I did IM Chatt last Sunday, #5 for me, and with the hills its a banger on the legs. I'm usually banged up in the calves and quads for close to a week. After the race no calf issues and quads hurt but no where near what I usually feel. Was sore up/ down stairs for 3 days but Thursday morning no issues.

I know an older thread....
But fast forward almost a year.....has anyone found any of the somewhat lower end Nikes (as in, less expensive than the Vaporfly 4's) offer the same or similar benefit of less leg soreness compared to the 4%'s?
Or are the 4%'s that far ahead in that department? Not worried about speed benefits. I did my first real run in my 4%'s this morning, same route and distance I've done countless times, about an hour long, and my legs feel way fresher than normal afterwards. And yes my pace was faster without any perceived extra effort, but again, its the lack of soreness after that is gold for me. But $$$.

Thx!

Yes, the Zoom Fly 3s

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https://www.strava.com/...tes/zachary_mckinney

Thanks, suspected that was the one, just ordered a pair.

Just switched out a pair of OG Zoom Flys at over 500 miles. They're probably good for a few more to be honest. Maybe the best shoes I've ever run in, and definitely best value at £60 from the Nike Outlet.

Zoom fly’s have the react foam. From what it sounds like from what I’ve read is the two foams are actually pretty similar. React is just significantly more durable. I’m running in the vomero 14 which looks like that took the Pegasus 36 and added a layer of react on it and basically kept everything else.

I’ve heard the zoom fly’s are hard to run in unless you’re running faster because of the carbon plate. Not sure if that is true or not.

In a way yes. I've used both and the 4% definitely beat me up less than the ZF3 which seem to be less cushioned (spongy). Haven't tried the Pegasus Turbo 2, but as far as I can tell that shoe uses both ZoomX as well as React foam.

That’s correct with the Pegasus turbos, they react was added to improve durability. My assumption is that is similar to the alpha fly tempo and why they used the air pods because the shoes will last longer.

So is it fair to say the ZF3 will be more forgiving on the legs than the Pegasus Turbo, but just won't last quite as long?

Edit - I think I have that backwards? The Pegasus will be softer because it has some Zoomx in it, and ZF3 will be less soft but more durable because it is all React foam?

Your edit is correct. The Turbo is softer it doesn’t have the carbon plate and the ZoomXis softer somewhat with more rebound. It looks like Nike can make up some of that softness with adding more react foam, but it increases shoe weight.

I Love the turbos but, I seem to be shredding through the sole on them which is odd. I’ve been using the Vomero 14, it has the cushion from the react but the rebound from the Nike air, so it’s felt great.

I tried the infinity react since I just started running recently after two surgery, which i liked but not as much as the Vomero now that my legs are feeling a little better. However, the bottom of the infinity react insole is destroyed, the stitching for the shoe has literally wore holes though insole so I’m gonna send them back.

I got a pair of peg turbo 2 a few months ago and have had zf3 for about a year. Love the zf3. Turbo is ok. It’s a bit lighter but I don’t feel the pop that I get from the zf3. SS far as durability I have close to 400 miles on zf3 and still is holding up well. Had to throw on some shoe goo on the heels but plan to keep on using them until my knees start hurting!

And as far as the turbo being “softer”. I actually feel the opposite until I start picking up the pace. Turbo are soft but isn’t noticeable to me. I’ll buy a pair of zf3 again before turbos.

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I too have had and continue to have tibialis posterior issues with the 4% and ZoomFly... Have you found a solution to it? The shoe has been great for a nagging hip flexor and patella tendon issue; but a disaster for the tib posterior, unfortunately

Absolutely. I am less sore from races since using VF or the AF. I do like the drop of the AF better though.

Hello

I'm 55 now... in the meantime I ran mostly with high cushion low drop shoes (Hoka, ...), strengthening my "rear of the leg" muscular chain, and moving from heel strike to midfoot strike / front foot strike.

On reasonable distance (for me less than 15km), with soft forefoot shoes, whatever the drop, I run front foot/mid foot, so rear medial instability of the Nike 4% is no more an issue (tested that again recently with my old 2018 pair).

On longer distances, my heel come back in the game, and I appreciate some stability here. Looking at supershoes (very soft) Adidas Adios Pro (1 or 2), Asics Metaspeed Sky, and NB RC Elite (1 or 2) are more stable at the heel than 4%.

But very soft shoes are never stable enough by themselves on the heel side.
Either you need to limit your heel pronation with some work (personally, moving to midfoot/frontfoot strike), either stay with more stable shoes (stable heel, less soft foam, like Hoka Clifton, ...)