Nike Vomero 18 running shoes

The Nike Vomero 18 running shoe is Nike’s highly cushioned, comfortable running shoe that’s best suited for low-intensity runs, but can also be used for longer runs in comfort. Every aspect of the shoe is clearly focused on comfort rather than running fast. That’s not to say you can’t run fast in it, but if you’re looking for a shoe for your fast runs, the Nike Vomero 18 may not be the best choice. The price of comfort is that the shoe is heavier than average even in its category, which is the highly cushioned comfortable running shoe category. Coming in 2025 will be a Vomero 18 Plus, which will be a bit faster, and a Vomero Premium, which will be more comfortable.

Nike Vomero 18 upper

The upper of the Nike Vomero 18 running shoe is a brand new mesh material that’s softer than the material used before, but still has good breathability. The Vomero 18 is based on Nike’s MR-10 last, which means the front of the shoe is more elongated with a more pointed tip, like the Pegasus 41 upper, and not rounded like the Zoom Fly 6 upper. The upper fits true to size and has a medium width construction. The tongue of the shoe is a heavily padded thick tongue that is fixed on both sides and ends in an inner insert. The heel collar is also heavily padded and moderately stiff, holding the foot well and comfortably.

Nike Vomero 18 midsole

The Nike Vomero 18 running shoe midsole is made up of two different types of foam that combine to create a soft, comfortable midsole. You can feel some dynamics in the midsole, but its energy return is more for endurance than explosiveness. The upper foam layers are ZoomX foam, which Nike uses in its racing shoes, and is softer, more dynamic, and lighter than the ReactX foam in the lower. Unintentionally, but a little misleading, is the ZoomX writing on the midsole of the Nike Vomero 18 running shoe. The midsole teardrop is the molded middle part of the midsole, not ZoomX, but ReactX. The two meet at the top of the teardrop, so roughly the top 25% of the midsole is ZoomX foam and the bottom 75% is ReactX foam. ReactX foam is also a fairly advanced foam from Nike, the entire midsole of the Pegasus 41 is made of it, which is not hard, but slightly harder than ZoomX. The midsole is 46mm high at the heel and 36mm at the forefoot with a 10mm drop. From the bottom, you can clearly see that there is a groove running down the length of the sole to keep the shoe from being too stiff. Also contributing to the shoe’s flexibility is the fact that the outsole has both lateral and longitudinal cutouts.

Nike Vomero 18 outsole

The Nike Vomero 18 running shoe outsole does not cover the entire midsole, which is beneficial in that it does not make the shoe too stiff. There have not been many complaints about outsole materials on Nike running shoes in recent years, either in terms of traction or wear. Since the Vomero 18 follows this tradition and has a very similar patterned outsole made from the same rubber compound as the Pegasus, both traction and durability are above average.

Who is the Nike Vomero 18 for and for what kind of running? Summary

The Nike Vomero 18 Running Shoe is a maximally comfortable running shoe that will help you get the most out of your easy runs or longer runs. It has a pleasantly soft upper, a highly cushioned soft midsole with good dynamics, and an outsole with good traction, good abrasion resistance, and a layout that doesn’t inhibit the flexibility of the shoe. The Nike Vomero 18 has changed a lot from the previous version, with a softer, more comfortable upper. In the midsole, the previous ZoomX + Cushlon 3.0 foam layer pairing has been replaced with a ZoomX + ReactX pairing, making the shoe softer and more comfortable, and it’s also 7mm taller. The only thing that hasn’t been kept under control is the weight: 325 grams for the men’s version, which is 25 grams more than its predecessor and heavy even for this highly cushioned, comfortable running shoe category.