In-depth review of the Nike Vomero Plus, Nike’s maximally-cushioned daily trainer / recovery shoe / super shoe. Find out why, after umming and ahing for so long, the Vomero Plus are almost the perfect super shoe.

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Technical Specs:

Stack Height: 45/35mm
Heel-to-Toe Drop: 10mm
Midsole: Zoom X
Weight: 285g

Why The Vomero Plus

When Nike announced the Vomero Plus, its max-cushioned, chock-full-of-Zoom X replacement for the Invincible, the brand’s recovery trainer, I was almost immediately sold. But then I realised it was packing a 10mm heel-to-toe drop — the difference in height between the heel and forefoot. My threshold for heel-to-toe drop seemed to be around 8mm (and preferably much less). Anything higher, and I noticed an adverse effect on gait, a change in foot strike, and a little too much knee pain. Things like the Brooks Ghost — historically a 12mm drop shoe — and the Puma MagMax (which despite being listed as 8mm was closer to 10) simply didn’t work.

But then the feedback started pouring in. Had Nike finally released a banger outside of the race day category?

Despite the influx of positive reviews, I just couldn’t seem to shake the drop figure. That, and the fact that I’d been predominantly running trails in shoes like the INOV8 Mudtalon Speed. A shoe that had 7mm of midsole foam at the forefoot to Nike’s 35mm. And while the two are incomparable, truthfully I’d gained a taste and appreciation for the more minimalist approach.

Nonetheless, I kept returning to SportsShoes, adding the Plus to my basket, before again deciding the drop was too much. But that indecision meant that I stumbled upon the Vomero Plus at a great price. And, as a northerner, it’s hard to turn down a bargain.

Use Case

When I made the call to add the Vomero Plus to the rotation, the space I wanted it to fill was recovery. With a 45/35mm stack height, you’d certainly expect it to excel here. But to be honest, the feedback wasn’t quite so clear cut. Some were using it for daily miles, others recovery, and others still were boshing out speed work in them. In other words, it seemed to fit the somewhat loose definition of a super trainer.

And honestly, I think it’s pretty fair to call it such. I’ve done little bits of everything in the Vomero Plus, and it’s very good — though certainly not perfect — across the board. At easy pace, which for me sits around 5:45/km – 6:00/km, they do a good job of absorbing the miles and keeping my body feeling fresh. Being stuffed to the brim with Zoom X, though, they’re possibly just a touch too bouncy for my liking. For these types of run, I prefer something with a little less rebound. Still, and perhaps more importantly, the Vomero Plus is impressively stable considering the stack height. While it may have too much rebound for my liking, its stability across a range of paces makes it a standout in this category.

And on the flip side, its propulsive quality means that when you want to switch up the pace, say on a progressive long run, you absolutely can. These puppies sure can shift. For such a big shoe, it’s surprisingly easy to pick up the pace. I’m not surprised that people have been using them for everything — including intervals. Mind you, that hasn’t been my use case. I prefer something light and low-stacked for that job.

Through all my testing, I find the Vomero Plus works best as a long run shoe, particularly progressive long runs or those with significant periods at half or marathon pace. The fat wad of foam keeps your legs feeling fresh, and the compound keeps things fun throughout. And though it is a big shoe, it’s not as heavy as you’d expect. I also recently found a somewhat niche use. A bit of a “Vomero Plus in the wild” type scenario. I wore them to a gig to gain some much needed height to get a clearer view of the artist. They worked a treat for that, but the spring and rocker combo wasn’t the most ideal for balance while dancing!

Outsole

Buying these in December invariably meant that my first couple of outings were in some rather unfortunate icy conditions. I had no clue how they’d cope. But, the extensively covered waffle-patterned outsole held up remarkably well despite the treacherous underfoot conditions. Since then, conditions have improved. Well, they’re not icy, but the ground has received a battering from the torrential downpours we’ve had. I’ve never felt anything but assured with the Vomero Plus on feet. Not quite on the level of a gravel specialist like the recently reviewed Salomon Aero Glide 3 GRVL. But for a road shoe — and a Nike one at that — I’m really impressed with their performance.

What I Don’t Like

You won’t be surprised to hear, but just as I expected, I’m not the biggest fan of the 10mm drop. I don’t believe it’s as noticeable where gait is concerned, at least not compared to the Puma Magmax)(possibly due to the differences in midsole hardness), but there’s a blatant difference in how my knees feel in the Vomero Plus versus a lower drop shoe. As a result, I won’t be using them for every outing, but it’s generally advisable to have a rotation of different drops, stacks, and midsole feel to place the emphasis on different parts of your body, so I can live with that. If your preference is for higher drops, you’ll have no complaints with the Vomero Plus.

Final Thoughts

While the Vomero Plus seems to lack a definitive identity, what seems clear is that one can almost always find a place for it in their rotation. For some, it may be the perfect recovery shoe. For others, the greatest daily trainer. And for others still, some sort of speed-focused shoe. For me, it’s a brilliant progressive long run shoe. If I’ve got a long easy on the cards, I might stick to something I call refreshingly boring, like the Mizuno Neo Zen 2. But if that long run contains faster segments, I’m absolutely picking the Vomero Plus. It’s effortless to pick up and remain at a plethora of paces. And really, what else would you expect from a thick slab of that good Zoom X?

But really, its ability to be something different to everyone does imply it’s something of a super shoe. In other words, if you’re only prepared to fork out for one shoe, the Vomero Plus could well be the ideal weapon of choice.

That’s why, to me, the Vomero Plus is almost perfect. It’s let down by its heel-to-toe drop, but only slightly. Having tried and failed to run in high drop shoes before, I couldn’t ever see myself adding a 10mm drop shoe to my rotation, but here we are. That in itself speaks volumes for how good the Vomero Plus is. Had this been released as an 8mm or lower dropped shoe, I’d have felt confident in its ability to handle, and would have wanted to lace them up for, practically every run. They’re supportive, structured, stable, and most importantly perhaps, fun.

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