Nike Air Zoom Vomero 11

Editor rating: 9.3 / 10

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By Jeremy Lambert

All Nike Shoes

Nike Air Zoom Vomero 11 Review Facts

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Nike looms large in the sneaker business: an icon in itself, Nike is as nearly synonymous with sportswear and the idea of sneakers itself. The Nike Vomero series is perhaps their most complete shoe to date, featuring responsive cushioning, a unique outsole, Nike’s standard flyknit upper, and a comfortable fit. The Vomero series dates back to 2006 with the Vomero 1 and has undergone a multitude of upgrades and changes over the past 10 years. But one thing that hasn’t changed is Nike’s commitment to delivering a well-cushioned and responsive shoe. The original Vomero prided itself on its thick midsole and durable outsole, and the 11th edition of the Vomero prides itself on those same strong features. Nike set out to deliver a highly comfortable, high mileage shoe with the Nike Air Zoom Vomero 11, continuing the line’s well-earned reputation. But did they succeed?

Made for neutral runners, the Vomero 11 provides a softer ride than its previous incarnation, with an improved midsole cushioning that’s firm in the rear and soft in the forefoot for a smooth heel-to-toe transition. In addition, the Vomero 11 has an improved fit in the upper, which is made of breathable Flymesh. With a better forefoot fit, soft collar, and padded tongue, the upper comfortably keeps the foot in place while keeping it cool and dry throughout a ride. Featuring great surface traction, soft underfoot cushioning, and a breathable upper, the Vomero 11 is yet another great edition from Nike that neutral runners looking for an everyday running shoe will appreciate.

Editor's Pros & Cons

Pros

Nike Air Zoom bags deliver responsiveness, cushion, and support
Flymesh upper that fits comfortably around the foot
Comfort fit collar that feels plush against the ankle and helps protect the foot
Multiple styles and a sleek design

Cons

A little pricey
On the heavier side
Not very breathable or flexible

Outsole

The outsole uses Nike’s BRS1000 technology, which is hard carbon rubber on the heel and soft blown rubber on the forefoot. The outsole design is the same design as the Vomero 10. The only difference between the two outsoles is that the carbon rubber on the forefoot changes the density and provides improved cushioning.

The forefoot features straight line cuts that provide the shoe with grip during toe-off. Below that is the Deep Anatomical Flex Grooves, which are strategically placed throughout the outsole. The first flex groove leads into the web design. This design is cut in half, which is where the second flex groove is placed. The third flex groove is below the web design, right in the middle of the shoe. The lower half of the outsole features Nike’s teardrop design, which absorbs the shock of impact during footfall. In addition, a Rubber Crash Rail outlines the outsole gives you a very smooth transition.

Midsole

For the midsole, Nike used their Zoom Air and Lunarlon technology, combined with compression molded EVA foam, to create a well-cushioned ride that absorbs the impact and evenly distributes pressure. The forefoot and heel feature Nike’s Zoom Air bags, which work like airbags for the runner’s feet and are designed to provide strong cushioning without sacrificing protection. The cushioning of the Vomero 11 is far more responsive, and it conforms to the runners over time. Nike made the midsole of the Vomero 11 much softer than the 10, which many runners found a bit too firm.

Upper

The Vomero 11 features Nike’s Flymesh upper. The Flymesh is essentially a combination of Nike’s Flyknit upper and your standard mesh upper but re-engineered. It’s lightweight, flexible, and breathable.

While not quite as breathable or flexible as Nike’s Flyknit upper, the Flymesh still gets the job done. The lacing system is Nike’s Flywire lacing, which are laces knitted into the upper that holds the main laces in place. Nike changed the Flywire lacing system up a bit for the Vomero 11. Instead of going with a card-based system, Nike switched to a flat strap system. This change adds to the comfort level of the shoe after lace-up. However, the biggest change between the Vomero 10 and 11 is in the heel collar. The 11 has an inordinate amount of cushioning in its heel collar, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing as the comfort fit collar keeps the foot secure and comfortable in the ankle area.

Weight

The Vomero 11 weighs 10.5 ounces/298 grams, which is a little on the heavy side for a Nike shoe. For a shoe with such great flexibility, it was surprising to find out the weight of the shoe. The extra weights come from the soft blown rubber under the forefoot and the redesigned upper. Nike wanted to make the Vomero 11 softer and with more density in midsole and outsole compared to the Vomero 10. They succeeded in doing that, but in turn, made a slightly heavier shoe in the process.

Breathability

When Nike uses their Flyknit material on their upper, they have one of the most breathable shoes on the market. Unfortunately, the Vomero 11 uses Nike’s Flymesh material, which somewhat hinders the overall breathability of the shoe--something runners will find disappointing. While the open-mesh look is slightly deceiving, its lack of breathability is a bit of a let-down.

Comfort

Nike set out to design a comfortable shoe with the Vomero 11, and in this pursuit, they succeeded. The upper Flymesh is flexible and sits well on the top of the foot. The midsole grips the heel nicely while also providing great cushioning, while the comfort fit collar feels nice around the ankle. The change to flat strap Flywire laces eliminates the bulky feeling of laces on the side of the foot, which was uncomfortable for many who wore the previous edition.

Many runners have stated that the shoe is comfortable and fits well from the moment they put it on. The only area where the comfort falls slightly short is in the extra cushioning in the collar. The cushioning is so heavy that it pushes the foot a bit forward, especially on early runs before the shoe is broken in properly. The shoe also fits a bit narrow. It is recommended to go a half size up with the Vomero 11 to ensure the most comfortable fit. However, Nike does offer the shoe in four different sizings: narrow, regular, wide, and extra wide. While style options available are limited for narrow, wide, or extra-wide, it does help target the comfort level of the shoe that’s right for you.

