Nike Vomero

Vomero

In the early 2000s, Nike wanted to create a luxurious running shoe with unrivalled comfort. Experienced footwear designer Aaron Cooper took up the challenge, producing the epic Nike Vomero.

Cooper was open-minded and driven, with a strong respect for creativity and athleticism. Having already proved his skill and innovation in Nike’s dynamic basketball division, he relocated to Amsterdam in 2003 to gather insights from the city’s passionate running community.

After uncovering a desire for premium cushioning, Cooper set out to create “The most luxurious and comfortable running shoe in the industry”, putting himself in the mind of the runner by attempting to run five miles in under thirty minutes – an experience which informed his Air Nirvana prototype. Inspired by iconic silhouettes like the Mercurial, Structure and Free, its soft Phylon foam and springy Zoom Air midsole offered a cloud-like running experience.

This key attribute formed the basis of the 2006 Vomero, which featured a “luxury performance” midsole with enhanced Cushlon foam and full-length Zoom Air. Its success established the Nike Vomero as a popular franchise, with a loyal fan base coming to rely on its plush cushioning for daily training.

The series was lauded for its incredible cushioning, but when the Vomero 7 switched from a dual-density to an all-Cushlon midsole, the line lost the luxurious underfoot feel its fans had come to admire. Some became frustrated with a perceived lack of innovation, so the brand returned to a dual-density setup on the 2015 Vomero 10, blending plush Lunarlon and durable Cushlon for a more Vomero-like feel.

For a while, the line was back on track, but 2018’s Vomero 14 added React foam alongside full-length Zoom Air, making it feel more like a fast, responsive racing shoe, and the Vomero lost its identity. In response, the Nike Vomero 15 drew on the popular early models, introducing a cutting-edge ZoomX foam midsole for increased plushness, and 2023’s Vomero 17 made things even softer by removing the Zoom Air entirely, its exaggerated ZoomX and Cushlon 3.0 midsole prioritising comfort over speed. Meanwhile, the retro Vomero 5 sneaker was elevating the line’s overall profile following its stunning 2018 collaboration with British designer Samuel Ross.

With the Vomero at its peak, Nike introduced a revised road running lineup in late 2024. It included three of the brand’s major franchises, with the Nike Vomero fulfilling the role of maximum cushioning through its groundbreaking 18th iteration. 

The Vomero 18’s powerful combination of ZoomX and ReactX foam began a new era for cushioning and comfort, while the elevated Vomero Plus and Premium versions pushed the concept to its limits. A huge ZoomX midsole supported the Plus, and the Premium’s unprecedented 55mm heel stack brought together full-length ZoomX with visible Zoom Air for the ultimate max-cushioned running experience.

Cooper built the Nike Vomero around principles of luxurious cushioning and superior comfort, ensuring the series a successful future filled with unexpected twists and turns in which it became one of the most well-regarded running shoes in the brand’s history.