A Look Inside Nike NEXT%

Posted On August 27, 2020

Nike made headlines in 2019 when Eliud Kipchoge ran a marathon in 1:59:40 in 2019 wearing the a prototype of the Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT%.

It’s a shoe that was two years in the making beginning with Eliud’s effort to break the two-hour marathon barrier in 2017. From this project, the Nike NEXT% program was born to design new footwear that will continue to break barries.

Breaking down the Nike NEXT% system

Nike NEXT% is a footwear innovation system engineered to give athletes a measurable benefit. Informed by sport science and verified by the Nike Sport Research Lab, the Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% features three critical components, working together to help runners on race day:

Full-length Carbon Fiber Plate: Provides stability and a smooth transition; increases stiffness in the forefoot to provide a sensation of propulsion

Nike ZoomX Cushioning: Lightweight, provides optimal energy return, minimizes energy loss

Nike Zoom Air Pods: Added cushioning, increased energy return

The Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% features two new Nike Zoom Air pods, more ZoomX foam and a single carbon fiber plate (all updates from its predecessor, the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT%), and an ultra-breathable, lightweight Flyknit upper – all adding up to improved cushioning and running economy.

The shoe is part of a suite of products releasing in summer 2020, including the Nike Air Zoom Tempo NEXT% and Nike Air Zoom Tempo NEXT% FlyEase, complementary training shoes that translate the principles of the Alphafly to rigorous daily use, and track spikes (the Nike Air Zoom Victory) that extend the NEXT% design ethos to new disciplines.

Nike Air Zoom Tempo NEXT%

For the Tempo NEXT%, the NEXT% system is specifically tuned to training. The plate shifts from carbon to a composite — softer for added comfort over higher mileage — but still serves to provide stability and transition throughout a runner’s full stride. ZoomX, prized for its energy return and responsiveness, sits above the plate at mid and forefoot. For maximum impact protection and durability, Nike React Foam is used at the heel. The same Nike Zoom Air pods featured in the new Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% are also placed in the Tempo’s forefoot to offer responsive cushioning and a sensation of propulsion.

Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT%

The Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT%, Nike Air Zoom Tempo NEXT% and Nike Air Zoom Tempo NEXT% FlyEase give athletes of today an opportunity to stamp their mark and motivate athletes (and designers) of tomorrow to set even greater goals.