Products
Nike Alphafly 3
Nike Vaporfly 3
Tested using Methodology v0.9
Updated Oct 17, 2025 07:42 PM
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Nike.com
Tested using Methodology v0.8.2
Updated Oct 20, 2025 09:37 PM
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Amazon.com
Weight
200.7 g (7.08 oz)
Heel-To-Toe Drop
6.4 mm
Plate
Carbon Fiber
Weight
188.0 g (6.63 oz)
Heel-To-Toe Drop
8.2 mm
Plate
Carbon Fiber
Our Verdict
Nike Alphafly 3
Nike Vaporfly 3
The Nike Vaporfly 3 and the Nike Alphafly 3 are two premium racing shoes, each catering to different types of runners and race distances, and your choice will depend on your priorities. The Vaporfly 3 is lighter and more agile and provides a firmer ride, making it a strong choice for shorter-distance races up to the half-marathon. It also has a lower stack height. However, the Alphafly 3 has somewhat better lateral stability, making it better suited for marathon racing. It's more cushioned, which can help absorb impact, especially in the later miles of a race. While the Vaporfly 3 is more snappy for shorter distances, the Alphafly 3 is designed to optimize efficiency over 26.2 miles, making it the preferred option for marathon specialists.
Variants
- Alphafly 3 (Black/Olive Aura/Metallic Silver - (Men - US 9))
- Alphafly 3 (Bright Crimson/Lime Blast/Mint Foam/Cave Purple - (Men - US 9))
- Alphafly 3 (Bright Crimson/Lime Blast/Mint Foam/Cave Purple - (Women - US 7))
- Alphafly 3 (Electric Pack/Olympic Safari - (Women - US 7))
- Alphafly 3 (Football Grey/Ghost/Persian Violet/Blue Void - (Men - US 9))
- Alphafly 3 (Football Grey/Ghost/Persian Violet/Blue Void - (Women - US 7))
- Alphafly 3 (Light Army/Ironstone/Light Khaki/Desert Moss - (Men - US 9))
- Alphafly 3 (Sail/Crimson Tint/Guava Ice/Black - (Women - US 7))
- Alphafly 3 (Vapor Green/Dragon Red/Stadium Green/Black - (Men - US 9))
- Alphafly 3 (Volt/Dusty Cactus/Total - (Men - US 9))
- Alphafly 3 (White/Black/University Red/Habanero Red - (Men - US 9))
- Alphafly 3 (White/Pure Platinum/Obsidian Mist/Gridiron - (Men - US 9))
- Alphafly 3 (White/Purple Agate/Vivid Grape/Black - (Men - US 9))
- Vaporfly 3 (Black/Black/Oatmeal/Metallic Gold Grain - (Women - US 7))
- Vaporfly 3 (Black/Olive Aura/Metallic Medium Ash - (Men - US 9))
- Vaporfly 3 (Electric Pack - (Women - US 7))
- Vaporfly 3 (Laser Orange/Citron Pulse/Sail/Hyper Violet - (Women - US 7))
- Vaporfly 3 (Mint Foam/Sunset Tint/Barely Volt/Sail - (Women - US 7))
- Vaporfly 3 (Multi-Color/Volt/Hyper Pink/Black - (Men - US 9))
- Vaporfly 3 (Sail/Crimson Tint/Guava Ice/Black - (Men - US 9))
- Vaporfly 3 (Sail/Crimson Tint/Guava Ice/Black - (Women - US 7))
- Vaporfly 3 (Sail/Glacier Blue/Volt - (Men - US 9))
- Vaporfly 3 (Sail/Olive Aura/Volt/Glacier Blue - (Women - US 7))
- Vaporfly 3 (Volt/Scream Green/Barely Volt/Black - (Women - US 7))
- Vaporfly 3 (White/Black/University Red/Habanero Red - (Men - US 9))
- Vaporfly 3 (White/Dk Smoke Grey/Particle Grey - (Women - US 7))
- Vaporfly 3 (White/Sea Coral/Pure Platinum/Topaz Gold - (Women - US 7))
- Vaporfly 3 (White/Vivid Purple/Purple - (Men - US 9))
- Vaporfly 3 (White/Vivid Purple/Purple Agate/Black - (Women - US 7))
Main Differences for
Marathon Racing
Marathon Racing
Threshold
Marathon Racing
8.5
8.2
Forefoot Stack Height
33.4 mm
29.4 mm
Weight
8.1
8.5
Full Comparison
Design
Weight
8.1
8.5
Right Shoe Weight Photo
Left Shoe Weight Photo
Weight
200.7 g (7.08 oz)
188.0 g (6.63 oz)
Stack Heights
Stack Height Photo
Heel Stack Height
39.8 mm
37.6 mm
Forefoot Stack Height
33.4 mm
29.4 mm
Heel-To-Toe Drop
6.4 mm
8.2 mm
Advertised Heel-To-Toe Drop
8.0 mm
8.0 mm
External Shape
3D Model Full Shoe
Outsole Heel Width
91 mm (3.6")
74 mm (2.9")
Outsole Arch Width
68 mm (2.7")
52 mm (2.0")
Outsole Forefoot Width
116 mm (4.6")
107 mm (4.2")
Heel Width-To-Stack Ratio
2.29
1.97
Forefoot Width-To-Stack Ratio
3.47
3.64
Internal Shape
3D Model Internal
Internal Length
273 mm (10.7")
267 mm (10.5")
Internal Heel Width
59 mm (2.3")
55 mm (2.2")
Internal Forefoot Width
90 mm (3.5")
91 mm (3.6")
Wide Sizing Available
No
No
Other Features
Other Features Photo
Tongue Gusset Type
Non-gusseted
Non-gusseted
Plate
Carbon Fiber
Carbon Fiber
Performance
Heel Energy Return
8.2
8.5
Heel Compression Video
Heel Energy Return
Heel Energy Return
82.0%
84.0%
Forefoot Energy Return
8.2
8.4
Forefoot Compression Video
Forefoot Energy Return
Forefoot Energy Return
82.2%
83.1%
Heel Cushioning
7.6
6.2
Heel Cushioning Picture
Heel Cushioning
Energy Absorbed At 550N
3.82 J
3.26 J
Energy Absorbed At 1100N
9.18 J
7.72 J
Energy Absorbed At 1900N
14.96 J
12.53 J
Forefoot Cushioning
8.0
6.0
Forefoot Cushioning Picture
Forefoot Cushioning
Energy Absorbed At 800N
4.68 J
3.82 J
Energy Absorbed At 1300N
8.55 J
6.44 J
Energy Absorbed At 2050N
13.10 J
9.39 J
Heel Firmness
5.9
7.3
Heel Firmness
Firmness At 550N
49.4 N/mm
66.4 N/mm
Firmness At 1100N
129.6 N/mm
152.2 N/mm
Firmness At 1900N
277.3 N/mm
348.2 N/mm
Forefoot Firmness
7.4
8.9
Forefoot Firmness
Firmness At 800N
103.1 N/mm
136.9 N/mm
Firmness At 1300N
170.1 N/mm
280.4 N/mm
Firmness At 2050N
370.8 N/mm
556.8 N/mm
Forefoot Long Run Cushioning
7.8
Forefoot Long Run Cushioning
Energy Absorbed At 10km
8.41 J
Energy Absorbed At 20km
8.33 J
Energy Absorbed At 30km
8.27 J
Energy Absorbed At 40km
8.24 J
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Nike Alphafly 3
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Nike Alphafly 3 vs Nike Vaporfly 3: Main Discussion
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