Nike has owned the pavement for decades. The Vaporfly and Alphafly have rewritten the record books, shattered marathon times, and made “super shoe” a household term.
But when it comes to the trails? Well, let’s just say that brands like Hoka and Salomon haven’t exactly been losing sleep over Nike’s off-road offerings. That might be changing.
Enter the Ultrafly, Nike’s most serious attempt yet to bring carbon-plated, road-shoe energy to the dirt, roots, and rocks of trail running.
First released in 2023, the Ultrafly took everything that made the Vaporfly legendary—ZoomX foam, a carbon plate, and that propulsive ride—and slapped a Vibram outsole on it.
The result? A fast, fun, and surprisingly capable trail shoe that still had some work to do to win over the diehard mountain goats.
But now, there’s something new brewing.
The Ultrafly 2?
Recently, American ultrarunner Caleb Olson showed up to the 2025 Transgrancanaria wearing a never-before-seen Nike prototype, breaking the course record in the process.
The shoe looked like a slight evolution of the Ultrafly—but with one very interesting detail: ACG branding.
Wait, what?
Nike’s All Conditions Gear (ACG) line is legendary in its own right, but these days it’s mostly known for stylish urban hikers, funky colorways, and Gorpcore aesthetics rather than true performance gear.
Back in the ‘90s, though, ACG made serious outdoor equipment—trail runners included. Could this be a return to its rugged roots?
Nike hasn’t officially announced anything yet, but the clues are there. Olson’s prototype had some clear differences from the original Ultrafly:
- New midsole foam? The absence of “ZoomX” branding suggests Nike might be cooking up something new.
- ACG Branding—a first for any of Nike’s super shoes.
- Refined upper—likely still Vaporweave, but tweaked for better durability.
It’s clear that Nike is experimenting. The real question is: Are they finally ready to go all-in on trail running?
The Ultrafly: What’s Working, What’s Not
The original Ultrafly was an interesting experiment.
It took the speed and bounce of Nike’s road racers and added a Vibram Megagrip outsole, solving one of Nike Trail’s biggest weaknesses—traction.
The carbon plate added propulsion, making it one of the fastest-feeling trail shoes around.
That said, it wasn’t perfect.
The high stack height made it a bit unstable on technical terrain, and the upper—while light and breathable—wasn’t the most durable.
For long, runnable trails? Fantastic. For gnarly, rocky descents? Let’s just say it kept things exciting.
If the Ultrafly 2 (or whatever this ACG version ends up being called) addresses those issues, Nike could finally have a true competitor to shoes like the Tecton X 3 or Salomon S/Lab Ultra.
Why This Move Makes Sense for Nike
Trail running isn’t just a niche sport anymore—it’s exploding.
With the rise of ultra-distance races, FKTs, and an entire subculture of runners swapping pavement for dirt, brands that once dominated road running are realizing they need to step up their trail game.
Hoka went from quirky underdog to dominant force. Adidas has quietly been making some of the best trail shoes out there. Even New Balance has been turning heads with their trail lineup. Meanwhile, Nike has been kind of in the space but never fully committed.
But with the Ultrafly, ACG branding, and a clear push toward performance trail running, it looks like Nike is finally ready to stop being a trail running afterthought and start competing for real.
If this ACG Ultrafly is the real deal, we should hear something official from Nike soon.
They’ve already started reorganizing their shoe lineup (consolidating road models under the Pegasus Premium and Vomero names), so a shake-up in trail could be part of that strategy.
Will Nike finally go head-to-head with Hoka and Salomon? Maybe.
Will the Ultrafly 2 be the game-changer that puts them on the ultra podium? Possibly.
Will we still see trail runners in their beloved Speedgoats, no matter what Nike does? Absolutely.
But one thing’s for sure: Nike isn’t just playing around in the dirt anymore. They’re here to race.
