ACG Ultrafly 2

Go for it. I think a super shoe for that race profile would be ideal, though with some technical stuff, you just need to be mindful. There are a number of good options, but find the one that works best for you. I hated the Tecton 3s, but some people love them. The first Adidas Terrex Speed Ultra did not work for me also. I used a prototype of the Ultrafly 2 and it worked out great for a non technical trail 50 miler. I would also would consider the Brooks Cascadia Elite. It's pricy though. The Prodigio Pros are a great non-plated shoe

Of course. Happy to help.  I got hooked up as a tester for the shoe way back. The 2 is a better shoe. The 1 was flat. I just picked up the Cascadia Elite but haven’t tried it yet. I think that could be a good shoe to try for you over the adidas.  Feedback so far from others is good. Try the prodigo pro too. It’s a great shoe. I also run in the Zegama, which is very cushioned. It’s a little over engineered and heavy, but I think it works well.  Honestly, pick one, go full send, and don’t overthink it. You can have a back up shoe to quiet the mind, but I don’t think you’ll need it. 

I saw a photo on IG from @running_highest — Caleb Olsen and his teammates were wearing a new pair of shoes. From what I can tell, they’re the final version of the Nike Ultrafly 2! A Full Look at the Nike ACG Ultrafly 2 Trail Running Shoes – What I Think Is the Final Retail Version (Though I Have No Idea When They’ll Drop 😂) First off, the bright orange color really pops. The new upper material is lightweight and thin, combined with UV detailing, which makes the shoe much more visually appealing compared to the first Ultrafly model. The shape is still made to suit wide-footed runners, though not quite ultra wide or extra wide. The branding shift is another key change. Previously labeled under "Nike Trail", this version now falls under the "Nike ACG" umbrella. That move clearly positions this shoe as the top-tier competition model for Nike's outdoor category. Release Date — While there’s still no official launch date, based on all the news I’ve gathered, I’d estimate the earliest release to be around September 2025, and at the latest ... sometime mid-next year 🥲 Personally, I really believe it’ll drop next month. Can’t wait to wear them for real!

That’s a huge amount of time. 🥹 I really need them for this trail season.

I think they developed it based on feedback from athletes. Personally, I’ve used the Ultrafly 1 and I felt the shoes were very stiff because of the Flyplate. Especially on downhills, I experienced some painful discomfort. So it’s good news if they’ve fixed this!

Yeah I strongly believe we’ll see them at UTMB for sure! I also think the Ultrafly 2 is already approved for any competition.

I guess the UTMB results will answer that. What’s certain is Caleb Olson already wore them to win Western States 100.

Nike generally designs their serious trail shoes for pros with perfect form. They want to show them winning. That’s all well and good, but most of their trail shoes don’t work for the average trail runner. Zegamas were so unstable that I felt broken after a 50 k and I’m used to longer than 50k distance. The ultra fly was made for buffed out California trails and not east coast technical trials. I don’t count on Nikes because they don’t design for the vast majority of use cases.

Big fan of Ultraflys for dirt and gravel roads. But out of around 1500 miles I’ve run in them there’s probably only about 10 actual trail miles. The new ACG ones feel firmer and maybe a bit more capable on real trails.

Nike Ultrafly Trail might make the cut

I have no experience with the peg5, but I did grab some peg4 trails after putting over 600mi into a pair of ultraflys. Took only a few runs (~40mi) to decide I much preferred another pair of ultraflys. Got them for less than $100 at that point. I have about 500mi on them now and hoping to see what/when the ultrafly2 will be. The peg4’s felt kind of stiff and boring by comparison. And I’m a person that typically runs in very low stack shoes on actual trails. Ultraflys and peg4 were for paved, dirt, and gravel roads. Hate the ultraflys on actual east coast trails.

One thing I will add is the ultraflys are significantly wider in the sole than most of my other shoes. I notice this when running through mud. They float like snowshoes on top instead of punching through. The tread is fine for mud, just the substantial surface area of the sole can make things a little squirrelly. That wide platform makes for a nice stable shoe otherwise.

My go-to gravel shoe has been the Nike Ultrafly Trail. I put 650 miles on one pair and just passed 500 on a second pair. Really well suited to hilly gravel and dirt roads. They’re expensive at full retail price but can be found on steep discounts. I hate them for technical trails though.

Yeah. Couple factors in that mileage. For one, you are a lot heavier than me, so that would likely accelerate the wear rate. A second factor is that the running I really like to do is technical trails and mountain running where i use very minimally cushioned shoes. So even after pounding on the ultraflys for 500+ miles they still offer significantly more cushion than my typical shoe. Note that I avoid using the ultraflys on technical terrain at almost all costs 😀 In my case I retired them because I had completely worn through the tread and into the midsole in the heels. This is because I use them almost exclusively for runs up and down a local mountain on fire roads and a paved auto road to the top. So they saw a lot of heel striking when descending steep pavement. This is pretty abusive for a trail shoe. Contrast this with my typical technical trail shoes where I wear out the tread under the forefoot long before the heel. Anyway, I’m just starting to wear through the tread into the midsole on my current pair. I can feel the foam being a little dead, squishy, and unresponsive back there now, but still plenty of cushion for me. I will add that I tried out a pair of Nike Pegasus Trail 4 shoes between the two pairs of ultraflys, and they really felt like a letdown compared to the ultraflys. They just felt kinda dead by comparison. Ultraflys really do soak up gravel nicely. And they’re a nice wide and stable shoe which has been awesome for recovery runs and such on milder terrain.

Nike Ultrafly Trail would get my vote

I really don’t think the ultrafly is a “super shoe”. I think the plate just helps stabilize the foam. I use it almost exclusively on easy runs on gravel and dirt roads up and down a mountain. I generally run in almost minimalist shoes on very technical steep terrain. Then I switch to ultraflys for off days and they’re a dream. Super cushioned but not spongy. Perfect for gravel and conditions the OP is asking about. At full retail they’re stupid expensive, but I’ve got my last 2 (of 3 total) pairs for around $100

I use Nike Ultrafly on that terrain. Absorbs it nicely, but they’re not light

Big fan of Ultraflys for dirt and gravel roads. But out of around 1500 miles I’ve run in them there’s probably only about 10 actual trail miles. The new ACG ones feel firmer and maybe a bit more capable on real trails.

Nike trails are awesome ! The new ACG ones look great ! I always had Pegasus trail