Nike Vomero Plus Review
By Matthew Klein
Nike Vomero PlusPrice: $179.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 9.9 oz, 281 g (men's size 9), 8.6 oz, 243 g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 43 mm heel / 33 mm forefoot
Drop: 10 mm
Shoe Purpose: Premium Max Stack Height Neutral Training Shoe
Pros: Bouncy Ride, Comfortable Plush Upper, Great Durability,
Cons: A Bit Unstable, Tapered Toe Box
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Nike Vomero Plus is a premium, max stack height, super foam daily training shoe for those who want a bouncy and responsive shoe for daily training and uptempo runs. The fit will work best for those with normal-width feet who want a plush but secure upper. The sole will work for those who want a maximal stack height of moderately soft but highly bouncy ZoomX for daily mileage, long runs and some uptempo efforts. A solidly durable outsole rounds out the bottom, making this a great mileage shoe for those who want a little bounce in their step during their training miles.
SIMILAR SHOES: Puma Magnify Nitro 3, Saucony Triumph 23
PAST MODEL: Nike Invincible 3
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Matt: The Nike Vomero Plus fits me true to size in my normal Men's US size 10. The upper is a mono-blended engineered mesh that highly padded. The fit is normal in width with a normal to slightly lower volume (due to the extra padding). The toe box is tapered but does have some stretch to it. This transitions into a normal-width forefoot. While there is a little stretch to the upper, the reinforcements in the mesh provide a secure fit even in the forefoot. The midfoot fits normal to slightly snug due to a highly padded tongue. The tongue is not gusseted, but does not slip due to how padded it is. The instep is fairly normal to slightly lower, so those with a high instep may need to loosen the laces on the medial side. The heel fits normal in width with a large amount of padding around the heel collar. There is a stiff counter in the rearfoot but this is offset slightly by the padding. Those with mild heel sensitivities should be fine but those with more severe sensitivities will not. I have done fine on most runs but if I have a flare-up, I notice but can tolerate the heel counter.
The security is quite good due to the mesh design and high level of padding. I only have to slightly tighten the laces for a secure fit in the forefoot, midfoot and heel. Those sensitive to high amounts of padding will not like this. The internal aspect of the upper is mostly comfortable, but I would still suggest socks due to some exposed stitching. Overall, this is a thicker but comfortable upper.
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: No
How Flexible is the Shoe: Not Flexible
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Somewhat
Recommended for Haglunds:
Is This Shoe Orthotic Friendly: Somewhat
Recommended for Sockless: Somewhat
Durability Expectation: Above Average
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The Nike Vomero Plus is a bouncy daily trainer than can handle some uptempo and long miles. The midsole is full-length ZoomX that gives it a bouncy feel from heel-to-toe. The cushioning is not mushy, instead feeling slight to moderately soft with a ton of bounce. The shoe feels tall thanks to its tall, > 40 mm stack height but the weight feels low thanks to the bouncy midsole and the sub 10 oz weight (men's size 9). There is a 10 mm heel drop that is noticeable but is not obtrusive. With the midsole compression, it feels closer to 8-9 mm. There is a large, slightly posterolateral heel bevel that transitions a rearfoot landing fairly smoothly. The midfoot transition is easy and continues into the well-rockered forefoot. The thick midsole flexes a little bit but mostly rolls forward. Those with toe mobility issues may be able to tolerate this, but there is some flex in the forefoot due to the softer midsole.
Purpose-wise, the Vomero Plus is best for daily runs but is responsive enough for uptempo workouts. I have used this shoe for longer uptempo runs and tempo runs and it does great at moderate paces. It is not the lightest shoe, but the bounce can keep it moving (this is especially good as I am taking a break from super racers right now). Attempting to go faster than tempo pace feels sluggish as the midsole foam does not respond quick enough at faster paces.
On steady runs, like long runs, this shoe really shines. While it isn't quite stable enough for me to feel comfortable on really long efforts, the bounce keeps the legs fresh over long miles. My longest day in this shoe was a 13-mile run in the morning followed by 5 miles in the afternoon (long story). Despite the mileage, my legs did not feel as horrible as I expected the next day. In addition to keeping legs fresh, the outsole also stays fresh. I have 100 miles on my pair and only have mild wear on the small lugs. The outsole is completely intact despite my hard wearing gait. The midsole has also maintained its bounce, although is a tiny bit firmer than when I started (which makes them actually feel a little more stable). The lugged outsole gives average traction on wet road and fine traction on man made surfaces. I would not take this shoe on trail due to how soft it is. For road, this is an excellent mileage shoe with some pace versatility due to the bouncy midsole.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Matt: The Nike Vomero Plus is a neutral training shoe. There are no traditional methods of stability. However, it is a drastic improvement over the prior Invincible shoes. There are large sidewalls in the heel on both the medial and lateral sides that extend into the midfoot. The posterolateral heel provides some mild lateral guidance upon heel strike. Finally, the midfoot does not narrow too much, but is not super wide. The heel and forefoot are wider, which is important given the taller and softer midsole. As the midsole has firmed up slightly with more miles, this has made it a tiny bit more stable, but the ride is still neutral overall. Those with mild stability needs may be able to tolerate this shoe for moderate mileage but it will work best for those with neutral needs. I have been able to do some longer runs in this shoe and found my hips to start to fatigue after 8-10 miles. This is common in softer shoes and the longer I go, the more I start to notice my ankle stabilizer muscles starting to fatigue. So while this shoe is certainly neutral, it is not unstable either thanks to some mild guidance methods mostly in the heel.
