Nike’s Newest Daily Trainer Is the Swoosh’s Answer to Hoka Hype

More than a max-cushioned trainer, the updated Vomero 18 sets the stage for future releases from Nike’s running division.

By Jack Seemer

Published February 27, 2025

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Updated February 27, 2025

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Long before Hoka became synonymous with cushioning, runners seeking a soft, pillowy ride would turn to the Vomero, one of the first shoes on the market to prioritize comfort over speed.

The latest installment, the Vomero 18, stays true to that original spirit, boasting the highest stack height of any Vomero that’s come before. But it also hints at bigger things to come from Nike.

“We do see 2025 as being almost like a new era for the Vomero,” Ashley Campbell at Nike Running exclusively told Gear Patrol. “I think it is going to be really exciting for people who are familiar with the franchise, but it’ll also be a time for us to introduce the Vomero to a lot of new runners.”

white nike shoe — First announced in late 2024, the Vomero 18 is now available for purchase.

Nike’s pillar of cushion

Though Nike still makes the world’s most popular shoes, according to sources like Strava’s “Year in Sport” report, Hoka has undoubtedly emerged as a formidable threat to the Swoosh’s dominance, posting sales close to $2 billion per year.

Much of that growth can be attributed to shoes like the Bondi, a max-cushioned model the new Vomero looks poised to compete with.

black and white nike shoe — With a 46mm stack height, the Vomero 18 (left) is 6mm taller than the Vomero 17 (right).

For starters, the Vomero 18 features more foam than every previous iteration, with a stack height of 46mm — 6mm taller than both the Vomero 17 and the limit set by World Athletics, the international governing body for competitive running.

That said, Nike doesn’t necessarily see this as a shoe for world records and personal bests, but rather as a tool to empower runners on their way to those heights.

“The purpose of the shoes in our training line is to help athletes train for those races.”

“The purpose of the shoes in our training line is to help athletes train for those races,” Campbell said. “So for us, the focus was more on just delivering that cushion, comfort and protection, and not worrying about any sort of rules or regulations.”

However, the new Vomero’s evolution from previous generations isn’t just about the amount of foam but the type, as well.

closeup of nike running shoe foam — Introduced in 2023, ReactX also features in the most recent Pegasus model.

The Vomero 18 includes a combination of ZoomX, the same stuff featured in Nike’s record-setting racing shoes, and ReactX — a newer composition also featured in the Pegasus 41 that Nike claims provides 13 percent more energy return than previous versions of React.

“These two foams together give runners a really nice balance of softness with energy return and durability for miles,” Campbell said.

soles of nike shoe — The Vomero’s redesigned traction pattern (front) is reminiscent of Invincible (behind), another max-cushioned trainer from Nike.

Nike also equipped the Vomero 18 with a redesigned traction pattern on the outsole, as well as a more aggressive rocker shape (similar to what Hoka calls its MetaRocker) — both intended to create a smoother transition underfoot.

“This is a more exaggerated rocker shape than any other Vomero we’ve brought to the market and that’s because it is at a taller stack height,” Campbell said. “Anytime you go taller, you get a little bit stiffer. So you have to kind of create this rocker shape to maintain a really nice smooth transition from heel to toe.”

The long road

Zooming out, the Vomero 18 represents more than a single, one-off release. Nike is also using the shoe to set the stage for future releases.

“Runners did tell us that they wanted our product grounded in a benefit, and that benefit happened to be cushioning,” said Marian Dougherty, the senior director for Global Running Footwear at Nike. “That is a benefit that all runners of all levels look for.”

Starting in 2025, a majority of Nike’s running shoes will fall into one of three families, each defined by a different type of cushioning:

Vomero (maximum cushioning)
Pegasus (responsive cushioning)
Structure (supportive cushioning)

Furthermore, each family of shoes will be anchored by what Nike is calling an “Icon” model — such as the Vomero 18 — with “Plus” and “Premium” models offering different combinations of materials and technologies (e.g. Zoom Air).

The goal? Clarity of purpose, and more options than ever.

“No run is the same. I think your body feels different every single day and you just need different types of running shoes,” Dougherty said.

“It’s really just trying to provide choice and make sure that choice is easy to understand. It’s intuitive for runners, and it allows us to also be consistent as a brand.”