The Nike Streakfly 2 is lighter, faster and better (2025)

• Weight: 145g (133g prototype)
• Stack height: 27mm (heel), 23mm (forefoot)
• Drop: 4mm
• Tester info: 177cm / 67kg / neutral gait

The shoe

There’s a time for comfort and stability, and there’s a time for out-and-out speed. When the latter is the priority, you need a shoe that’s built with marginal gains in mind. And that shoe is the Nike Streakfly 2.

Billed as a shoe for distances of the mile to 10K, it’s about as stripped back and streamlined as it gets. If you’re looking to shave seconds off your parkrun PB or run your fastest mile, this could be the shoe for you.

History of speed

Let’s rewind the clock a little and remind ourselves of the legacy of the Streakfly. Before the dawn of carbon plates, Nike’s elite marathon shoe was called the Nike Zoom Streak. In 2015, Eliud Kipchoge wore a prototype pair en route to winning the Berlin Marathon (though the shoe began to fall apart on the home straight). Two years later, Galen Rupp won the Chicago Marathon in a pair. Everything changed, of course, with the advent of the Nike Vaporfly, which left the Zoom Streak trailing in its carbon-plated wake. The Zoom Streak 7, released circa 2020, was then replaced, in 2022, by the Streakfly.

Though the Streakfly looked similar to the Zoom Streak, it offered a softer, squidgier ride. More disappointingly, for a shoe billed as an out-and-out racer, it lacked the responsiveness of its carbon-plated competitors and the running world let out a collective “meh”.

What’s new in the Streakfly 2?

The most notable enhancement is the introduction of a full-length carbon plate (or flyplate), which provides a real sense of propulsion when running at quicker speeds. In another effort to make the shoe more of a racer, Nike has shaved off 25g – meaning the shoe comes in at 145g (and even lighter in the prototype I tried, which weighs 133g). For context, most super shoes weigh a tad over 200g. As such, the Streakfly is actually closer to a super spike in weight. The spike similarities don’t stop there, either, as the last (footshape) of the Streakfly 2 is modelled on Nike’s spikes. Consequently, the feel of running in this shoe is arguably closer to that of a track spike than a road racer.

How does the Nike Streakfly 2 fit?

The shoe fits true to size. I’m a UK 9 in the vast majority of shoes, and I’m a 9 in the Streakfly 2. The laces are thin but they do an excellent job of providing a secure yet comfortable fit, and the feeling underfoot is more cushioned than in a track spike. I experienced no blisters or hotspots wearing the shoe, though I did have some soreness in my big toe joint after my first track session in the Streakfly 2. This didn’t reoccur on subsequent sessions, but my advice would be: transition to running in this shoe in a gradual, sensible manner. Otherwise, a one-way ticket to Injury Land may beckon.

What is the Nike Streakfly 2 like to run in?

In a word: exhilarating. At faster speeds, I could definitely feel the propulsion of the carbon plate, while its featherlight quality means the shoe essentially disappears on your foot. Even more so than the Vaporfly, it’s a shoe that only makes sense at faster paces. In fact, you’d probably want to jog down to the track in a different pair of shoes, and only get these out for the session itself. When a shoe is as lightweight as this, there’s always a question mark around its durability, so I’d recommend doing only your key sessions and race-day runs in the Streakfly 2.

Who will benefit most from this shoe?

As exciting as the Streakfly 2 is, it’s not a shoe for everyone. First off, the cost, £165, will likely put off all but the most ardent of PB seekers. Secondly, if you’re interested in racing distances of above 10K, then you’ll be better served by a traditional super shoe, of which there are many. That leaves us with a demographic likely to be doing intense track or road sessions on a regular basis, with designs on shaving seconds from their mile, 5K or 10K PBs. If that sounds like you, then the Streakfly 2 is a seriously exciting prospect. If you’re in the market for one super shoe, meanwhile, it’s hard to make the case for this one above the Vaporfly and co, which have a broader application.

RW verdict

At a time when the marathon distance gets the focus, it’s refreshing and exciting to have a shoe marketed at the shorter stuff. What’s more, the bold and welcome updates to the previous Streakfly help this model to deliver on the promise of being a true PB-breaker. The fairly limited application of the shoe – being suited to distances of 10K or less – mean it’s not one for the masses. However, if you’re seeking to shave off seconds from stubborn PBs, they don’t come quicker than the Streakfly 2.

Shop