Published October 8, 2026

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Half a century, dozens of world records and tens of thousands of patents later, the Apex arrives as Nike’s most advanced running shoe to date.

It’s about time.

In many ways, the Apex represents Nike’s first foray into “hyper shoes,” a new class of elite racers that together usher in a new era of performance-oriented footwear for long-distance running.

Nike teased the shoe as far back as April, just one day after its longtime rival Adidas propelled not one but two runners to break the two-hour barrier in an official marathon with its own hyper shoe.

Though Nike’s elite athletes have been rumored to be racing in the Apex for some time — Jacob Kiplimo likely wore a prototype at the London Marathon to run 2:00:28 (what would have been a new world record just hours earlier) — the shoe is set to make its true debut in Chicago on October 11.

As for the general public, everyday runners will need to wait until early 2027, when it goes on sale. That said, Nike is wasting the opportunity to build hype around its new pinnacle race shoe.

The brand quietly listed the Apex on its website, along with official product photos that were initially absent from the shoe’s press release.

About the Author:

Jack Seemer is the executive editor at Gear Patrol, with over a decade of experience in product journalism. He currently reports on a wide range of topics, including footwear, watches, EDC, cookware and more.