Nike Vomero 18 Review: Maximum Cushion, Maximum Expectations

All shoes are reviewed by the Fleet Feet tester team, which represents a wide variety of goals, foot shapes, running locations and terrains. Reviewers pound the pavement, climb the hills, tackle the trails, then come together to compare notes. Debates ensue over the feel of the cushioning, the purpose of the shoe, and how it compares to last year’s model. While each reviewer has their own individual preferences, we hope that capturing our debates will help you make an informed decision.

The Nike Vomero 18 is the most cushioned Vomero ever, according to Nike. With a thick stack of ZoomX and ReactX foam, it promises to deliver a plush, smooth ride. But is bigger always better? Read on to find out what our reviewers thought.

The Nike Vomero 18 is built with a dual-layer midsole foam composed of Nike’s ZoomX foam on top and ReactX foam on the bottom.

“ZoomX is our superfoam at Nike,” Nike’s Product Line Manager, Ashley Campbell, told me during an interview at The 2024 Running Event. “It's our softest, lightest and most responsive foam within our running line. This foam is a really critical part of the shoe’s experience, giving you that soft, energetic, lively sensation underfoot. Our ReactX foam is one of our most durable foams and one of our most sustainable. It provides a lot of durability with some stability and support. Bringing the two together [in the Vomero 18] creates a balance of softness and energy return that still feels supportive.”

When I tried the shoe on at The Running Event (TRE), I remember feeling delighted by the soft cushioning with a hint of springiness. They didn’t have my exact size but I was able to put the shoes on and get a feel for them. Fast forward to February, and I’m heading out the door for my Monday morning easy run when I see a package on my doorstep. I open it up–it’s my pair of long-awaited Vomeros!

I quickly ran inside, swapped the shoes I had on for my new pair and headed out the door. Immediately, I noticed that they don’t feel as soft or springy as I remember them feeling at TRE. I was standing on the carpet at TRE, and now I was on the pavement, so maybe that could explain the difference. Regardless, I was a little disappointed. The shoes felt a little bit firm for my taste. However, this sentiment changed about a mile into the run. I’m not sure if it was my muscles or the foam coming alive, but the shoes started to feel really good. I still felt kind of clunky (I always do on Mondays, just call me Garfield) but the shoes felt really fluid with my stride.

Max, who’s enduring a frigid Chicago winter, had a similar experience.

“My pair of Vomero 18 was sitting in a package outside in sub-freezing temperatures, so the step-in feeling was not as soft and squishy as I expected. During the run, the midsole definitely softened up. While there’s a ton of foam underfoot, the Vomero 18 feels lighter than it is and isn’t overly soft, in fact, it’s quite responsive. I sometimes struggle with high-stack-height shoes [stack height refers to the distance between the ground and your feet], but the Vomero 18 has some nice pep in its step which is really aided by its smooth rocker shape.”

And remember that stability and support Ashley mentioned? Max noticed it too.

“For me, the highlight of the Vomero is its overall build that delivers some stability. I’ve been logging a fair amount of miles in some super soft trainers, so mixing in something with a bit more structure during recovery runs and long runs felt great.”

Travis agreed.

“The combination of ZoomX and ReactX foams in the midsole feels solid, it doesn’t really feel cushy or soft,” he says. “I really enjoyed that, it fits with what I’ve been gravitating towards lately in my running shoes. Both of my test runs were below freezing, so I imagine that played a part in the cushion feeling firmer.”

However, Travis disagreed with Max’s sentiment about the Vomero feeling lighter than it is.

“The Vomero 18 feels pretty heavy, so I don’t think this shoe is very versatile,” he says. “I’ll definitely keep it for my recovery runs and easy days, as I have a bad habit of running too fast on easy runs and intentionally wearing a heavier shoe forces me to run a bit slower.”

I didn’t notice the shoes feeling heavy or clunky but, at the same time, they’re not something I would choose for fast paces. The Vomero 18 shined at easy paces for me.

The Nike Vomero 18’s upper makes it clear—this shoe means business. The business of comfort, of course. A plush tongue and heel collar add a luxurious feel, while a handy heel pull tab makes it easy to slide into the shoes. The upper material, an engineered mesh, is formulated with extra zones of breathability in the forefoot.

I found the Vomero 18 to fit true to size, and my fellow reviewers agreed with me. My feet measure between medium and wide, with my left foot being slightly wider, but my heels are pretty narrow. I had ample space in the toe box, but I noticed that the ankle area feels pretty wide on me so I made sure to tie the marathon loop with the extra eyelets so I wouldn’t have any heel slippage. The fit of the shoe is something I really forgot about during my run, a testament to its comfortable design.

“The Vomero 18 fits my feet very well,” Travis says. “I can also see this being an accommodating shoe for people with slightly wider feet, since the heel has a more relaxed fit construction overall. However, it still feels secure on my slightly narrower heels; I didn’t have to tie the marathon loop or anything.” (Lucky!)

Max, our narrow-footed reviewer, also enjoyed the fit of the Vomero 18.

The Vomero is currently only available in standard width (B for women, D for men). Not sure about the width of your feet? Your best bet will be to head into your local Fleet Feet. Fleet Feet outfitters use 3D fit id® foot scanning technology to gather information about your feet and the support they need by taking precise measurements of your foot length, width and arch height, so you can learn a lot about your feet while you’re there.

The Vomero 18 is bigger and, dare we say better, than its predecessor. The 18 features more stack height and a more innovative midsole combination.

While the Vomero 17 used a combination of Nike’s ZoomX and Cushlon 3.0 foams, the 18 gets an upgrade with Nike’s ReactX foam, which is a bit bouncier and more durable. Plus, the added cushioning heightens the supportive sensation. However, the added cushioning comes with a price, and we’re not talking about dollars (the Vomero 18 is actually $10 less than the 17).

The Vomero 18 is quite a bit heavier than the 17, which wasn’t a very lightweight shoe to begin with. Some runners who favor maximum cushioning will find this trade-off worth it, while others, who prioritize weight savings, may not.

We took a look at some comparable models to see how the Vomero 18 stacks up. Here’s what we found.

I hope you’re not afraid of heights, because the Nike Vomero 18, Brooks Glycerin Max and HOKA Bondi 9 take “maximum cushioning” to a whole new level.

All three shoes offer ample cushioning that blends both soft and firm elements to deliver a balanced ride. Nike does this by blending their ZoomX and ReactX foams, and Brooks uses their nitrogen-infused DNA Tuned foam to create a softer feeling in the heel and a firmer feeling in the forefoot. The Bondi 9 uses a supercritical EVA foam, similar to Brooks’ nitrogen-infusion process, to deliver a balanced ride.

And thanks to rocker geometries, the shoes feel just as dynamic as they do comfortable.

I’d recommend the Nike Vomero 18 to runners who want a high stack height shoe that’s not too soft. This shoe has a really nice blend of responsive cushioning. It took me about a mile or two to warm up to it, but overall I enjoyed the ride.

“I’d suggest this for easy days or recovery days. It doesn’t really have the weight or features for hard interval workouts or tempo runs, but I think that was Nike’s intention with this model, “says Travis.

With its broad base and solid platform, the Vomero 18 will work well for runners and walkers seeking some inherent stability from their shoes.