Nike Maxfly

Maxfly

Nike first added its groundbreaking carbon-fibre plate to a sprint shoe in 2020, creating a so-called ‘super spike’. Soon after, the new Maxfly dominated the postponed Tokyo Olympics, becoming one of the most renowned athletic silhouettes in the world.

The Nike Maxfly is optimised for speed. The original has a cutting-edge sole combining a large, low-profile, dual-chamber forefoot Zoom Air unit with a heel of lightweight, responsive ZoomX foam. A stiff, full-length carbon-fibre plate tuned specifically to enhance compression of the Zoom Air offers outstanding energy return, while the negative drop maximises cushioning under the ball of the foot and helps with propulsion as the airbag improves stability through its bigger medial side. The outsole plate delivers incredible grip through a set of 7 removable pins in the forefoot and a rippling shockwave tread pattern, and its lightweight, streamlined Flyweave upper achieves firm stability and lockdown through a structured heel, notched laces and thin layers of padding on the tongue and heel. Finally, a minimal welded overlay protects the toe, and an eye-catching Swoosh sweeps strikingly along the lateral flank.

The Nike Maxfly impressed on its Olympic debut as athletes wore it during medal-winning performances across all sprint races. Standout results included gold and silver for Lamont Marcell Jacobs and Fred Kerley in the men’s 100m and a remarkable clean sweep for Jamaican sprinters Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson in the women’s. Thompson-Herah also took 200m gold, with Kenneth Bednarek winning men’s silver as Maxfly runners received silver and bronze in both 400m races.

Nike released the Maxfly 2 in 2024, refining its so-called ‘base of support’ system with a wider, flatter outsole plate that is elevated below the big toe to provide better stability, particularly when cornering. It is made from a more lightweight, responsive and hard-wearing Pebax, and the rear central spike has been removed to leave just 6. These are arranged so that athletes can keep at least 3 of them engaged at all times for optimal traction, with rounded nodes offering secondary grip. The updated Flyplate matches this new outsole, while the enhanced upper incorporates lightweight Flyweave yarns and dynamic bands cut diagonally across its flanks to stabilise the foot. Its internal space has also been redesigned, providing a secure, locked-down fit to a wider range of foot shapes.

The Nike Maxfly 2 was part of the Blueprint Pack in July 2024, which showcased the brand’s most innovative Air-cushioned athletic footwear ahead of the Paris Olympics. Once again, the super spike featured heavily in all sprinting events, winning multiple medals. Particularly noteworthy was its performance in the 200m. Letsile Tebogo won gold and Kenny Bednarek silver in the men’s race, and Brittany Brown took bronze for the women, thus proving the improved cornering of the Maxfly 2.

Fitted with a groundbreaking combination of technologies, the Nike Maxfly is a rapid yet stable super spike with a performance-driven design built to dominate every sprint.