The outsole of the Vomero 12 is somewhat like that of a cleat. The sole is modelled in such a way as to enhance both the traction and the flexibility of the shoe. This was done by molding the rubber on the bottom of the sole into rows which improves both aesthetics and covers the sole in its entirety. The additional room given by the grooves in between the spikes allows it to move with the motion of your foot. The additional rubber padding aids in giving the user a smooth heel-to-toe transition while in use. In addition to the praises of the outsole mentioned above, it is also surprisingly durable, which is hard to come by on a variety of shoe’s nowadays.

The midsole of the Vomero 12 is one of the main reasons why it delivers such a comfortable experience. Like most shoes nowadays, the Vomero 12’s midsole is made from dual layered EVA foam, which in a way adds to the shoe’s comfortability factor. The fun part comes in when we look at the BASF manufactured Cushlon foam that is used to add to the shoe’s cushioning affect. The feel that the Cushlon foam gives the wearer while the shoe is in use can be likened to that of shoes with Adidas boost material in it. The inside of the midsole features a Lunarlon core coupled with dual air bags which only adds to the cushy feel of the shoe.

The upper on the Vomero 12 has not really changed much from that of the previous Vomero models. The Vomero 12’s upper is made from a layered mesh material, properly named flymesh. The flymesh gives the shoe a decent amount of comfort while also aiding in the shoes’ overall breathability. Nike has also given the shoe the added update of the fly wire lacing that we all know and love. That isn’t to say that previous models of the Vomero haven’t had fly wire, Nike has just gone another route with this shoe. Rather than give it the cording that had been featured on previous models, Nike has given the shoe straps; this addition is a huge plus because of the fly wire on the past models tendency to dig into the foot. Aside from the additional fly wire and the mesh upper, Nike has also added/subtracted padding to several areas of the shoe, such as on the tongue and the heel of the shoe.

The 12th edition of the Vomero, like its predecessors is moderately heavy. The added cushioning that Nike has equipped the shoe with has added a bit of weight to it, not entirely noticeable but definitely some weight Compared to previous models the shoe has gotten much heavier. Overall, due to the weight on the Vomero 12 it is a longer distance, marathon shoe rather than one used for shorter sprints.

The breathability of the upper more than makes up for the progressive weight that has been added to the shoe. The upper on the Vomero 12 is made from a layered mesh that provides the shoe with ample air circulation, not unlike the previous versions of the shoe. The surprising part about the quality of the airflow within the shoe is that it does it with the variety of cushioning that is within the shoe. Overall, an extremely breathable shoe.

Comfort is the area where the Vomero 12 shines. The Vomero 12 has several improvements over the past models, most of them coming in the padding area. The mesh upper is extremely comfortable, which is not surprising considering the addition of the Fly wire straps and the fact that it is mesh. The flywire strapping is a real plus because, a major complaint of previous models of the shoe is that the flywire lacing dug into the sides of the foot. The shoe was also fitted with a padded heel covering, delivering added comfortable to that portion of the foot. Another thing that should be thrown in is the plushness of the entrance of the shoe; it has added cushioning which is a plus due to the long-distance purpose of the shoe. The sole is also tremendously pleasing to the foot because of the cushioning that comes in the form of Nike’s Cushlon foam and the air bags that are fitted throughout.

The Vomero 12 definitely blends in with the style of shoes in this less is more era. The Slender upper and thick sole of the shoe gives it the look of a shoe that can be worn with a variety of outfits. The eyelets surprisingly add to the stylish quality of the shoe; this is since they each are separate pieces of the shoe that aren’t necessarily attached per se. The mesh upper is always a good fit, seeing that it’s so popular among running shoes nowadays. Overall the Vomero 12 is a stylish shoe that can be worn with several types of clothing outside of running gear.

The Vomero 12 is durable to say the least. Most of this durability comes from the shoe’s thick sole; the key part being the outsole in particular. The outsole on the Vomero 12 is a layer of rubber that that is relatively thick. This thickness of the outsole allows the shoe to be able to last for a few hundred miles without any noticeable difference. This is a huge plus for the Vomero 12 considering its predecessors quality of use throughout their lives; it wasn’t bad it was just nowhere near as long as the Vomero. The responsiveness of the foam in the midsole should also last the tests of time based solely on the thickness of it; consideration is taken of the air bags and various other technologies in the sole should be taken, which would justify the durability of the shoe. The upper on the Vomero 12 is also made of quality material which was made to endure the many miles that will be placed on it. This means that the Vomero should be able to handle the constant pressure that is placed on it with relative ease.

