Nike Alphafly 3 Performance Review: The Best Alphafly Yet

The Nike Alphafly 3 is the latest iteration of Nike’s marathon racing shoe line that took marathon racing shoes to another level. The original upleveled both the cushioning and price (it launched at $275 and the Alphafly 3 ups the ante to $285) for the top end of running shoes. It also enhanced the fun factor.

Nike Alphafly 3

Release Date: January 4, 2024

Price: $285

Weight: Men’s 7.0 oz., Women’s 6.1 oz.

Drop: 8mm

Sizing: True to size

• Rundown: The Nike Alphafly 3 is the best version of the Alphafly yet. It captures the magic of the original Alphafly and gives Alphafly fans what they want.

Slipping on (ok yanking on…the collar wasn’t accommodating) the original Alphafly and taking that first run was magical. It was the beginning of something new. And its early pandemic release was a bright spot in what at the time was a confusing world. It wasn’t a perfect shoe but it felt so unique and different that it was easy to overlook the flaws. And it didn’t hurt that Eliud Kipchoge used the shoe to break the two hour marathon time barrier in a controlled time trial.

Because of all that, the Alphafly mystique reached a fever pitch that was eventually submarined by a solid if unspectacular second model. Soon enough, other companies caught up with shoes like the Saucony Endorphin Elite and air jordan 8 solefly leading many runners to turn away from the Alphafly.

But Nike, as Nike does, wasn’t standing still. Instead the Nike design team was cooking up a Return of the Jedi level third entry in this trilogy. The Nike Alphafly 3 is the best Alphafly to date and Nike’s return to the top tier of our best marathon running shoes list.

The Nike Alphafly 3 fits better, though wide footers are still out of luck (see below for more details). The upper feels less constrictive, softer, and offers the same airflow as the original. It’s much easier to get on than either of the previous Alphaflys. And even the lockdown is better with a quick lacing system allowing you to pull the laces from the top and cinch down the entire foot. It’s just as awkward walking around in the Alphafly 3 as previous versions but the on foot experience is much better.

The Alphafly 3 traction is also better, taking learnings from the Alphafly 2 and creating a similar but different pattern. The outsole isn’t as sticky as what Puma, adidas, and Saucony are doing but it’s come a long way from the original Vaporfly days. Stability is still treacherous around ninety degree corners, especially when taking them at 5k or 10k speeds. That’s something to be aware of if you haven’t yet had the Alphafly experience.

Most importantly, the signature bounce from the combined might of the Zoom Air pods and ZoomX foam is there and it’s glorious. I wore the Nike Alphafly 3 for a New Year’s Day 5k and enjoyed the extra “oomph” I felt with every step. The fun factor is high and makes the Alphafly 3 a shoe that could be the difference between getting out the door or sleeping in during dark early morning marathon training sessions as you prepare for that spring marathon.

Pros

• Super bouncy
• Easy to maintain marathon pace
• Most accommodating and comfortable Alphafly to date
• Arch is less pronounced and more comfortable
• Upper is less plasticky and uses a softer knit
• Lacing system is quick and easy
• 8 mm drop feels like 8 mm. The heel doesn’t squish more than the forefoot

Cons

• Heel strikers beware. Nike cut a ton of material from the bottom of the heel (like the Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro) so it can be unstable for heel strikers and heavier runners.
• Not forgiving of running form weaknesses. It was built for pros with great form.
• The arch can still bother flat footers and cause blisters
• Running at slow easy run pace in the Alphafly 3 often feels clunky
• Super squishy midsole means below average ankle stability

Is the Nike Alphafly 3 wide foot friendly?

While the Nike Alphafly 3 is more accommodating than previous Alphaflys, it’s still too narrow through the midfoot and heel to be a great option for wide-footed runners.

Is the Nike Alphafly 3 worth $285?

$285 is A LOT. It’s close though. I think most serious runners will be ok paying $285 to access the bounce and Alphafly-inspired confidence boost. For more casual mid to late pack runners the value won’t be the same.

Nike Alphafly 3 Summary

The Nike Alphafly 3 is the best Alphafly yet. It evokes the magic of the original Alphafly and avoids the more pedestrian feel of the underwhelming second model.

