I ran 50 miles in the Nike Vomero Plus — and it's my new favorite running shoe

I’ve spent the last eight years reviewing running shoes for a living, and since early 2021, I’ve told anyone who will listen about my love of the Nike Invincible. It’s been my desert island running shoe, even though it would be awful on sand, and you can imagine my despair when Nike announced it was discontinuing the line. Luckily for me, and fellow fans of the max cushioned shoe, the Invincible has been reinvented — enter the Nike Vomero Plus.

Nike announced last year that it would be reshaping its running shoe lineup into three categories — Pegasus, Vomero, and Structure. With each category, there’ll be three options — an "icon," a "plus" and a "premium" silhouette. The Vomero is focused on comfort and cushioning, and the Vomero Premium, which will have Air Zoom Units in the forefoot and heel, along with ZoomX foam, will launch in October.

Designed for everyday runs, the Vomero Plus is a maximum cushioned shoe. Compared to the Vomero 18, it has a thick wedge of Nike’s bouncy ZoomX foam in the midsole, and it delivers on the sink-in comfort and energetic bounce. But how does this middle-child Vomero compare to some of the best running shoes on the market?

I’ve been wearing this shoe non-stop for the past few weeks, to give you an honest review, and to see if it has the same desert-island status of its predecessor. Read my full Nike Vomero Plus review to find out more.

Nike Vomero Plus: Price and availability

The Nike Vomero Plus launched in August 2025 and is available from Nike directly, as well as third-party retailers such as SportsShoes. The shoe costs $180/ £154, which is $25 more than the Nike Vomero 18 that launched earlier this year.

The shoe is available in men’s sizes US 6-US 15, and in women’s sizes US 5-US 12. Both are available in a regular width, which I found to be generous, as well as an extra-wide version. They also both come in a ton of different colorways to suit every style. I loved the hyper pink version, but I tested the white and mint shoe for this review.

Nike Vomero Plus: Design and fit

Upper

The upper of the Vomero Plus is lightweight and breathable. It’s a lot thinner than the upper on the Vomero 18, which I found a little thick in the summer. Despite its stack height, the Vomero Plus is a few grams lighter than the Vomero 18, and some of the saving is in this lighter, thinner upper.

The shoe was comfortable straight out of the box, and this is partly due to the padded tongue and collar. I didn’t experience any heel slipping or rubbing, even on my initial eight-mile long run.

Midsole

The midsole of this shoe is where the magic happens. The Vomero Plus has roughly the same stack height as the Vomero 18, as well as the same rockered shape, but it delivers on its "plus" promise thanks to its thick layer of Nike’s ZoomX midsole foam.

For people new to the shoe, Nike’s ZoomX foam is what’s used in the brand’s fastest carbon fibre racing shoes, such as the Nike Alphafly 3 and the Nike Vaporfly 3. Without a carbon fibre plate, the ZoomX foam in the Vomero Plus serves a different purpose — it delivers a cushioned ride, designed to protect your legs from impact, and give you enough bounce to get to the final miles of a long run.

The Vomero 18 midsole contains a mix of ZoomX and ReactX cushioning. ReactX is more durable and stable, and is used in shoes like the Nike Pegasus 41.

Outsole

The outsole of the Vomero Plus has a grippy, waffle design, which covers the bottom of the shoe. It’s a vast improvement on the Invincible, which I found slippery on wet sidewalks. It's still best suited to sidewalks and light trails.

Nike Vomero Plus: Running performance

I loved this shoe from the first mile I ran in it. It’s bouncy, it’s fun, and it immediately put a smile on my face. I didn’t think it was possible to beat the original Invincible, but the Vomero Plus does just that — this is a seriously exciting shoe to run in.

While this is definitely a bulky shoe, it doesn’t feel heavy on the run. It’s been designed for longer runs and easy miles, but this shoe mixes sponge and speed perfectly. I wore it for a tempo session and had no problem moving to marathon pace in the Vomero Plus. It has all the versatility you want from a daily shoe, and there’s no reason why you couldn’t run a race in this.

While this isn’t billed as a stability shoe, it feels stable underfoot, despite the bounce you get from the ZoomX foam. The wide toebox feels steady, even as your legs get tired. I probably wouldn’t reach for this shoe for a trail run, or around tight corners on a track, but on the road, it’s a good mix of snappy yet stable.

Nike Vomero Plus: Should you buy?

I really love this shoe, and I wouldn’t hesitate to spend the extra $25 if you’re deciding between this and the Vomero 18. It’s a seriously fun running shoe, and it’s full of surprises. It’s got all the cushioning you’d expect from a max cushioned shoe, but with the lively bounce of something a lot lighter and faster.

The Nike Vomero Plus is a solid choice for beginners and more seasoned runners alike, and you’ll find yourself reaching for this for more than just recovery runs. It’s a great all-rounder, and it’s become my go-to shoe in no time. Plus, it looks fantastic, especially if you opt for that eye-catching hot pink.

We’ve not got long to wait until the Vomero Premium drops, but for now, this is by far the best of Nike’s max cushioned shoes. I warn you, once you’ve tried the Nike Vomero Plus, you won’t want to run in anything else.