Nike Vomero Plus vs Vomero 18 | The Cushion Battle That Only Has Winners

Our in depth review of the Nike Vomero Plus, along with a comparison to the new Nike Vomero. Find out how they compare and which our crew prefers.

Have you ever run in a pair of shoes where you immediately get wide-eyed and go “OH” within the first few steps? Well the Nike Vomero Plus will certainly do that for you.

For a long time, Nike and I have not gotten along very well. My feet just never fit right in their shoes, they were always way too narrow for me. But seeing all the hype and reading up on the Vomero Plus, I was so excited to try them out. I was not disappointed.

Nike took the Vomero 18 and upgraded it by changing up the foams and taking a few notes from the now retired fan favorite, the Invincible. This created a wonderful plush shoe that is easy on the body as well as the eyes.

Have I finally found a Nike shoe that actually fits my foot and earns a place in my regular rotation? I think so! Read on for why I love the Vomero Plus.

Nike Vomero Plus Overview

Nike bills the Vomero Plus as an ideal choice for runners aiming to increase their mileage and delivers an elevated experience that equips athletes of all abilities and intensities to run longer. They even worked with Olympic runners like Connor Mantz and Jess Hull to help with the design and they swear by this shoe for training and recovery.

They might be getting paid to  love it, but we aren’t. And yet, we still do.

In case you missed the announcement, Nike has taken to silos for their shoes now and you’ll be seeing a regular, plus and premium model in each of these sectors.

I.e. The Pegasus 41, Pegasus Premium and  coming soon the Pegasus Plus.

The Structure line up will be their stability shoes, while the Vomero line up is all about cushion and more cushion. And for those who used to like the Invicible line, it’s gone and now played a hand inspiring this line up.

The midsole of the Plus is a full length slab of ZoomX. Amanda has raved about this foam since it first showed in shoes years ago and now we’re getting even more of it. While it is the same foam you hear about in something like the Alphafly, it’s formulated differently and here is only about the softness.

Shockingly with all this foam it’s lighter than the Vomero 18, which also contains React X a slightly firmer possibly more durable foam. Ahhh yes, here’s the catch we don’t yet know if this shoe will hold up as long being all ZoomX. We promise to report back after a good 200+ miles.The midsole also features a more pronounced rocker design with a wider base. This not only aids in the stability of the shoe but makes transitions feel incredibly smooth.

This subtle rocker is something I’ve appreciated specifically in Hoka shoes for many years in the Arahi and most recently the Skyflow. When you get to such a big stack height, that small shift allows for a much better flow in the shoe.

I was able get these out for a wide variety of runs, including some road, little bit of rain, treadmill, track, and weirdly the elliptical-do not recommend that one. Each gave me a different yet all equally enjoyable experience.

It was a lot of fun to do a nice easy warmup to the local track, then really see what it could do with some speed. They transitioned from easy to speed with great ease and kept everything feeling great. The pop they have really surprised me considering the amount of cushion.Coach Amanda: I think no one will be surprised to hear it’s not a fast shoe. But what did surprise me is that even though the Plus is lighter, I felt more able to pick up the pace in the Vomero 18. I think that’s because of the difference in cushion and the React gives back a little more energy.

Nike nailed it with the style and color. Max cushioned while not looking super chunky. And the colors are amazing! From your basic black and white to some eye popping brights.

Nike Vomero Plus Fit

Lacing up the Vomero Plus, I was skeptical since as noted before, Nike has generally run narrow for me. Unlike many of the racing shoes and even the Pegasus line, the Vomero line is much more accommodating.

I found the engineered mesh upper to be very accommodating and stretchy, kind of like a luxe pair of sweatpants. The lacing felt nice and secure around my midsole. I felt like it provided some support for my arch.My only gripe is the heel and heel collar fit. They seemed too loose in comparison to the snug support of the midfoot. It wasn’t so much that I needed to heel lock them (though they have the holes if you need to), just there was a little extra material along the sides.

Coach Amanda: I didn’t notice anything with the heel, but will say that is a big old tongue. I think I’ve gotten used to brands trimming it down to save weight, but it’s comfortable overall. I do wonder about it getting hot on long summer runs.

Taking it on an 11 mile run I had no collar issues, so could be something resolved with lacing.

Nike Vomero Plus Feel

When I first slipped these on and stood in them, I immediately felt that plush cushion. Walked around a bit then started up my warm-up. Did a few pogo hops and was instantly impressed with the bounce, it was like I had springs in my feet. Not in a carbon plated way, but impressive considering the amount of foam.

Standing around for a a group run to start, the shoes were feeling a bit wobbly. This went away immediately once I started running. They actually felt extremely stable once moving with the cushioning molding and supporting almost like memory foam.

The wide base and rocker silhouette makes for smooth transitions and the foam has such a responsive bounce to it. The miles went by easily and my joints remained happy.

I was worried about how thickly padded the tongue was since we are currently in the middle of the hot humid summer. It actually never overheated my feet and kept everything comfortable and happy.

Coach Amanda: I agree it’s a super fun ride. I really liked the Vomero 18 as well and I’m torn on whether I’d tell you to spend the extra $25. Let me go for another run and I’ll get back to you.

Nike Vomero 18 Vs Vomero Plus

Coach Amanda here, you know I can’t have 2 similar shoes and not take them out for a run to see exactly what’s different. Am I being judged for wearing 2 different shoes? Maybe, but mostly I’m trying not to hurt myself while thinking about what feels different.

• Vomero Plus is 45mm stack to the Vomero 46mm, not noticeable
• Vomero Plus slight rocker is noticeable
• Both have a 10mm heel to toe drop
• Plus is actually almost an ounce lighter
• Vomero 18 is $25 less and still feels like a good deal to me
• Plus has a bit more bounce and liveliness to the shoe
• We have questions on if the Plus is as durable

If you want even more to see how they stack up to the Vomero Premium, check this out.

Who Will Like the Vomero Plus?

So is this the shoe for you? I actually think it’s going to be a winner for a lot of folks who enjoy a good cushion.

• You’ll be on your feet for long periods (standing or longer run days)
• Will be great for heavier runners that want more cushion with stability
• Recovery running shoe for faster runners
• Can handle a marathon for those not focused on speed
• Not ideal if you want a lighter weight racing shoe

What to read next?

• Best Shoes for Knee Pain
• Best Cushioned Running Shoes
• What is Stack Height?