If you loved the original or are looking to understand why the Alphafly series has earned its reputation, the Nike Alphafly 3 provides the exciting experience you’re looking for.

Puma Scoot Zero: Scoot Henderson’s First Signature Shoe

The Puma Scoot Zero is Scoot Henderson’s first signature shoe with the brand, and, potentially, one of the top bang-for-your-buck options of the year.

Release Date: December 2023

Price: $100

 

7.5/10

Total Score

Buy Puma Scoot Zero

Scoot Henderson was the number 3 pick of the 2023 NBA Draft and one of the most exciting and explosive prospects of said draft class. It’s no surprise that Puma signed Scoot as soon as they could to add him to its young roster of NBA stars. Scoot had a rocky start to the 2023 season but showed flashes of his potential when he was able to get healthy minutes on the hardwood.

Before the start of the season, Scoot was featured prominently in all the promotional materials for the Puma All Pro Nitro and even got a PE of the shoe. But he never actually laced them up in the NBA.

We’ve seen Scoot playing in his signature shoe since back in August 2023, and now it’s finally hit shelves, and, of course, we got our hands on a pair. The shoe look very promising (especially for the price) so let’s dive into the review and see exactly what the Scoot Zero has to offer.

Puma Scoot Zero Performance review

Puma Scoot Zero Traction Performance

The Scoot Zero features a solid rubber outsole with two different traction patterns etched into it. First, we have some of the most aggressive and thick herringbone we have seen on a hoop shoe in a while. This pattern covers a good portion of the forefoot, the midfoot, and the heel of the shoe. It’s interrupted by a thinner, pivot-point style, radial traction pattern right at the ball of the foot, which is also constructed with a different style of rubber.

This traction pattern looks amazing. Not only does it look like it will offer insane grip indoors, but the robust herringbone pattern seems perfect for outdoor play. Hopefully, the radial portion will hold up outdoors as well, and if it does, the Scoot Zero might just be equipped with the best outdoor traction we have seen all year.

Puma Scoot Zero Cushion Performance

Where the traction was impressive, the cushioning is just disappointing. It isn’t bad, but knowing what Puma could have put into the Travis Scott, makes this feel like a missed opportunity. What we have is a dense compression-molded ProFoam EVA midsole and…well…that’s it.

This style of foam is commonly used in Puma basketball shoes, but it’s normally coupled with another one of their proprietary foams to create a dual-density cushioning setup (like for example in the aforementioned Puma All Pro Nitro).

It isn’t an uncomfortable cushioning system but its strengths are stability and court feel, so if you are looking for something plush and cushy underfoot, this isn’t it.

Puma Scoot Zero Materials Performance

Materials are nothing to write home about in terms of quality, but, considering this is a $100 basketball shoe, Puma has delivered a very well-built shoe indeed. What we have is a nice robust textile upper that feels very nice around your foot, with some synthetic overlays to boost the shoe’s all-around support.

Nothing on the shoe is premium, unfortunately, but it is lightweight, it will mold to your foot easily and perform well on court which is all that really matters at the end of the day.

Puma Scoot Zero Fit Performance

The Puma Scoot Zero fits true to size, so go with whatever size you usually wear with Puma. As we have mentioned earlier, that textile upper conforms very well to your foot, and should require little to no break-in time.

Puma Scoot Zero Support Performance

Support on the Puma Scoot Zero is solid, and it all comes from the build of the upper and those synthetic overlays, and the midsole itself. There isn’t much in terms of tech to increase the shoe support, it simply relies on the containment provided by the upper and that thick stable midsole.

There are no lace cables, groundbreaking torsional plates, or innovative heel counter, just a nice snug fit, adequate containment, and a stable base. All in all, it’s a very secure feeling basketball shoe on court, it’s just not elite as far as support and containment go.

Puma Scoot Zero Overall Performance

The Puma Scoot Zero is just a solid basketball shoe with no bells or whistles. This is slightly disappointing if you are looking at the Scoot Zero as the “first signature shoe for an exciting new NBA prospect”. If we look at these shoes as one of Puma’s budget basketball shoes for the 2023-24 season, then they’re much more impressive.

