We put each shoe through real-world usage and a battery of mechanical tests in our lab to provide you with objective-and exclusive-data. The redesigned midsole backs up the aesthetics, and that makes the Air Zoom Vomero 14 a livelier shoe for logging serious mileage. That tapered, upturned heel and those streamline foam haunches let on that this isn’t another bulky, squishy-yet-dead-inside trainer to be worn out of obligation rather than excitement. There’s one more thing to note about the new Vomero and it’s probably the first think you noticed: The shoe looks fast. The lugs probably aren’t deep enough to excel in serious mud, but for the urban environment or gravel paths, the outsole bites down with each step. The on-road traction is excellent it was the shoe’s highest-rated attribute among testers. The outsole consists of two rubber strips: Small ridges form the lateral tread and there are hexagonal lugs on the medial side. Testers loved the two-section outsole’s traction. I still prefer TPU shoes for faster efforts-a couple testers noted the Air Zoom Vomero 14 wasn’t the quickest trainer they’d tried-but I use the Vomero to preserve my legs on easy days and long runs. 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. In other words, Nike supercharged its Cadillac. The Air Zoom Vomero 14 is a well-cushioned, grippy shoe that’s more responsive than a trainer of its substance should be. Those were minor gripes on an otherwise highly rated shoe. Some testers took issue with the collar’s stiffness and the fact that the tongue doesn’t extend above the upper, irritating the occasional ankle. The upper is also new: Foam pods line the heel collar to cradle the foot, and the bottom half of the padded tongue is sewn to the upper for a 360-degree secure fit. Wear-testers gave the shoe high marks for cushioning and traction the shoe felt planted on every surface we encountered. The design makes the air cushioning more evident and provides a firm underfoot feeling, relative to older Vomeros. (We cut one in half to check-it’s there.) The shoe now uses React foam to deliver more energy return than Lunarlon, and rather than burying separate forefoot and heel Zoom Air units beneath a layer of foam (as Nike did in the Vomero 13), the company layered a single, full-length air unit just beneath the footbed. That’s no longer the case: The totally revamped Air Zoom Vomero 14 keeps the cush but packages it in a responsive shoe that feels alive underfoot, thanks to a redesigned midsole. Impact protection was the focus-not fast or sexy. The Vomero is the Nike you buy for maximum cushioning, and until recently, you did so knowing you’d be breaking in a spongy Lunarlon foam slab that felt about as lively as the fish you promised your mom you’d take care of when you were 8. Price: $140 Weight: 9.9 oz (men) 8.2 oz (women) Type: Road The right shoe for: Runners who want a plush shoe that doesn’t feel sluggish
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