The Vomero 12 has protection that comes in the shape of a heel counter, the fly wire strapping, and the thick sole. The thick sole is a huge plus for the she because it protects the wearer from, obviously the terrain. The counter on the heel also provides a decent covering for the heel while the shoe is use. The upper on the Vomero 12 is well-made in general which means that functions relatively well as a protective cover against the outside.

The sole on the Vomero 12 is somewhat responsive due to the lunarlon and the air pods in side of the sole. The added cushioning that is inside of the sole in a way takes away from the responsive spring-like feel of the shoe though. This is primarily due to the added cushioning and rubber sole that is placed in the shoe. The cushioning technology placed in the shoe replaces the responsive feel that the shoe should have with a more pillow-like feel that, while running isn’t always desired. That isn’t to say that the shoe isn’t responsive at all, it just doesn’t deliver that snappy, bounce that the technology inside should deliver.

The Vomero 12 has decent support, mainly because of the wide base that Nike designed the shoe with. The base, mainly the midsole of the base, delivers a cushioned feel while in use, that doesn’t wear out the user feet. The EVA foam coupled with the Lunarlon material that is inside of it, gives the shoe the conforming nature that the wearer needs to support the arch of their foot. The sides of the sole also slop up enough to protect the outer arch of the foot, which gives the shoe another key quality due to its use.

The base of the shoe, unsurprisingly is quite versatile. Nike designed the Vomero 12 with rubber running the length of the shoe. This is fairly new to the design of the shoe because, in previous versions the rubber was kept in specific spots on the shoe, such as the heel and the forefoot. The rubber make of the outsole allows it to maintain its shape during use. The rubber sole gives the shoe just the right amount of durability it needs to handle well on several surfaces. The cushioning also gives the shoe the feel that it needs to give the user the feel that they need to handle the variety of surfaces that they may encounter while the shoes are in use. Overall the shoe doesn’t need to be restrained to one specific type of running trail because of the durability of the sole and the grip that the rubber provides.

For the features received the Vomero 12 is well worth the price that they go for. They hold a decent price tag mainly because of the Nike branding and the technology that they have stuffed inside of the shoe. The Vomero 12 lasts long enough to for users to get their money’s worth of use out of it as well. This is mainly because the sole lasts for upwards of 400 miles, which for a running shoe is fairly good. A surprising this is that, unlike several shoes of its class, the Vomero 12’s cushioning doesn’t flatten out and maintains its supportive capabilities for the duration of its life.

The Vomero 12’s gripping capabilities are fairly decent. The rubber make and the raised texture of the sole allows the shoe to achieve a decent grip during use. The raised texture of the outsole’s rubber is mainly what is to blame because of the rubbers’ gripping quality. It bites at the surfaces that it is used and really maintains that grip throughout use. The grooves in between the spike-like features on the sole provide decent heel-to-toe movement that, despite popular belief is augmented by the gripping ability of the sole.

The flexibility of the Vomero 12 is decent at best. The mesh upper is fairly malleable which means that it is able to ben to fit the needs of the users’ foot. The only thing about this version of the Vomero is that the sole is fitted with airbags that somewhat restricts the shoes range of motion. The grooves on the plastic outsole somewhat fixes this problem by giving the shoe spacing so that it can move a bit more than it otherwise would be able to. Also, the foam is somewhat firm, meaning that although it doesn’t hinder the shoes’ functionality it takes away from the shoes’ flexibility a bit.

The shoe provides decent stability to be honest; given that the Vomero is a neutral running shoe this isn’t all that surprising. The fly wire strapping that Nike installed on the sides of the shoe gives it that secure feel; This, coupled with the wide base of the shoe which gives it adequate landing space which is a necessary feature for what the shoe was designed to do.

The drop on the Vomero 12 is actually quite low, 10mm to be specific. This isn’t a bad thing considering that the fluidity in the motion that the shoe provides is actually quite decent. It doesn’t necessarily affect the shoes’ comfort either, which is something that can be attributed to the padding and the raised sole on the shoe.

• Lunarlon core
• Air pods inside of the midsole for added comfort
• Improved flexibility
• Flywire straps
• Reflective coating on the back

Overall the Nike Air Vomero 12 isn’t a bad running shoe. It may run a bit on the heavy side, but it would work very well for marathons and other longer distance races. Also, the added cushioning and flexibility that the shoe provides more than makes up for the negatives that the shoe has.