Either way, the Green Glow promises to be a dependable on-court performance basketball shoe and a good start to what will hopefully be another great signature line to keep an eye on.

Jordan Zion 3 Performance Review

Zion Williamson’s signature line has been very inconsistent up until now. The Zion 3 might be the best shoe in the line but it’s nothing like previous models.

Release Date: October 2023

Price: $140

6/10

Total Score

What is going on with Zion Williamson’s signature line? The Zion 1 was a light-weight, plastic-y, shoe with decent cushioning, but little else. The Zion 2 was a great performance model, it was a robust, grippy, well-cushioned tank of a shoe and seemed well-suited for a player as physical as Zion Williamson. If Jordan Brand had decided to build upon this design and maintain its focal performance features, that would have made sense for Zion’s playing style going forward.

Jordan Brand DID NOT do that.

Instead, they created a low-profile, lightweight, Kobe-adjacent hoop shoe. This is by no means a bad thing as far as the shoe’s on-court performance goes but it is odd. It breaks all ties with the Zion signature line-up to this point, and, simply put, this shoe doesn’t feel like it was built for a 6’6″, 284 lbs power player like Zion.

All this being said, it’s a shoe with a lot of interesting performance features, that should be more than enough for the rest of us. Let’s check it out:

Jordan Zion 3 Tech Specs:

Jordan Zion 3 Traction

The Jordan Zion 3 features a mix of translucent and solid rubber on the outsole, as well as a mix of radial and herringbone traction patterns. The solid portion of the sole is etched with a herringbone pattern and the translucent portion with a radial pattern. This setup should work great indoors, but on dusty surfaces especially, the jordan 8 solefly underperforms.

The rubber is grippy and there are no inconsistencies between the two rubber compounds, and the radial and herringbone patterns should offer great multidirectional coverage for any move you are going to make on court, but it never seems to kick in.

As far as outdoor use goes, the Zion 3 should hold up pretty well. The rubber is above average in terms of toughness and the pattern is pretty deep. To be clear, this doesn´t make them a great outdoor option, but if you take these out to the blacktop once in a while they should hold up just fine.

Jordan Zion 3 Cushion

One of the reasons why the Jordan Zion 3 is so reminiscent of a Kobe shoe is that it’s equipped with drop-in midsoles as the cushioning setup. In this case, the midsole features the most comfortable iteration of Formula 23 to date and a thick forefoot Zoom Air Unit. The Formula 23 feels like a dense version of Cushlon and combined with the Zoom air, it feels great underfoot.

The midsole is also equipped with a substantial, bottom-loaded TPU shank plate, similar to the ones we’ve seen on the drop-in midsole of the Serious Player Only Player 1.

This setup is more on the reactive side of the cushioning spectrum, but it does provide a good amount of impact protection and compression. Maybe a player as heavy as Zion needs a bit more cushioning in his shoes, but for the rest of the hoopers out there, this is more than enough.

Jordan Zion 3 Materials

The Jordan Zion 3 is constructed almost entirely with textiles and relies on overlays to give the shoe structure and containment. The mud splatter print on either side of the shoe is not only a design feature. It’s actually a haptic print that’s super thin and lightweight but adds a ton of structure and containment to the shoe. Enough to contain a guy like Zion? We’ll see.

Aside from that, we have some TPU portions along what would be the midsole of a more traditional shoe, that will help add torsional rigidity and lateral containment. Lastly, the tongue is decently padded which will help relieve lace pressure and the heel features some synthetic leather and some embroidered details.

Nothing on the shoe can be considered “premium” but the design is well thought out and will perform well on court. If you’re going to use textiles on a hoop shoe, this is the way to go.

Jordan Zion 3 Support

The support features implemented in the Zion 3 are very well thought out to be able to offer a safe and supportive ride on court while keeping the shoe as lightweight and low-profile as possible. As we mentioned, the drop-in midsoles come with a built-in TPU shank plate, and the rubber wrapping the outer shell of the shoe will offer containment and some torsional support as well.

This should prevent the shoe from over-twisting on more torque-heavy moves. Then we have that haptic printed upper, and the overlays we mentioned will help keep your foot on the footbed on hard stops and changes of direction. The heel of the shoe is very well padded, which again will help to keep your foot in place and help avoid heel slippage.

