“I don’t think shoes are good or bad, per se,” says 10K expert Essi about his personal standards when it comes to selecting a running shoe. “Each shoe has a different purpose and is designed to deliver a specific job. If it’s speed I’m aiming for, I’ll definitely look for attributes such as a light weight, aerodynamic features, carbon plating, an aggressive drop, and a tilt-forward form.”
For this episode, Essi slips into a pair of Nike VAPORFLY 4s—the lightest in the history of the franchise—and puts them to the ultimate test in our specialised, highly scientific laboratory to see if they live up to the hype. And it’s fair to say we’re expecting big results. After all, this shoe is championed as one of the most versatile running shoes in the world, inspired by athletes chasing records from 10ks to marathons.
Let’s see what happens.