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Previous research on the Vaporfly showed about 2.5% better running economy over a traditional distance spike. However, there is no published running economy data out on the new super spikes as far as I’m aware. Should super shoes offer greater running economy benefits than super spikes, more runners should consider wearing the shoes on the track, particularly in the NCAA and high school ranks in the U.S. where there are no stack height limitations.
Testing Methods
For this case study comparison I looked at the Nike Dragonfly spike along with the Nike Alphafly and my typical control shoe (Asics Hyper Speed) for two reps each at 6:00/mile pace. Testing was performed on a Woodway treadmill that has a rubber belt that you can run in spikes on. Check out this link to see what running economy is, how it is measured, and how it impacts performance.
Shoe Specs
Results
My running economy was 2.9% better in the Dragonfly spike compare to the control shoe. The Alphafly still offered a greater running economy benefit (3.4%) despite its heavier mass.
Here are the running mechanics data.
Take Home Message
For my case study comparison of the Dragonfly and Alphafly, it was a close one, but looks like despite it being heavier, the Alphafly still gives me the best benefit in running economy at the speed tested here (6:00/mile pace). Would be interesting to see how these comparisons looks for younger, faster runners with a little more pop in their legs still. My guess is for many NCAA runners, Vaporfly and/or Alphafly might still be a good option for 5k/10k on the track given lack of stack height rules in NCAA.
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