The one issue the Zion 3 may have faced is stability. The shoe is very narrow which is not optimal for a basketball shoe. The way Jordan has tried to solve this issue is by equipping the shoe with a forefoot and midfoot outrigger. This should help to create a stable base for the shoe from which to make your moves while playing.

Jordan Zion 3 Fit

The Jordan Zion 3 technically fits true to size, but it’s a very snug 1 to 1 fit. This is what you want in terms of performance, but keep in mind that the shoe is built on a very narrow last, and this shoe fits like a glove. If you enjoy this type of fit, you’re in luck, but if you don’t like that fit or have a wide foot, then unfortunately, this is not the shoe for you.

Jordan Zion 3 Overall

Even though the Jordan Zion 3 does not feel like a Zion shoe, or even be enough to keep up with his playing style. The Zion 3 is more than enough shoe for us mere mortals and is actually an actually might have been an exciting performance model, especially if you are looking for an affordable Kobe substitute. Still, the fit and the traction make it hard to recommend.

With the Zion 3 you are getting…well…a Kobe with mediocre traction (at best), a very nice drop-in midsole cushioning system, encased in a light, sleek package all for $140. If you play exclusively on pristine surfaces, and you can get the traction to bite the court, then these might be worth a pick up, but if not, there are better options out there.

Nike Metcon 9 Performance Review

Like its chief rival the Reebok Nano, the last nine years have seen some major changes to the Nike Metcon (with mixed reviews) culminating in the new Nike Metcon 9. Not only has the functional fitness shoe landscape changed but so has the audience – namely going from niche to mainstream.

I can remember the shockwaves felt across the functional fitness world when in 2015 Nike announced the Metcon, its first shoe aimed at the then-fledgling world of CrossFit. And remember the “Banned” colorway? It’s the one training shoe I wish I had never donated.

As the holiday season rolls around and more folks look to get a jump on those New Year’s resolutions, the WearTesters team brings you more training shoe reviews than ever – and none of that would be complete without the flagship training shoe from the biggest shoe company in the world.

Though Nike was kind enough to send us some pairs of the Nike Metcon 9, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence this review.

How do the Authors Train?

Arune Singh (age 41, 5’11”, 215lbs): Trains daily with functional fitness programming provided by Deadboys Fitness, founded by Colby “Seth Rollins” Lopez and Josh Gallegos, along with logging 30-40 miles of running per week. He also has a medical history of Sleep Apnea and Myasthenia Gravis, meaning Arune’s focus is on lean muscle mass.

Drew Whitcomb (age 41, 6’6″ 195lbs): Trains daily with a focus on running, strength training, and mobility. He writes the majority of our running shoe reviews and runs a lot of miles both due to testing needs and his growing affinity for long-distance races. He recently completed the London Marathon. More marathons, half-marathons, 10k, and 5k races are in his future. His strength training and mobility regimen center around maintaining flexibility and lifting heavy to build power as a counterbalance to all the long-distance running he’s doing. His number one focus is staying injury-free so he can keep up the sweet gig of reviewing shoes for a living.

What is the Nike Metcon 9?

Nike describes it as:

Whatever your “why” is for working out, the Metcon 9 makes it all worth it. We improved on the 8 with a larger Hyperlift plate and added rubber rope wrap. Worn by some of the greatest athletes in the world, intended for lifters, trainers, go-getters, it’s still the gold standard that delivers day after day.

Training

Arune: I’ve owned a pair of every single Nike Metcon model since launch but I have kept very few after the Metcon 3, in large part due to my challenges with their performance – and other matters we’re going to discuss further in this review.

Unfortunately, I gotta be honest – training in the Nike Metcon 9 was an absolutely terrible experience.

We’re going to get into all the challenges with the fit and comfort later on, but I cannot overstate how uniquely this shoe failed me with nearly every lift.

