The Nike Vomero 18 Is Our New Easy Running Go-To

Nike’s history in the running world is hard to match, with probably more iconic running shoes, marathon PB results, and diehard fans than any other running brand in the world. It all started in 1972 with the brand’s launch of their now-dubbed “moon shoe,” which was then followed by the similarly bizarrely named “waffle racer.” Jogging itself even took off thanks to marketing campaigns Olympic coach Bill Bowerman ran with Nike—lo and behold, running and Nike have grown synonymous ever since. These days, the hype is mostly dominated by the Pegasus, Vaporflys and Alphaflys, but the Vomero 18 is slowly creeping its way up the rankings.

As much as delving deep into the history of Nike’s running shoes could seem slightly tangential, it gives important context for where the new Vomero 18—the subject of our current running obsession—fits into the running world. The Vomero 18 came along this year and, somehow, has managed to capture attention in a way that few Nike shoes have been able to (beyond the company’s hero products, of course). It’s been heralded across TikTok and running influencer channels as the running shoe of 2025. Curious, we had to put it to the test ourselves.

Nike

Vomero 18 Running Shoes

Cushioning for Days

Technically, the Nike Vomero feels more like something you’d find at the likes of New Balance than what we expected from Nike. It’s ultra-cushioned, with ZoomX foam (the brand’s own lightweight foam) stacked above ReactX foam (a more responsive foam) to create a really bouncy feel. If you imagine the sensation of being somewhat on springs, that’s really the best way to describe it. Each step is softened, but without your energy feeling like it’s totally been zapped away.

Having worn them ourselves now across 5K and 10K runs, as well as at the track, we can confirm that it doesn’t feel at all like a speed shoe. This is very much an easy, long-run shoe that has good support and cushioning, rather than a shoe would want to ramp up the pace in. The weight comes in at 11.5 ounces, which is significantly heavier than some of our other easy run shoes (the Asics Novablast, for example, come in at 9 ounces while the Saucony Triumph 22—a shoe we already found quite heavy—is 10 ounces). In general, though, this isn’t super noticeable over shorter distances, and the extra cushioning and support meant we felt less ruined after longer runs, making it a price worth paying.

What Are Those?!

Running used to be a sport that revolved around jogging in your oldest t-shirt, a pair of shorts you wore for PE at school, and whatever pair of shoes you had been using for the 10 years prior. Now, thanks to influencers and the growth of the sport as a whole, it’s become almost its own fashion game. And with it, Nike’s passion for reinventing neon shoe designs has become even more in demand.

The Vomero 18’s initial release colorway was exactly the vibe of the moment; neon pink with a lighter neon pink fabric and a splash of orange throughout. This has since been followed by some more classic Nike styles, the full black (which is now almost sold out) and the black and white, with an orange, black and red, and neon and blue also available. It’s one of the best-looking shoes of 2025, hands down, and feels like a major upgrade from the Invincibles Nike launched the year prior.

The only downside? After wearing them on only three runs in quite dry summer weather, we’d already seen a lot of dust accumulate on the shoes. British parks definitely cause this around this time of year, but it felt like the shoes just showed the dirt more than some others in our kit. It’s not a huge failing, but it does mean you need to be prepared to get scrubbing every now and again to maintain that box-fresh look.

Verdict: Is the Nike Vomero 18 Worth It

If you’re on the hunt for a good, fun, very bouncy easy run shoe, this ticks the boxes. It might look a bit dirty after a few runs, and it has a bit of extra weight to it, but the sheer amount of cushioning and support makes it feel like one of the springiest rides we’ve tried this year. It’s smooth, should last for a good couple hundred miles and generally makes us feel less susceptible to the aches and pains of running. Nike’s done it again, folks.

This story originally appeared on British GQ.