Nike Air Max 2017

Author: Ferenc Soma Kovács (middle-distance runner of the SVSE national team, World Championship participant and European Championship bronze medalist)

About the shoes themselves

We all knew that Nike would come up with something amazingly good in the year of the 2024 Olympics. Although the first version of the Dragonfly series fundamentally rewrote the athletic record books, it still left some room for criticism in terms of durability and comfort. For example, the insanely dynamic foam sole easily disintegrated and splintered during record-breaking runs, so many people preferred to wear it only for competitions. In the second model, however, Nike's design engineers managed to pack the cutting-edge carbon plate technology into the shoe while remaining durable, comfortable (compared to other spikes), and complete. These new features of the Dragonfly now allow us to wear this spike not only in competitions, but even during (competitive) training with peace of mind.

Specifications:

• Sole thickness at the heel: 19.9 mm (Nike has thus legally maximized the sole thickness while remaining within the maximum limit of 20 mm allowed by World Athletics, WA)

• Sole thickness at the forefoot: 19.7 mm

• Drop: 0.2 mm (interestingly, while running in the shoe, it felt a bit like the shoe had a negative drop, meaning that the sole thickness was less at the heel than at the forefoot)

• Weight: 142.5 g in men's EUR 42.5 size (slightly heavier than the previous generation model)

• Category: mainly racing shoes, possibly for competitive training

 

The upper part is 9.5/10

First of all, the Dragonfly 2’s huge, wide toe box is immediately noticeable. This is good news for runners with wider feet. While running, I felt like I was landing on a fairly wide surface. However, this is exactly why I feel the Dragonfly 2 is more stable than the first version. This became especially evident when I pulled it on for field sections on grassy surfaces. On the ground, the shoe feels like the Adidas Bekoji and RC flat-soled racing shoes. The upper hugs the foot quite tightly, which provides support for the foot. You can only move your toes up and down in it a little. I think this feature is particularly beneficial in a spiked shoe. The densely woven mesh upper has limited breathability. This can be uncomfortable on hot summer training days, but it is not very noticeable during evening races, since it is on the foot for such a short time. The heel is padded all around, which means that I didn't notice any skin irritation at the end of an 8X 1000m run. It's true, I usually wear these spikes with socks during run sessions. Overall, the upper is very durable. For example, the material of the toe of the shoe is reinforced, so there is less chance of tearing. Oh, and the hole in the heel is not just a design element, but actually secures the heel.

The midsole is 10/10

The familiar ZoomX foam is here again. The Dragonfly 2 has a little extra foam in the forefoot for more cushioning, which some have complained about, but I think most runners will be happy with this decision. After all, we are talking about a long-distance running spike… The foam material is soft, but at the same time hard. This kind of duality is very advantageous in the field and on the track at 10,000 meters. Like the Dragonfly 1, there is a Pebax carbon plate running from the heel to the toe, which is much stiffer. The elite model has a carbon fiber Flypate plate.

The outsole is 9/10

Nike has also made some changes to the outsole structure. They replaced the usual plastic wave sole structure of the first version with mini plastic spikes, which I personally liked better. In my opinion, the spikes provide more grip than the waves. I haven't experienced any wear on them yet. However, how durable they really are will only be revealed in the coming months. Here too, the heel part has been reinforced with transparent plastic. There are also mini spikes on this transparent plate. When looking at the sole of the Dragonfly 2, the biggest surprise will certainly be the number and formation of the spikes. There are 4 spikes in total! I judge this change to be a bit too drastic, since its predecessor had no less than 6 spikes. Although I accept that 3 spikes are not necessarily necessary on the front arch of the inner side of the shoe, 3 spikes on the outer arch -in my opinion- are essential...

Suggested use

Besides being one of Nike's top-of-the-line race cleats, the extra ZoomX Foam in the forefoot and the fact that it only has 4 cleats mean that you can wear the Dragonfly even during training. I used to be pretty strict about not training in carbon plate cleats, as it's wise to save the extra mechanical energy for racing. However, the Dragonfly 2 was so comfortable that I made an exception. If you dream of going for an easy run the day after your half-distance run with relaxed muscles, then you should definitely wear these cleats during training.

Final decision

The Nike Dragonfly 2 is a solid member of the new wave of carbon plate racing shoes. It brings the cutting-edge technology of the Dragonfly 1 to a more comfortable, durable form. It comes in a variety of colors (from understated to strikingly extravagant).