Look, almost every lift requires you to plant your feet – even bench press – and the Nike Metcon 9 failed me because any press on the footbed caused the medial side of the shoe to completely collapse due to the rope guard construction,

Squats or lunges – even without weight – were a complete disaster as I lowered my body closer to the floor, a motion requiring much more stability. Unfortunately, that rope guard area of the shoe completely collapsed, like a deflated balloon, and I had to bail quickly on my lifts (aggravating a knee injury in the process).

I could keep going into more detail, but what are the upsides of a training shoe that completely failed me when I needed it most?

Well, I’ll say this – the outsole grips the floor like no one’s business, something that has always been a hallmark of the Metcon line. If you could marry this outsole with a stronger upper then I think we would have an exciting shoe.

But the Nike Metcon 9 is NOT that shoe and, honestly, I’m not sure what this shoe is meant to be. Perhaps due to the rope guard, Hyperlift heel TPU unit, or likely both, this shoe feels like an absolute cement brick on my feet. If this was a shoe meant for the world of CrossFit, I cannot imagine how anyone feels comfortable with any Olympic lifts without the necessary support or how they knock out batches of burpees with these shoes weighing them down. If this is a shoe meant for a casual lifter, then there’s no need for the TPU unit or the rope guard, both of which are not needed by the majority of people.

Did you actually have a good time in these, Drew?

Drew: While Arune’s experience was downright bad, I’d have to say mine was more of a meh experience. The last Metcon I tested was the Air Jordan 1 . That shoe was solid up front but struggled in the back and just wasn’t built to handle the wide variety of exercises necessary to keep up in a normal CrossFit or Metcon environment.

Unfortunately, while the Nike Metcon 9 improves on some of those weak points, it’s still the same basic shoe.

I didn’t have the rope guard collapse issues that Arune did and the shoe was largely stable and reliable for deadlifts, squats, and other lifts that require planted feet. But at the same time, the stiff heel, partially due to the plastic Hyperlift piece and partially due to a dense heel counter, was a liability for any side-to-side exercise. Curtsy squats, skaters, and agility exercises were all varying degrees of uncomfortable.

It’s a great shoe for walking around the gym, getting compliments (more on that later), and doing exercises at a slow, methodical pace. But the moment you try to inject some speed into your workout, the Nike Metcon 9 just can’t keep up.

Cardio

Arune: From the minute I put the Nike Metcon 9 on my feet, one thing was clear:

This shoe was going to be terrible for my cardio needs.

While the upper does actually bend and breathe quite well, nothing about the construction of the shoe feels meant for the needs of a functional fitness athlete or even acting as the “one for everything” shoe that people will definitely expect given the price jump (oh yeah, I’ve got thoughts there too).

If you’re using the Nike Metcon 9 for CrossFit or the like, you’ll find a way to sprint 400m or a mile because you’re used to doing it with a variety of uncomfortable shoes from every brand. You might not even hate it on an air bike, even though I don’t think the heel unit does you any favors.

But the cardio in which this truly failed for me was rowing, something pretty fundamental to everything from Crossfit to Orange Theory, and something supremely uncomfortable in the Nike Metcon 9. There’s not enough flex in the midsole to get a natural rowing motion and the forefoot area was ill-equipped for the constant pressures unique to a rowing motion. I couldn’t even finish a single rowing session in these shoes because of the pain in my forefoot and found immediate relief by switching back to my go-to training shoes (aka the Reebok Nano 2.0 or Adidas Dropset 2 Trainer).

This is another area in which the shoe failed me, What about you, boss?

Drew: I just want to note that Arune is not usually a particularly harsh reviewer so seeing him highlight a shoe’s shortcomings so bluntly means the shoe really let him down.

And, I agree with him completely on cardio usage. Since the 7th edition, the Nike Metcon series hasn’t been built for running. Even my beloved lateral elliptical, which I use for warming up my dastardly hips, was a rough experience in the Dunk.

Forefoot flexibility and cushion are solid and the outsole’s grip won’t let you down, but the whole backend of the Nike Metcon 9 is a mess when it comes to running or any cardio activity where flexibility is required.

Arune and I experienced the discomfort of trying these for various cardio activities. If you buy them, I’d recommend bringing your running shoes with you in your gym bag for a quick switch.

Comfort

Arune: Wouldn’t it be amazing if I started this section of the review by finally, FINALLY praising the Nike Metcon 9?

