Nike Vomero 18 Review
By Matthew Klein
Nike Vomero 18Price: $149.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 10.5 oz, 298g (men's size 9), 9.1 oz, 258 g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 44 mm heel / 34 mm forefoot
Drop: 10 mm
Shoe Purpose: Premium Daily Training Shoe
Pros: Comfortable Slightly Wider Upper Fit, Balanced Cushioning
Cons: Heavy, Firmer Than Expected, Subpar Outsole Durability
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Nike Vomero 18 is a premium neutral daily trainer for those who want a highly cushioned and maximal daily training shoe for easy runs and walking. A new midsole of top-layered ZoomX and a bottom-layered ReactX make for a cushioned but firmer ride. A plush, wider fitting sits up top with a thick tongue and a solid hold for those who want comfort. A heavier weight comes with the additional stack height and early outsole wear may limit use for some people. Those who like the maximal trend but don't want a mushy shoe will do best in this neutral premium shoe.
SIMILAR SHOES: ASICS Gel-Nimbus 27, Hoka Bondi 9
PAST MODEL: Nike Vomero 17
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Matt: The Nike Vomero 18 fits me true to size in my normal men's US size 10. The upper is an engineered mesh that appears to be dual layered. This creates a comfortable fit with a bit of stretch that accomodates the feet. The forefoot is normal to slightly wide with only a mild toe box taper. The toe guard is minimal and I did not notice it. The volume is normal to slightly higher in the forefoot due to the additional stretch from the upper. The midfoot is normal to slightly wide with a thick, gusseted tongue. The tongue makes the instep feel lower than it really is but I can tighten down the laces without any lace bite. The heel fits normal to slightly wider with a large amount of padding. There is a moderately stiff heel counter that only comes up 2/3s of the way and the padding behind the heel does a great job of cushioning/protecting the heel bone. I had no issues with the counter and only those that are most sensitive will likely be bothered. The security is fairly good thanks to the gusseted tongue and ability to lock down the laces. I did experience a little heel slippage early on, but did not have to lace lock the shoe. Like most running shoes, this is not a shoe meant for lateral motion. However the thicker upper does a solid job of keeping my feet on the platform. While most of the upper is comfortable and plush, the toe guard is a bit firm against bare skin. For that reason, I would encourage the use of socks with this shoe and only those with tough toes should consider going sockless.
Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Matt well: On Cloudboom Strike, Asics Gel-Nimbus 27, Xero HFS, Topo Cyclone 3, Adidas Adizero Evo SL
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Brooks Launch 11, Diadora Mythos Vigore 3
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2, Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: Yes
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: Yes
Is the Forefoot Flexible: Slightly
How Flexible is the Shoe: Not Flexible
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Yes
Recommended for Haglunds: Somewhat
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: Average
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The Nike Vomero 18 is a maximal stack height premium daily training shoe. The midsole features a top layer of ZoomX foam and a bottom layer of ReactX foam. Despite the 44mm heel stack height, the ride is well-cushioned but firmer. The foam compresses underfoot but is more responsive and makes the Vomero 18 feel lighter than its listed weight. It is still noticeably heavier than the Vomero 17 and feels far more tuned to slower easy and recovery paces. There is a 10mm drop which feels lower due to the midsole compression and the larger heel bevel. The heel bevel is good although heel transitions feel a little clunky for me due to the larger lateral heel flare than medial. This causes a slightly early landing for my footstrike and pushes me medial. The overall geometry is far more rockered than previous which provides a smooth ride from heel to toe. The forefoot transition is smooth and a little snappy. There is a large forefoot rocker with only mild toe spring and mild flexibility. The entire sole is on the stiffer side but is not stiff enough in the forefoot for those with toe mobility issues.
Despite how tall the midsole is and the top layer of ZoomX, it rides firmer and more responsive relative to the specs. This does make the Vomero 18 feel lighter than the listed weight but the responsiveness of the foam and the weight is not enough to make it a faster day shoe. The volume and weight of the shoe make it feel best during recovery runs easy runs and long runs. Traction wise the lugs on the bottom provide good traction on road and mild trails. The amount of exposed midsole makes me nervous to take it on anything but road but so far it has been fine.
