Vaporfly 4 vs Fast-R Nitro Elite 3

The fourth Vaporfly is a shorter-race shoe now, whatever its marathon reputation says. Nike took it lower and firmer, and at 190g it's a very light carbon racing shoe to wear. Reviewers mostly agree the slimmer midsole suits 5k to half marathon better than 26.2. The Run Testers rated it best around the half and thought it short of cushioning for a full marathon unless you like a lower shoe. Believe in the Run graded its performance an A and its design a C, which is a fair summary: quick, but the heel fit lets it down. If you race shorter distances and found the v3 too soft, this is the better Vaporfly for you. If the marathon is your main event, the Alphafly 3 gives you more underfoot for the back half. The RRP is £260, and the price table below shows what UK retailers are asking now.

At 170g, the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 is one of the lighter full-stack carbon racing shoes we track, and most reviewers rank it among the fastest they've raced in. The price of that speed is stability, durability and a ride that only makes sense when you're working hard. That makes it a very good running shoe for a fairly small group: efficient mid and forefoot strikers racing 5K to the half, and quick marathoners whose form doesn't fall apart late on. The Run Testers raced it at the London Marathon and felt it was lighter and more efficient than the Alphafly 3, though never a shoe they stopped noticing. Running Shoes Guru was less taken, marking it down for wobbliness and early wear at this price. At £260 RRP it sits at the top of the market, and Puma's own Deviate Nitro Elite 4 is £45 less if you want a carbon racer from the same range without the Fast-R's quirks.