It’s not as springy or responsive as a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) midsole, like you’ll find in Adidas Boost shoes, but Boost feels less forgiving: The constant high-rebound effect fatigues the legs more than the Vomero’s reactive ride.

The Air Zoom Vomero 14 feels squishy and plush when you’re walking or running slowly, but firms up and becomes more responsive as you pick up the pace. Nike’s React foam is aptly named: Paired with the air unit (approximately 4mm thick), the shoe’s cushioning reacts to varying impact forces. If you tend to wear your running shoes tight, try a slightly looser fit with the Air Zoom Vomero 14 and let the new fit system do its job. The tongue stops at the top of the collar, so too-tight laces can cause irritation at the front of the ankle. The tradeoff is that the collar is rather stiff and a couple testers said they wished the foam pods and tongue padding were softer. Nike’s Dynamic Fit system uses Flywire in concert with the shoe’s laces to keep the foot stable. Four foam pods encircle the heel collar and cradle the foot well, though, so there’s no need to crank down the laces to keep your heel locked. The toe box isn’t that roomy, but it stretches well and none of our testers said they needed more forefoot real estate. The resulting fit is snug but stretchy overtightening the laces also pulls the Flywire taut (thus constricting the midfoot). The new Vomero’s Flywire cables peek out of the upper as they meet the laces, offering a glimpse of the shoe’s “Dynamic Fit” system, which combines the wires with foam in the tongue. That said, it’s still a neutral shoe and there’s no medial posting or high-density foam to speak of. One tester who usually runs in the Brooks Adrenaline GTS, a shoe with more stability, said his transition to the Vomero felt seamless. There’s a fair amount of inherent support within the Vomero’s foam-and-air midsole the arch isn’t high but you’ll feel its presence nonetheless.

The shoe’s heel and forefoot stack heights are 2mm lower than its predecessor, according to RW Shoe Lab data.

Nike air zoom vomero