Thoughts as a DPT: The Place For High Drop Maximal Trainers
By Matthew Klein
The Nike Vomero Plus is unique for many reasons. Besides its superfoam midsole, it is one of the rare, higher-drop maximal shoes. Most maximal shoes have a more moderate 4-8mm drop. The 10mm drop is rare enough but to have it in a superfoam max stack height shoe is more rare (the Vomero Premium will also be similar). Combined with the bouncy midsole, this may be an excellent option for those with impaired calf function or Achilles tendon issues. A great article by Agresta et al., (2022) talked about some key features of shoes that may influence running injuries. A high drop, bouncy foam in a rockered platform, like the Vomero Plus, reduces the load on the Achilles tendon and ankle. This may be beneficial in acute irritations to reduce stress on these structures while keeping the individual active. Those who have impaired ankle function and limited ankle range of motion may also benefit from a shoe like this.
However, for injured tendons, continued use of a shoe like this would also require something less bouncy and lower drop to slowly reload the tendon. Tendons only heal with appropriate progressive loading. Achilles tendinopathies take upward of a year of continuous loading to actually heal and remodel (Ganderton et al., 2015). Long-term unloading and inactivity are actually negative for them. Unfortunately, you do not have to have pain to still have an active pathology, which is why the recurrence rate may be so high (Lieberthal et al., 2019). So while this is a solid shoe and may also have a therapeutic purpose, that must be balanced long term with the requirements for correct tissue healing, adaptation and rehabilitation.
Agresta, C., Giacomazzi, C., Harrast, M., & Zendler, J. (2022). Running injury paradigms and their influence on footwear design features and runner assessment methods: A focused review to advance evidence-based practice for running medicine clinicians. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 4, 815675.
Ganderton, C., Cook, J., Docking, S., Rio, E., Van Ark, M., & Gaida, J. (2015). Achilles tendinopathy: Understanding the key concepts to improve clinical management. Australasian Musculoskeletal Medicine, 19(2), 12-18.
Lieberthal, K., Paterson, K. L., Cook, J., Kiss, Z., Girdwood, M., & Bradshaw, E. J. (2019). Prevalence and factors associated with asymptomatic Achilles tendon pathology in male distance runners. Physical Therapy in Sport, 39, 64-68.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: Despite being a more neutral shoe, I have really enjoyed my miles in the Vomero Plus as evident by the 100 miles I've run in them. There are a few suggestions I still have for this shoe though. The first is on the toe box. This fit is pretty standard for Nike and I have had the same experience in the Pegasus, Pegasus Plus and Pegasus Premium. I would love for the toe box to be opened just slightly on the lateral side for a little more toe room. I would also like to see at least some mild gusseting of the tongue or additional security to prevent slippage (although that has been minimal). While I would love this shoe to be a tiny bit more stable, widening the midfoot might make that transition more clunky. So I would keep it the way it is and I'll keep my hopes up for the Structure Plus. Outside of these minor things, this is actually my favorite shoe of Nike's new training lineup.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Matt: The Nike Vomero Plus is for the runner who wants a taller, superfoam midsole training shoe that can handle easy to uptempo miles. The upper will be best for those with normal-width feet who can handle a slightly tapered toe box and a thicker upper. The midsole is best for those who want an incredibly bouncy ride with a higher drop and a rocker profile. Those wanting a shoe that can handle easy, long and even tempo type work will do well in this shoe as it has the bounce to handle some variation of paces. Those who want an extremely durable outsole and midsole will also like this shoe. As mentioned, I already have 100 miles on my pair and have enjoyed them. I do wish this shoe was a little more stable, but it is in the neutral category and I will continue to hold my breath for the Structure Plus. So those with moderate to high stability needs will not work well with this shoe.
The Nike Vomero Plus is what I expected the Vomero 18 to be. I do understand the difference now, but I greatly prefer the Vomero Plus. The bouncier ride is excellent and is a great example of what a superfoam trainer can look like without being overly complicated. The price being only $180 for how durable this shoe is and not increasing at all from the Invincible is awesome, especially with so many shoes going into the >$200 price range. While I was not as impressed with the Pegasus Premium and Plus, the Vomero Plus has me excited again for the Structure Plus, Vomero Premium (still scared a little of that one) and the Structure Premium. Nike is trying things and I am excited to see what comes next.
GRADES
Matt
Fit: A- (Plus upper with a secure fit. Slightly tapered toe box that does stretch. Comfortable overall)
Performance: A- (Bouncy, rockered ride that is excellent for daily, long and uptempo miles)
Stability: B+ [Neutral] (Heel/midfoot sidewalls and wider sole somewhat offset the softer and bouncier sole)
Value: A- (Price tag is high but the shoe is highly durable with a full length superfoam midsole)
Personal: A- (Bouncy and comfortable ride that has some pace versatility from easy to uptempo mileage. Super durable and I already have 100 miles on my pair. Wish they were a little more stable, but hopefully the Structure Plus will provide that)
Overall Design: A-
SHOP | SUPPORT DORNike Vomero PlusPrice: $179.95 at Running Warehouse
Shop Men | Shop Women
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FURTHER READING
Salomon's excellent higher stack trainer.
Nike's stability trainer.
Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
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