Nike ZoomX Streakfly review

Nike labels the Streakfly as its ‘lightest racing shoe’ and it’s aimed at those racing shorter distances, such as 5km and 10km.

Out of the box the hyper pink and laser orange colourway screamed speed and, weighing in at a paltry 160g per shoe (UK7), we were keen to get them on our feet. Now that we have, here’s what we thought…

Nike ZoomX Streakfly review

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During our test period we used the shoe for a variety of speed workouts, 5km and 10km races, and even a 10-mile progression run to see if the shoe could hold up over the slightly longer distances.

In terms of fit and comfort we found the shoe to be true to size with no rubbing or heel lift (even when running sockless). We did note some scrunching in the upper, though. This caused us no issues but something to consider for others.

The real magic of this shoe lies in the full ZoomX midsole. If you’re a ZoomX fan (and who isn’t?) you’ll not be disappointed by the silky-smooth ride, soft landing and pop that comes from this midsole. There‘s also a half-length Pebax shank, which offered some stability through the arch.

Despite the lower stack height (32mm heel and 26mm forefoot, resulting in a 6mm drop) and the craze for max cushion racers, we found the shoe to be comfortable at a variety of paces, but it really does come into its own at race pace.

We had no issues with traction from foot contact to toe-off. The rubber that adorns the front half of the outsole gave us all the grip we needed to move up the gears with confidence, even in spring downpours! On the track we found it to feel and perform like a track spike.

The ultra-thin knitted upper offered plenty of breathability, but one small niggle to note are the laces. They’re thin and lightweight by design, but we found them to be too thin as we struggled lacing up in colder conditions. We’d suggest alternative laces to save the inevitable faff in transition.

There will always be durability concerns with ZoomX. We’ve only had them for a short while so it’s too early to say other than after 50km the outsole is holding up. There are some very small signs of wear, particularly around the exposed ZoomX at the rear of the shoe, but nothing that worries us at this stage.

After pounding the track and pavement with the Streakfly for over 50km, did we enjoy the shoe? Yes. Would we pick it over carbon-plated racers for the shorter distances? Probably not.

We’d recommend using the Streakfly for faster training runs or speed workouts, saving putting extra miles on those race-day shoes. That said, if you’re on a budget and can’t splash out on multiple shoes, the Streakfly guarantees you a fun, responsive and aggressive racing shoe for sprint and Olympic-distance races at a fraction of the cost of other supershoes.