Nike Vomero 18 Introduction
Nike is just not usually recognized for naming footwear after places however the Vomero was named after the Vomero district of Naples in Italy. This hilly space is thought for its difficult terrain and its picturesque views. Nike named it the Vomero as a result of it was designed to have the power to deal with varied distances and terrains.
The Vomero and the Pegasus are Nike’s two foremost, impartial coaching households. The Vomero has at all times been a softer, extra luxurious coach than the Pegasus. It’s a costlier, extra premium model of the Pegasus and I’ve at all times most well-liked the Vomero (apart from model 14, which was a catastrophe).
The Vomero 17, which was launched in 2023 was my favorite Vomero up to now. I beloved that they eliminated the lumpy Zoom air luggage and added a thick layer of ZoomX foam. It was lighter than earlier variations and it had a softer experience. It was steady, had a balanced experience and it was an excellent workhorse.
The Vomero 18 is one other vital replace and it will get ReactX foam for the primary time within the franchise historical past. It additionally will get a $10 value drop for the primary time which is a really, very uncommon prevalence nowadays.
The stack peak of the Vomero 18 will get upsized by a beneficiant 7 mm within the heel and seven mm within the forefoot. It nonetheless has a ten mm drop however it will get 24 grams (0.8 oz) heavier. Now at 325 grams (11.5 oz) for a males’s US 9, it’s the identical weight because the Pegasus Premium, two of the heaviest trainers to be launched this yr.
Nike Vomero 18 First Impressions
My first run within the Vomero 18 was an 8 kilometre straightforward run. The experience felt vastly totally different to the Vomero 17. The rise in weight was noticeable and I discovered it troublesome to choose up the tempo.
It didn’t really feel as energetic as its predecessor however cushioning felt a lot deeper because of the rise in stack peak. It felt actually comfy from the primary kilometre and it wanted no break-in interval.
The shoe that it jogged my memory of most was the Nike InfinityRN 4. Each Nike trainers use ReactX within the midsoles. The Vomero 18 felt like a softer, plusher model of the InfinityRN 4.
Nike Vomero 18 Higher
The Vomero 18’s higher is lush with beneficiant padding that makes it really feel like a max-cushioned coach. The engineered mesh is thick and heat so it’s greatest suited to chill climates.
It has a completely gusseted tongue with huge wings that maintain it in place. I discover foot lockdown to be wonderful though I’ve to make use of a runner’s knot. There are tiny reflective strips on the heel and toe field for security.
The match is true to dimension and it’s a lot roomier than different latest Nikes just like the Pegasus Premium, Pegasus Plus and Vaporfly 4. The Vomero 18 is appropriate for runners with huge or excessive quantity ft.
Nike Vomero 18 Sole Unit
The Vomero 18 now seems like a max-cushioned coach for straightforward/restoration runs and never like a do-it-all day by day coach like its predecessors. That is due to its new midsole composition.
Should you study the Vomero 17’s midsole, about 50% of its midsole was ZoomX, and 50% was Cushlon. The Vomero 18’s midsole consists of about solely 30% ZoomX, 70% ReactX. The proportion of the cheaper, much less responsive foam is far increased within the Vomero 18 and this reduces its enjoyable issue.
ZoomX, which is a PEBA foam, is rather more energetic than ReactX (TPE + EVA) and within the Vomero 18, the ZoomX feels watered down. You don’t get as a lot bounce or power return as within the Vomero 17 and it solely feels comfy once I’m doing relaxed paces above 6 minutes per km (9:40 per mile).
As a max-cushioned coach for gradual runs, the Vomero 18 is nice. It’s gentle with out being mushy, it has loads of cushioning depth and the Vomero 18 additionally has a large base so it feels very steady. It’s a wonderful coach for heavy or large runners due to how sturdy it’s.
With 46 mm of stack peak in its heel and 36 mm in its forefoot, the cushioning seems like an overkill for a lightweight runner like myself (60 kg). It feels cumbersome and sluggish on runs, and is corresponding to juggernauts just like the Hoka Bondi 9, Puma MagMax and ASICS Nimbus.
That is excellent news in case you plan on utilizing it for restoration runs however if you need a day by day coach that may do all the things nicely, the Vomero 18 is just not your shoe.
The Vomero 18 has an old style 10 mm drop so it feels very constructed up within the rearfoot. This can be a shoe that was designed for heel strikers and in case you’re a midfoot or forefoot striker, you gained’t get the total advantage of the large 46 mm of heel stack peak.
I would like the drop to be 8 mm. The trendy day candy spot for every type of foot strikes is within the 5 mm – 8 mm vary. Even Brooks has diminished the drop on the brand new Ghost 17 which has at all times been 12 mm.
The outsole of the Vomero 18 wears down shortly and there’s loads much less rubber than the Vomero 17. I’ve carried out 104 kilometres in my pair and the outer lateral heel areas are already easy on each footwear the place there was small nubs. The rubber is softer than the rubber used on the Nike Pegasus 41 so its outsole is just not as sturdy. I’ve discovered traction to be good on moist surfaces due to the small nubs.
There’s a deep, huge, central groove beneath the rearfoot that extends into the midfoot. This jogs my memory of the channel beneath the unique Novablast however it isn’t as deep within the Vomero 18. This new function is one which I like; it reduces the burden and it makes the experience really feel extra energetic.
Nike Vomero 18 Conclusions
The Vomero 18, as soon as a flexible coach able to dealing with varied paces and terrains, has been reworked in each its design and performance. The shoe’s authentic intent, as envisioned by Nike, has been compromised by adjustments which have resulted in a narrower use case.
The elevated stack heights and elevated weight of the Vomero 18 have impacted its versatility, making the shoe really feel sluggish and cumbersome when operating at something quicker than a straightforward tempo. 325 grams (11.5 oz) is simply too heavy for a coach in 2025.
This elevated bulk and lack of responsiveness hinder the shoe’s potential to deal with pace or agility, limiting its effectiveness for tempo runs, interval coaching, or any arduous exercise.
Because of these adjustments, the Vomero 18 is now fitted to solely straightforward or restoration runs at a relaxed tempo. Whereas it nonetheless supplies loads of cushioning and luxury for these kind of runs, it not presents the flexibility and flexibility that it as soon as did. Runners who require a shoe that may deal with a wide range of paces and terrains might want to look elsewhere.
It now competes with different max-cushioned trainers. For $150, it’s good worth for cash as a result of it’s cheaper than the ASICS Nimbus, Hoka Bondi and the Nike Invincible Run however in case you’re coaching for a race, you’ll nonetheless want a pace coach in your rotation to do exercises in. The Vomero 18 will keep in my rotation however I’ll solely use it for restoration runs.
I personally favor the Vomero 17 to the 18. It felt snappier and extra energetic than the 18. Though it had much less cushioning, it had a extra enjoyable experience because of the thick layer of ZoomX in its midsole.
Hopefully, the Vomero Plus which could have a full ZoomX midsole will probably be lighter and extra versatile. It launches later this yr.