Style

As always with Nike, there are plenty of options available. The Vomero 11’s are available through Nike’s website in 10 different color variations. Whether one is looking for something simple or something that stands out, Nike has an option available with the Vomero 11. The colored specks on the Flyknit part of the Flymesh, combined with the solid color on the mesh part of the Flymesh, give the shoe a cool and sleek look. The Flywire cable adds to the overall look of the shoe. The only complaint about the style of the shoe is that the Nike logo is a glued-on synthetic instead of a fused laminate or even a screen-printed logo. Not only does the glued-on synthetic add a little bit of weight but it also just doesn’t look that good on the shoe.

Durability

Most runners get about 300 miles out of these shoes, which is standard mileage for most running shoes. With a carbon rubber heel on the outsole and full-blown soft rubber on the forefoot outsole, the outsole of the shoe is durable and will hold up over the long miles. The dual density midsole also lends itself to providing strong durability as it’s two layers of cushioning instead of just one thin piece. In at least one review, a runner complained that the outsole tread started to come off after a few months, but that seems like an anomaly as opposed to the standard. It’s obviously normal for the outsole of a shoe to wear down after many miles, but to come completely off is rare.

Protection

With its carbon rubber outsole and dual density midsole, the Vomero 11 offers strong protection for the bottom of the foot. Furthermore, the upper is great for protection, as its Flymesh construction offers more protection than the Flyknit construction thanks to the mesh portion of the upper. There’s also its comfort fit collar, which offers great protection for the ankle.

The shoe also has a high stability factor. This is great for protection as a more stable shoe means less foot movement while running. And less foot movement means less chance of an ankle rolling or turning. Some runners have commented that there is a lack of protection in the toe box.

Responsiveness

Many runners have commented that the Vomero 11 is one of the most responsive shoes that they’ve ever placed their feet in. The upper is very stretchy and sits comfortably against the foot. The three flex grooves on the outsole help with the flexibility of the shoe during a run, as well. But the real responsiveness comes in the midsole, which is so soft and cushioned that runners will feel it underneath their foot as they run. The dual Nike Zoom Air bags also feel great on a run and provide a good amount of bounce back from the midsole.

Support

The Vomero 11 offers neutral arch support. While some runners were concerned about this standard support, given the changes Nike made to the midsole from the last edition. But thanks to the lower layer EVA of the midsole, the Vomero 11 is able to provide strong support despite the softer and well-cushioned ride. Even the Zoom Air bags help provide support. The Zoom Air bags are really the star of the shoe as they provide everything a neutral runner is looking for in the midsole of a running shoe. From cushioning to responsiveness to support, the Zoom Air bags do it all and help make the Vomero 11 midsole one of the best on the market.

Terrain

These shoes are meant for the road, and it’s probably best to keep them there. While there have been no complaints about using this shoe to run on a light trail or gravel, these shoes are not specifically designed for these surfaces. One runner complained that the shoe did not grip well on a wet incline, which is definitely something to keep in mind if you plan on using these shoes after a rainy day.

Price

Nike is an in-demand, respected sneaker company whose products have consistently been rated some of the best on the market. As such, Nike also charges a relatively high price for their sneakers—and the Vomero 11 belongs to this tier. While not outrageously expensive, the Vomero 11 is a somewhat expensive running shoe—but if one takes into consideration Nike’s sterling reputation among runners and athletes alike, the price can be justified. Besides this, at least it’s a guarantee that it’s going to be a quality product from a respectable company.

Traction

Mainly meant for standard running surfaces—asphalt, pavement, and track—the Vomero 11 will do best when on dry, hard surfaces such as these. While light trails can be attempted with this sneaker, it doesn’t have the best traction on slick surfaces and certainly not the most tenacious traction for more technical trails and difficult terrain. That said, when traversing on the ground it’s built for, the Vomero 11 provides a solid amount of traction.

Flexibility

The Vomero 11’s upper is made of Flymesh, which is an update of sorts from Nike’s well-known Flyknit material. Although it’s not as flexible as its inspiration, the Flymesh is flexible enough to feel comfortable after lace-up. Meanwhile, numerous flex grooves are outfitted on the outsole to provide the runner with a good amount of surface control and flexibility.

Stability

Made for neutral runners, the stability of the Vomero 11 is not best for those who require stability shoes but will be fine for most runners. Its 12mm drop is slightly higher than the standard on most running shoes, but neutral runners should have no problem adjusting to this slight height difference.

Drop

The Vomero 11 features a heel to toe drop of 12mm, which is slightly higher than the standard but should present no problems to those who are used to the drop of a regular running shoe.

Key Features

•Flymesh upper that combines Nike’s flyknit material with standard seamless mesh

•Nike Air Zoom and compression molded EVA that combines to form a dual density midsole

•Improved Flywire lacing system

•BRS 1000 outsole that uses hard carbon rubber on the heel and soft blown rubber on the forefoot

•Plush collar for a soft, comfortable fit

•Lunarlon foam midsole for soft, plush cushioning

•Rubber outsole for durable traction

Bottom Line

The Nike Air Zoom Vomero 11’s are a solid, all-around great running shoe for neutral runners. The midsole is fantastic as it combines responsiveness with stellar cushion and support. While the Flyknit upper of previous editions is slightly more flexible and breathable, the Flymesh is a fine compromise. Comfortable, stylish, and produced by one of the recognizable sports equipment brands in the world, a pair of Vomero 11’s will be an investment your feet will thank you for making in the long run.