To quote WWE Superstar Wade Barrett, “I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news.”

As I do with all new training shoes, I put them on and walked around my home with them to see if I could break them in a bit (which is about the only time I wear shoes indoors). What followed was a solid three hours of foot pain, even though Nike finally widened the toe box to accommodate wide footers like me. I thought some toe splay might mean I’d finally enjoy a Nike shoe like the rest of America.

Everything about the cushion set up here didn’t work for my foot, but I want to applaud the fact that Nike finally reversed their trend of seemingly narrowing the Metcon with each iteration.

If you’re looking at sizing, I recommend going TTS (true to size) with your regular Nike size.

Drew: True to size is correct but the width will be a problem for wide footers. The Nike Metcon 9 is not nearly as narrow as the Metcon 6 but it’s still too narrow for ample toe splay unless you have a narrow foot.

I found the front half of the upper to be fairly comfortable but the heel was stiff and unforgiving. And what’s worse, the heel (collar, counter, and underfoot) never seemed to break in, even after 4-5 hour-plus weightlifting sessions.

A little more width and a better heel structure will go a long way towards fixing what ails the Nike Metcon 9.

 

Aesthetics

Arune: Now this is where the Nike Metcon 9 reminds me of the iconic Batman villain Two-Face.

On one hand, I think the overall shape and silhouette look really, really great. As usual, Nike offers the best colorways and they’re rarely going to NOT be a standout in this category.

But then there’s the rope guard.

It doesn’t look that bad on the lateral side, but the medial side looks more messed up than Harvey Dent after getting that acid thrown on his face – it truly looks like a disfigured shoe that’s going to terrorize the innocent citizens of Gotham City.

In full transparency, I got a lot of compliments from people on the Nike Metcon 9 – most importantly from my wife, who is the toughest shoe critic I’ve ever met. So, maybe don’t listen to me at all here.

Drew: Arune may be letting performance influence his opinion here. The Nike Metcon 9 looks great. I got more compliments at the gym on these than any previous training shoe, even the super popular NoBull training shoes.

Nike knows how to make shoes look good and has amazing people working up drool-worthy colorways. But making a decision purely based on this shoe’s looks would be a mistake.

Price

Arune: On the surface, $150 feels like a fairly standard training shoe price these days and I can rail against that all I want, but it’s reality. Given the “Nike Tax” we see on so many shoes where it seems like we pay a bit more for the Swoosh, this time Nike is right in line with its competitors.

That said, the Nike Metcon 8 was just $130 a year ago, and that $20 increase is a bummer. I understand profit margins, competitive pricing, and that everyone at Nike needs to get paid, but these constantly escalating prices have an impact on customers.

I received these shoes for review and you’ve seen how harsh I’ve been in my critiques, but I would be livid about the myriad of performance issues if I had to pay a premium price.

Drew: Arune is right, the $20 price increase stings, mostly because the performance didn’t improve accordingly. $150 for a top-of-the-line cross training shoe is almost expected these days but not when it can’t match that price point in terms of performance.

And it’s easy to see the public agrees with our take. You can already find the Nike Metcon 9 on sale on Nike’s site and the shoe has only been out a month or two.

Nike Metcon 9 Final Verdict

Arune: There’s no chance that I will recommend the Nike Metcon 9 for anyone to purchase.

The shoe is not a high performer in any category for me, provides some real safety concerns with the medial side collapsing, and lacks the comfort to make this something I even recommend for casual usage.

Drew: The Nike Metcon 9 is a slight improvement from the Metcon 7 and 8 but it still has the same issues including the too-stiff, uncomfortable heel and a fit that’s not accommodating. Add the price increase on top of that and you’ve got a shoe that won’t make our list of best cross training shoes. There are a bunch of better options out there, just click through and read about them.

Personally, I’m hoping Nike goes all out for the Metcon’s 10th anniversary, fixes the problems, and once again establishes the Metcon as a shoe that can be used to tackle even the most cardio-intensive CrossFit/Metcon sessions while maintaining an ability to provide support on heavy olympic lifts. I like to dream that it’s possible…but we’ll have to wait till 2024 to find out.