Durability is average. I have 45 miles on my pair, have worn down the lugs in my spot and have already pulled off a piece of the outsole where I normally do. This is not surprising based on the outsole placement. The midsole is holding up extremely well and has maintained its feel since the first run. So those easy on outsoles should get a solid number of miles out of these while those who are hard on them like me may not get that far.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Matt: The Nike Vomero 18 is a neutral shoe. There are no traditional methods of stability but there are some mild guidance components. With the larger stack height, the sole is is wider. The midfoot does not narrow that much compared to the rest of the shoe and the large groove in the heel to midfoot may provide some gentle central guidance. There is sole flare in the heel and forefoot with more lateral flare than medial at the rearfoot. This does create mild medial bias at the heel, which may work well for those with mild supination issues there. There are small sidewalls in the rearfoot that do not do much due to being made of ZoomX and collapsing easily. However, the relatively firmer ride adds to the final piece that has allowed me to take this shoe farther than I would have expected for a neutral shoe. The lateral heel flare has put some pressure on my posterior tibialis tendon (one of the tendons of the muscles that controls pronation) but it has been tolerable. Those with mild heel supination issues will like the rearfoot while those looking for a fairly neutral ride will do best in the Vomero 18.
Thoughts as a DPT: Ride Perception Differences in Walking vs Running
By Matthew Klein
Almost all of the training shoes that I review for running I also use for walking. The majority of the US population typically buys running shoes for walking purposes and thus I have tried to see how they perform for both. While most shoes are fairly consistent, I have noticed that those with duel midsoles, ie a different top and bottom layer, often feel slightly different between the two forms of gait. The Vomero 18 is a great example of this, with a top layer of ZoomX and a bottom layer of ReactX. I have found that while walking, the ride feels slightly soft and this makes it a comfortable all day walking/standing shoe. While running, the ride firms up, feeling more responsive and less soft, although the large stack height is still apparent. My hypothesis on this is that while walking, I am putting less force through the shoe, am compressing the midsole at a lower rate and therefore will feel more of the softer ZoomX top layer. While running, I put far greater forces at much higher rates through the shoe, quickly compressing the ZoomX top layer and perceiving more of the cushioning from the ReactX. Walking and running put extremely different forces through the lower extremity and footwear (Lohman et al., 2011). Walking typically puts x1 body weight through the lower extremity, while running can put anywhere from 3-5 times body weight through the lower extremity. Naturally, the differences in force quality and quantity may cause shoes to react differently with different activities. How each person perceives this may vary slightly but if any footwear companies know how true my hypothesis is, let me know!
Lohman III, E. B., Sackiriyas, K. S. B., & Swen, R. W. (2011). A comparison of the spatiotemporal parameters, kinematics, and biomechanics between shod, unshod, and minimally supported running as compared to walking. Physical Therapy in Sport, 12(4), 151-163.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: While I really enjoyed the Vomero 17, the Vomero 18's design makes more sense for what this shoe is supposed to be. However, I still have two major suggestions. The first is to soften the midsole. This is supposed to be a premium training shoe, yet it may be the firmest in this category. A bit more relaxed bounce and softness (resilience and compliance) would be nice as a premium recovery shoe. I would also expect more of this with a 44 mm heel stack height, but stack height never tells the full story. My other suggestion would be to tone down the lateral heel flare. While this will work great for those who supinate, it creates a medial push. I personally would even this out with the amount of medial sole flare, which may improve the heel transition.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Matt: The Nike Vomero 18 is for those who want a maximal stack height shoe that is on the firmer end and a slightly wider, plush-fitting upper. The fit will work best for those with normal to wider feet wanting a soft, plush upper with a little bit more volume. The massive 44mm stack height still runs firmer, so those who want a tall, not soft but smooth-riding shoe will do well. It is a neutral shoe but has rare lateral flare that will work well for those who supinate at the rearfoot but may be a slight challenge for those with pronation issues. The Vomero 18 clearly differentiates itself from the Pegasus series as a higher stack height, premium fitting daily training shoe for easy and recovery miles. This is in contrast to version 17, which was almost the same weight as the Pegasus while being both softer and more responsive (in my opinion). It fixes the weird upper issues from version 17 as well but those who liked that version will find an almost completely different shoe in version 18. That said, the Vomero 18 is $10 dollars cheaper than its predecessor, making it a solid choice over the Pegasus 41 for only $10 more. The stack heights continue to move skyward and if you think this shoe is tall, just wait until you see the Vomero Premium....
GRADES
Matt
Fit: A- (Thicker, plush, wider and slightly higher volume fit throughout)
Performance: B+ (Firmer ride for how tall stack height. Feels lighter than listed weight but still a large shoe best for easy, recovery and longer efforts)
Stability: B [Neutral] (Neutral ride with medial rearfoot bias that isn't unstable due to wider width)
Value: B+ (Great value at $1150 for those who are lighter on shoes. One of the cheapest maximal stack height shoes out there, However, outsole rubber peals off easily but exposed ReactX is holding up well )
Personal: B (The firmer ride works well for me but the outsole durability and the medial bias in the rearfoot make this a shoe that may not stay in my rotation)
Overall Design: B+
SHOP | SUPPORT DORPrice: $149.95 at Running Warehouse
Nike Vomero 18
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FURTHER READING
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Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
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