The Feidian 6 Elite is a genuine Alphafly 3 alternative for A$90 less, and the Red Hare 9 Pro and Chaoying Pro line up well with the Pegasus 42 and Pegasus Plus 2. Nike wins on fit, stability and availability. Below the trainers, Li-Ning has no shoe you can sensibly cross-shop against Nike in Australia.
Against Nike, Li-Ning’s strongest card is the Feidian 6 Elite: an independent lab tested it head to head with the Alphafly 3 and found it livelier, for A$299.95 against A$390. The weakest is everything below the daily trainers, where Li-Ning’s shoes are import-only and barely specified.
This page takes each Li-Ning running shoe in turn and names the Nike it most resembles. It is part of a set: the overview of all three brands, plus Li-Ning vs Puma and Li-Ning vs Adidas.
Background first: how Li-Ning and Anta caught up with Nike, Adidas and Puma.
Matches are made on function: category, foam, plate, stack and drop. It is a spec-and-source comparison, not a wear test.
The match table
| Li-Ning | Nike equivalent | Li-Ning price | Nike price | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feidian 6 Elite | Alphafly 3 | A$299.95 | A$390 | Strong |
| Feidian 6 Ultra | Alphafly 3 | A$499.95 | A$390 | Good |
| Feidian 6 Challenger | Zoom Fly 6 | A$219.96 | A$260 | Good |
| Red Hare 9 Ultra | Vomero Plus | A$239.95 | A$260 | Moderate |
| Red Hare 9 Pro | Pegasus 42 | A$159.99 RRP | From A$220 | Good |
| Chaoying Pro (Super Shadow) | Pegasus Plus 2 | A$159.99 RRP | A$260 | Good |
| Yueying 6 Pro | Vomero 18 | Import only | A$220 (women’s) | Moderate |
| Red Hare 9 / Yueying 6 | Winflo 11 | A$119.99 / import | Not on AU site | Weak |
| Dilu 2 / Dilu 2 PRO | Pegasus Trail 5 / Ultrafly | Import only | Not on AU site | Weak |
| Liejun 8 | Structure 26 | Import only | A$230 (men’s) | Weak |
| Jueying 4 | Vomero Premium, in concept | Import only | A$340 | Poor |
Prices: Li-Ning from Running Warehouse AU, or RRP at Blue Sky Athletics where marked; Nike from nike.com/au. Checked 11 October 2026.
Racing: Feidian 6 vs Alphafly, Vaporfly and Zoom Fly
Feidian 6 Elite vs Alphafly 3. This is the best-supported match in the whole Li-Ning range. RTINGS compared them directly: the Li-Ning is more energetic with a more aggressive rocker; the Nike is slightly lighter and more stable. The Elite measured 205.1 g in a men’s US 9, with a 39.7 mm heel and 5.4 mm drop. If you want something lighter and lower than either, the Vaporfly 4 (A$360) is Nike’s other option.
Feidian 6 Ultra vs Alphafly 3. The Ultra uses two Super BOOM capsules and an asymmetric two-tier carbon plate. RTINGS found it works best for forefoot strikers who load it cleanly — a narrower brief than the Alphafly, which suits a wider range of runners. It is also the only Li-Ning that costs more than its Nike rival: A$499.95 against A$390. And its measured drop was 9.3 mm against a claimed 6 mm.
Feidian 6 Challenger vs Zoom Fly 6. Both are carbon-plated trainers you can race in at a lower price. The Challenger uses Super BOOM over BOOM with a split-toe carbon plate, and is A$40 cheaper. It also looks lighter — reviewers report around 195–205 g — but nobody has lab-tested it, so treat that as indicative.
Training: Red Hare 9 and Chaoying Pro vs Pegasus and Vomero
Red Hare 9 Pro vs Pegasus 42. The closest everyday match. Both are durable, unplated, do-everything trainers. The Red Hare 9 Pro measured 231.8 g with a 36.0 mm heel and 7.6 mm drop at RTINGS, which compared its forefoot firmness to the Zoom Fly 6. It is A$60 cheaper at RRP, but only small shops stock it.
Chaoying Pro vs Pegasus Plus 2. A light up-tempo trainer with a Super BOOM core in a supercritical EVA frame. RTINGS measured a 40.9 mm heel, 222.5 g and a 10.1 mm drop — well above the 7 mm some sources claim. Its arch is extremely narrow by RTINGS’s measure, which matters more against a Nike than against most brands.
Red Hare 9 Ultra vs Vomero Plus. The Red Hare 9 Ultra stacks a 46.2 mm heel into 237.2 g of PEBA. Nike’s tallest shoe, the Vomero Premium, goes higher still — Supwell measured 55 mm — but weighed about 100 g more in the same size. The Vomero Plus is the nearer feel at a similar price. The Red Hare’s weakness is stability: RTINGS scored it 6.3.
Yueying 6 Pro vs Vomero 18. Same job — a soft, protective daily shoe for heavier or slower runners. Li-Ning publishes no stack or weight for it, so this is a category match only.
Trail, stability and the rest
These matches are my judgement from category and foam type. Li-Ning publishes almost nothing for these shoes outside China.
- Dilu 2 vs Pegasus Trail 5. Both are everyday trail shoes. The Dilu 2 weighs a reported 298 g.
- Dilu 2 PRO vs ZoomX Ultrafly Trail. Both are carbon-plated trail racers. The Dilu 2 PRO is reported at 243 g.
- Liejun 8 vs Structure 26. Both are stability trainers; the Liejun uses a BOA dial and pull-lace system.
- No Nike equivalent: the Liejun 8 Pro (carbon-plated stability) and Dilu 2 CTRL (supportive carbon trail). Nike sells neither type.
- Jueying 4. A tall lifestyle runner that Chinese reviewers describe as a fashion shoe. The Vomero Premium is closest in concept, not in purpose.
Which should you buy?
- Marathon racing: Feidian 6 Elite, if your feet are narrow-to-normal. Alphafly 3 if you want more stability or a roomier fit.
- Fast forefoot strikers only: Feidian 6 Ultra — but at A$110 more than an Alphafly, the case is thin.
- One shoe for everything: Pegasus 42 for fit and easy returns; Red Hare 9 Pro to save A$60.
- Hybrid racing: neither brand’s carbon racer belongs on a sled. See carbon plates in HYROX and the Nike Metcon 9 review.
- Anything import-only: stick with the Nike unless you are comfortable with the grey-import trade-offs.