of a kind of long long run shoe Than anything but the new shoe feels Like a super trainer hopefully we'll Have some speed there and go through Some of those reps the plan would be to Wear it for the whole session because You I would be able to do that for this Session with a shoe like the hoko macx 2 Or the S endorphin speed 4 which I guess Are the competitors to something like The zoomfly so yeah looking forward to Getting out on it I've got a jog to and From the track as well so there'll be a Fair few miles in the shoe at a good Range of pace there will be some easy Stuff in the warm-up cool down obviously Those reps and we'll see how it feels Throughout the [Music] Session so I finished up at the track Now and that was a really good session Stayed in the zoom F six the whole way
Ran all those reps quite well actually You know early on the first six I was Moving okay pace is fairly relaxed I Thought H yeah it feels quite good this I'm not sure it's going to have the Spark I might swap it like rep seven I'll do one of the three the 520s and it They maybe swwa to the alply and then The 520s felt the best of all really Like it felt really impressive like it's Not got a very noticeable ride like a Super shoe like you put the alow on You're going to sink and bounce much More but it's got quite a Stable feeling for me at speed and yeah It's a little bit of punch there but Actually it's quite a natural ride for a Sho it's got a lot going on in there Obviously but it certainly got the speed And turn the legs over at that kind of 520 Pace that's half marathon pace you Know felt good felt like can control on Those reps was a little bit quicker than Target Pace and it was okay and then Pushing on The All Out rep that was a Bit tougher it's a big shoe like I mean Not many shoes you want to go and do an All that Mile in uh that aren't just Like a full carbon racer but think I ran Like about a five dead for that last one And you know it's good you know really Emptying the tank on it and it felt nice Doing in this shoe but yeah it was a bit Too controlled almost for that you want
That come of that more you know Big Bounce you get from a proper carbon shei With a softer foam and that kind of Thing cuz this doesn't feel that soft You got the zoom fly layer the plate and The other layer of um sr2 foam and that Foam's okay like it rides a stable base But it's not giving you a huge amount of Squish and spring like the sfly i l the Zoom X so yeah yeah successful session Like I said it's kind of session I've Used the macx 2 for speed for it's what I want a super trainer to be able to do Because those aren't flat out Paces if That was I think before London Marathon I did a similar session 10 * 1 mile with At faster paces and I used the cell X1 And I'd probably won a Super Shoe if I Was pushing for like kind of several 5 10 miles that kind of thing but those Kind of race Paces so like I say round Half marathon pace slightly slowen it For the first kind of nine reps or just Under it for the last you know for 78 n And then yeah F at the end so yeah it Want to try to be able to do that and it Did it very well so yeah big tick for The zoom 6 in that first session also Really comfortable like I feel really Comfortable no discomfort at all you Know I've done probably about 25k now or So running and going to do another 4K Odd back to my to my bike to cycle the Last bit home but yeah it feels really
Good [Music] Pressed early verdict to me that was a Really enjoyable first run in the Nike Zoomfly 6 like it really ticked all the Boxes I was hoping to see ticked after Some really disappointing experiences With previous models of the shoe I do Think this is now you know a super Trainer that will fit well into this Category it's one I think that is a bit More towards Comfort but does have a Fair bit of speed like on that run today Did a lot of different spaces so on the Warm-up and cool down I was jogging like 4K around got 8 Minute Ming 5 minute a k And then obviously went right down to a 5 minute mile in the session with you Know lots of reps at decent Paces before That as well so does seem to have the Versatility and it was really very Comfortable for me throughout like Really felt very well protected enjoyed Running you know the cool down Afterwards sometimes you a bit beat up After the track session you just kind of A bit annoyed that you've left your bike A certain distance away to make you cool Down which is what I do but actually Really enjoy just doing a bit more Running in the shoe because it is a very Comfortable shoe all round and I think On the super trainer Market I think it Veers a bit more towards stuff like the
New Balance SC Trainer V3 which are Bigger slightly heavier more comfortable Shoes that can hoover up a lot of Mileage but still have Pace in them and You know that was definitely the case With the zoomfly 6 today be interesting To see how it feels if I try and sustain A fast pace in the shoe like tomorrow I've got reasonably Pacey long run so I'll do this in the shoe as way and see How that feels but yeah overall really Enjoyed it definitely has Echoes to me Of the Nike Tempo next a shoe that was Quite big and had loads going on in the Midsole like this shoe but it wasn't the Lightest trainer out there but it really Could move when you got up to speed Because the Foams work together well to Provide quite a bouncy ride like this Isn't as outlandish a ride as Tempo next Per like I say it's almost a little bit Understated doesn't give you an Incredibly springy or feeling or Anything like that but certainly as far You're certainly getting a nice amount Of response from this mix of Foams and Yeah I look forward to running in again Pleased with the changes made to the Zoomfly 6 that's for short certainly a Huge upgrade from what we've seen from The zoomfly 5 you know it's now a much Faster shoe much more lightweight and Versatile shoe but has still quite a lot Of the comfort that I guess the zoomfly
5 was going for I still think this is a Shoe you can use a lot so I look forward To doing that and coming back in a Couple of weeks with our full review
