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Previous research showed that the running economy benefits of the Nike Vaporfly relative to a standard control shoe, while still substantial when running uphill, were reduced compared to the benefits conferred on a flat surface. With less vertical oscillation running uphill, this got me wondering if the benefits I see in the Alphafly relative to the Vaporfly differ on flat surfaces versus uphill as well. Normally on level treadmill testing the Alphafly is the superior shoe for me.
Testing Methods
For this case study comparison I compared the Alphafly to the Vaporfly Next% 2 when running at similar metabolic intensities on a flat surface as well as a 5% incline. Check out this link to see what running economy is, how it is measured, and how it impacts performance.
Results
As expected based on the previous publication, the economy benefits of the super shoes were reduced when running uphill. Interestingly, while I’m usually about 1% better in the Alphafly than the Vaporfly Next % 2 on flat surfaces, the two shoes performed similarly on the incline.
Here are the running mechanics data.
Take Home Message
While interestingly mechanistically, ultimately the Alphafly is still the best shoe option for me. Even on a really hilly course, they should match the Vaporfly on the uphill, and outperform them on flat sections. It would be interesting to make the same comparisons downhill, but I have yet to rig up my treadmill for this comparison.
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