It’s not everyday you sit in on a product briefing and have you jaw hit the floor. Because up to this point, the Nike Alphafly’s have really been the overwhelming favorite for marathon runners globally. So many PR’s, so many records, so many backers.

So when Nike introduced the new Apex to us, we were skeptical on just how much more they could fit into a pair of super shoes.

But they somehow did.

What’s in the Apex

In football terms, this is Nike’s new QB1 and the headline is Air.

Apex is the first racing shoe with two double-stacked Air Zoom units, four pods in each shoe, arranged in two stacked pairs. Yes, read that again. I’ll wait.

Nike says it’s the most Air it has ever put in the forefoot of a running shoe and it’s the same new Air Zoom tech that debuted in the Alphafly 4, which was notable in itself. Nike told us that was the first change to the Air Zoom unit since the original Alphafly, so essentially, a big deal.

The rest of the system is built around it:

• Midsole. ZoomX LT is a new race-specific foam. Nike says it’s softer, lighter, and returns more energy than standard ZoomX. In the briefing, Nike put the weight reduction at 17% but didn’t specify the comparison.
• Air Zoom units: Redesigned to be lighter than previous versions.
• Plate: A redesigned carbon Flyplate with a raised, inverse-wave shape. It’s wider than before, giving more leverage to push you forward, and it’s shaped to load the Air units. Very cool.
• Outsole: GOATEK rubber at the tip of the forefoot for traction at push-off, plus minimal-thickness Fast Shot rubber placed only where needed to save weight. There’s also a wider outsole and a rocker.
• Upper: Flyknit X with a fitted knit collar and no sockliner.

Zero Drop

This is the most interesting design choice, and it’s a rules play more than a comfort play.

World Athletics caps stack height at 40mm and to get the most performance out of that limit, you need to get creative. First, the sockliner was removed, so your foot sits directly on the cushioning. Second, they eliminated the heel-to-forefoot offset, so there’s a full 40mm of foam under the forefoot, where Nike says runners need energy return most.

The result is a zero-drop, 40mm platform from heel to toe which is a real departure from the drop most super shoes use, and it changes how your calves and Achilles load over 26.2 miles. Nike says the flat geometry gives consistent support, but its such a novel and cool idea and way to continue to innovate, we’re excited to see how it actually feels when combined with all that Air.

Energy Return and More

Nike says Apex delivers up to 40% more energy return than Alphafly 3 in a men’s size 10, at more than a 10% less weight. But read that carefully. They said Alpha 3, not the new Alphafly 4, which shares the same Air tech. Interesting.

Built for Consistency

Nike’s pitch is consistency with the Apex, saying the Air keeps its performance over the full marathon, so the ride at mile 26 should feel like mile 1 but we also feel like that is something everyone says. If that holds, it goes after a real problem because more marathoners know that mile 22 is vastly different than mile 3.

Nike athlete Jacob Kiplimo, who the company says raced in prototypes for his half marathon world record in Lisbon and his fastest marathon in London, pointed out the best innovations let you think less about what’s under your feet. Its a cute saying, but I want to hear from John who is pushing for an under 3 hour marathon. What’s his perspective on how they feel?

Where Apex Fits in Nike’s Lineup

Nike now has three marathon shoes; the all-new Swooshfly, the Alphafly 4 we already know, and then, Apex.

The release calls Apex Nike’s “most advanced expression of speed,” and during our briefing, they were clear that the lineup is “not a hierarchy.” Nike frames it as three tools for different runners and different goals.

Swooshfly is the entry point, Alphafly 4 is the balanced all-rounder built to carry speed over distance and Apex, isn’t meant to be the answer for every runner but exists to push the edge of what race-day innovation can become.

The Apex launches in January 2027 and we hope to get these on our feet, and if so, we’ll tell you how it feels, how it handles fatigue, and whether the zero-drop platform works for different strides.