Andrew Rizzo Nike Running’s latest “Ekiden” collection is starting to come into view. Inspired and named after Japan’s love for long-distance marathon running, this Vaporfly 4 lays the blueprint for what to expect come Holiday 2025/Spring 2026.
Nike’s first official association with “Ekiden” came in 1995 by way of the Nike Air Streak Ekiden; one of the first models in a series that includes the Air Streak Lite and Zoom Streak Spectrum Plus (the latter of which inspired last year’s “Ekiden” lineup). Nike Running now bundles all its foremost models in “Ekiden” collections every year as a means to tribute the beloved marathon activity.
The Nike Vaporfly 4 “Ekiden” takes inspiration from Steven Smith’s Nike Air Katana with sharp, almost tribal-like black graphics over a lime green base. Japanese characters appear on the tongue, insoles, and spine, while the midsole features a green gradient at the heel.
The Nike Vaporfly 4 “Ekiden” doesn’t have a release date as of this writing, but we’re expecting a Holiday 2025/Spring 2026 arrival. Stay tuned for updates as the collection begins to trickle out.
