Nike launches new Ultrafly Trail shoe with carbon plate and Vibram sole

Nike Ultrafly Trail running shoes
(Image credit: Nike / Getty)

Nike has launched a new performance trail running shoe, the Ultrafly Trail, which is its first with both a carbon plate and VIbram sole for extra speed and grip.

The Ultrafly Trail is a premium shoe made specifically for racing and setting FKTs, and was designed with input from Nike's elite trail athletes. It's been in development since 2021, when Nike began working closely with ultra runner and coach Tyler Green to make a shoe for speed off-road.

Green logged over 1,000 miles in the shoes throughout training, and wore them for three top-five finishes in the Western States Endurance Run – the world's oldest 100-mile race.

The Ultrafly Trail is the result of a partnership with Vibram, and features an all-new sole design using Vibram Litebase technology. This helps conserve energy be reducing weight by up to 30% and sole thickness by up to 50%, without sacrificing grip or durability.

The outsole also uses Vibram Traction Lug tread to increase the amount of rubber in contact with the ground, and is made using the company's MegaGrip compound for grip on wet and dry terrain.

The Ultrafly Trail's carbon Flyplate is sandwiched between the shoe's ZoomX foam and fabric-wrapped midsole, where it proves extra energy return and forward propulsion.

The shoe will be available in limited numbers in Europe from July 27, and will be on sale for all runners from August direct from Nike and from selected third-party stores.

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Cat Ellis
Former editor

Cat is Homes Editor at TechRadar and former editor of Advnture. She's been a journalist for 15 years, and cut her teeth on magazines before moving online. She helps readers choose the right tech for their home, get the best deals, and do more with their new devices.