By Paul Freary
The Nike ZoomX Streakfly might be the road racing shoe from Nike that you’ve never heard of! With the success of the Alphafly and Vaporfly the clamour for carbon-plated super shoes has drowned out most other competition models. That said, a few brands still make road racing models worthy of consideration, especially for the shorter distances. So how good is this shoe? Read my Nike ZoomX Streakfly review to find out.
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The Streakfly is one such model and at the 5 and 10k distances, it’s a very capable shoe with many advantages over a carbon-plated model.
It’s lighter, more flexible and a little more forgiving than carbon shoes and a little more versatile and better value for money too.
Stats
Nike | ZoomX Streakfly |
|---|---|
Best for | 5k / 10k road races |
Support | Neutral |
Cushion | Mid-level, responsive racer |
Stack Height | 32mm Heel / 26mm Forefoot |
Drop | 6mm |
Weight | 6.0oz / 170g (US 9, unisex model) |
Suggested Retail Price | $160 / £145 |
Fit | True to size |
Rating | 8/ 10 |
The Nike ZoomX Streakfly could be described as a Vaporfly without the Carbon plate. It features the same ZoomX foam as used in both the Vaporfly and Alphafly, yet without the stiff carbon plate it feels much softer.
Whilst there is no carbon plate, the Streakfly does feature a midfoot shank. Whilst this has been largely ignored by many runners and reviewers, its purpose is perhaps to mirror the arch and emphasise the foot’s Windlass mechanism.
The Flyknit upper is a simple design and highly breathable, hugging the foot closely.
Fit
The Streakfly fits true to size and like other road racing models provides a close, wraparound fit. The Flyknit upper is highly breathable and with the asymmetrical lacing, it holds the foot in place neatly and securely.
The Flyknit upper can crease a little at the bend of the toes sometimes but in this shoe, this wasn’t an issue and any creasing was negligible.
The tongue has padding only in key places to provide protection from the laces on the instep but doesn't add weight or bulk to the overall fit.
Likewise, the internal heel area is padded in key areas to provide a secure fit and reduce excess weight.
Nike ZoomX Streakfly
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Performance
The Nike Streakfly feels so light on the foot that it instantly feels fast from the moment you slip your feet inside. At around 170g it’s lighter than any carbon-plated racer (except the new adidas Evo 1), so it is reminiscent of many of the racing shoes of the early 2000s.
The shoes feels very much like a track spike, close fitting and hugging the foot. I particularly like the off-set laces and the neat padding in the ankle collar area. The whole shoe has a sock-like fit and feel to it.
From the very first stride, the Zoom X foam feels soft and springy. When the foot strikes the ground on the lateral side of the heel, it compresses very quickly, making the overall softness of the foam very noticeable.
This said, remember this is a racing shoe for the shorter 5k and 10k distances and as such you will most likely be striking the ground a little more towards the mid or forefoot.
When you do pick up the pace and strike the ground like this, the difference between this shoe and carbon-plated super shoes is very noticeable. The Streakfly sits lower to the ground and there is certainly more ‘ground-feel’. While this is great for faster athletes, those who are used to shoes with more cushioning might not fully appreciate the much more aggressive nature of the shoe on offer here.
Personally, I’ll be limiting the shoe to the 5km distance. When younger I did enjoy the closer-to-the-ground feel of this type of shoe, but I think as I’ve aged, I prefer a more protected and cushioning shoe.
The sole of the Streakfly is similar to Nike’s other road racing shoes and provides full rubber coverage in the forefoot but just two slim pieces of rubber in the heel area. These two heel pieces do sit forward, slightly away from the rear of the heel and leave a small area of the ZoomX foam exposed. While this shouldn’t be of too much concern, everyone will inevitably at some point strike on their heel and the foam can ‘rub’ away quickly here. This wear won’t affect the life of the shoe too much, but it can be unsightly.
Traction is good (for this type of shoe) and the overall durability in the forefoot is as good as any other road racing shoe.
Comparisons
When thinking of other brands’ shoes that compare to the Nike Streakfly, the list is becoming shorter. As I mentioned earlier, many brands have followed the super-shoe route and abandoned this type of racing model completely.
The first shoe of comparison that comes to mind is the adidas Takumi Sen 9. The Takumi Sen does feature the brand’s carbon-infused roads and so could be considered ‘plated’, but it sits lower to the ground than their Pro 3 model which competes more with the Vaporfly. The Takumi Sen feels a little more substantial than the Streakfly but for me, it’s still a 5 and 10k racing option.
For ASICS, the Magic Speed 3 has a similar feel. Again, the Magic Speed is plated but doesn’t use the brand’s premium super-foam. This gives the shoe a slightly firm feel and at the same time reduces the price. While the Magic Speed would be aimed more at the shorter distances, I think it’s a shoe that sits in a rather awkward space for ASICS as they have much better shoes available themselves and the competition is also better and a little cheaper!
The final shoe of comparison is the Brooks Hyperion. Available as both a neutral and support version, the Hyperion GTS doesn’t have a plate but does use Brooks’ Nitrogen-injected foam. This gives the shoe an energised ride as well as being a well-priced option. The Nike is a little lighter, but the Brooks is a little more durable.
As with any shoe, it’s always going to come down to its intended use, fit, feel and price. At least with the Nike, it is a very clear and specific use shoe.
Nike ZoomX Streakfly
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My Verdict
For those runners old enough to remember ‘BC’ shoes (before carbon) the Streakfly will be a welcome reminder of more traditional models and it provides a shoe with ‘modern’ cushioning in a lightweight and responsive package.
It’s ideal usage scenario is for 5 and 10k races on the roads but it also makes a good alternative to spikes for those doing regular track workouts.
When attacking the road and looking for optimum speed over 5k the Streakfly is a great option.
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