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The Nike Vomero Premium is the most cushioned running shoe we’ve come across, and delivers an unprecedented level of comfort as a result. It’s also very bouncy, and a dream for easy and long runs. It’s undoubtedly one of the best running shoes going for relaxed miles.
It is also, however, very expensive and not especially versatile. It’s not the most practical pick, in short, and the best cushioned running shoes like the Nike Vomero Plus and Asics Novablast 5 are more affordable and can handle faster daily training runs more adeptly. That said, if you want the ultimate cushioned shoe for picking up your easy miles, the Vomero Premium is worth considering.
Design & Key Stats
- Price: £210/$230
- Weight: 355g/12.5oz (men’s UK 9 / US 10)
- Drop: 10mm
- Stack height: 55.5mm heel, 45.5mm forefoot
- Upper: Engineered mesh with padding around heel
- Midsole: ZoomX foam with Air Zoom units under heel and forefoot
- Outsole: Waffle tread rubber
Nike Vomero Premium review
How’s The Fit
Nick tested out the Nike Vomero Premium for our review and found that it fit well in his normal running shoe size, the same size he uses for other Nike shoes. The upper has a lot of padding on it, so might be a bit warm in sunny conditions, but it holds the foot securely and comfortably.
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The Run Test: Likes
The main like for the Nike Vomero Premium is obvious just from looking at it — this is a very soft and comfortable shoe. The high level of cushioning does a great job of protecting your body from the impact of running, and it’s ideal for recovery runs after hard workouts in particular.
It also has a pretty smooth ride thanks to the mild rocker shape of the midsole, and while it’s too hefty to be ideal for out-and-out speedwork, we did find we could move through the gears in the Vomero Premium on easy to steady progression runs well enough thanks to the rocker and energy return from the midsole.
Despite the high stack of cushioning, the Vomero Premium is also quite stable thanks to the wide base on the shoe. Pulling it on almost feels like a comfort blanket on easy runs — it’s very supportive and comfortable, and bouncy enough to make the miles you run a little more fun.
The Run Test: Dislikes
This is a big shoe, there’s no getting around that fact, and sometimes the sheer size of the Vomero Premium made it feel a little unwieldy. It’s not as well-suited for faster efforts even as other max-cushioned shoes like the Vomero Plus, and on uneven pavements sometimes its lack of agility makes running a little awkward.
It’s also very expensive for a cushioned running shoe built mainly for easy miles, and since it works best in rotation with a lighter, faster shoe, you can’t really just splash the cash and then use the Vomero Premium for everything.
Verdict And Alternatives
The Nike Vomero Premium impressed us more than we expected and it’s certainly a great option to consider if you want a comfortable shoe for your easy and long runs, especially during the high mileage weeks of marathon training.
It does offer another level of comfort, support and bounce than more ‘normal’ max-cushioned shoes like the Vomero Plus, and running in the Nike Vomero Premium is a unique experience — for now, we have little doubt other brands will be launching 55mm stack shoes of their own in the future.
However, shoes like the Vomero Plus are, Novablast 5 and Brooks Glycerin Max are more affordable and practical, and better if you want one shoe to do everything. We’d also recommend those shoes to new runners as smarter buys than the Vomero Premium.
It will likely stick around our own rotation for easy runs though, and if you do have a few shoes on the go at any one time and don’t mind the high price, the Vomero Premium would be a good addition to your line-up for those days when comfort and bounce is all you want.