REVIEW: Nike Zoom Fly FK

The shoe is designed to be "one of the world's fastest, most durable racing and tempo shoes." It lives up to the hype

Madeleine Kelly September 14, 2018

Nike’s newest shoe released yesterday in North America. The Nike Zoom Fly FK is the newest addition to Nike’s lineup of expertly engineered speed shoes.

The shoe combines the Flyknit upper that Nike wearers have come to love, with the durable React foam. On top of that, they slid in the full-length carbon-fiber plate found in the Zoom Vaporfly 4%.

The shoe is designed to be “one of the world’s fastest, most durable racing and tempo shoes.” It lives up to the hype.

I wore the shoes for workouts on both the track and the road. They were great on both. On the track, the shoes still felt responsive despite the softer surface, and on the road, there was a noticeable amount of pop. This shoe wants to push you forward. I wouldn’t recommend this shoe on an easy day or recovery day, as this is not an all-around trainer. The Zoom Fly is designed to help you through your faster workouts.

The Nike React cushioning technology was formerly used in the company’s basketball shoes, before it was adapted for running. According to the sportswear giant, Nike React foam offers 13 per cent higher energy return than Lunarlon, the brand’s signature cushioning technology used in recent years. Lunarlon was used in previous versions of the Zoom Fly.

As usual with both speed shoes and Nike shoes in particular, the fit is fairly narrow and a little short. Depending on how you like your shoes to fit, or if you plan on wearing socks with your Flyknit shoes, go up a half size. The drop is 10mm, with a stack height of 23mm at the front and 33mm at the back. It’s currently only available in black, pink and orange. The shoe retails for $160 USD.

The Flyknit top fit well and I didn’t notice my foot slipping or moving around during either of my workouts. The upper moved very well and didn’t cause any discomfort or pressure points.

If you’re looking for a very fast workout shoe, or a slightly more durable option for racing, consider trying the Zoom Fly FK. An all-around trainer that could complement the Zoom Fly FK well is the Pegasus Turbo or the Pegasus 35. The Pegasus is one of the most respected shoes in the game, and its newest edition, the Pegasus 35, has been as well received as its predecessors. The Pegasus has been one of the brand’s staple shoes for the past three decades.

The Zoom Pegasus Turbo, which has only been on the market for eight weeks, employs the ZoomX foam, which delivers 85 per cent energy return, the greatest of any Nike foam. To sweeten the deal, it’s also Nike’s lightest foam, ensuring runners are light on their feet.

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