Nike Zoom Vomero 5 review

You just can't sleep on the Nike Zoom Vomero 5 if you are in search of the following:

• a nostalgic sneaker that looks like it's been pulled out of your dad's dusty closet
• a super comfortable sneaker for all-day wear (with a running shoe legacy)
• an exceptionally breathable kick for warm summer days

With an MSRP of $160, the Vomero 5 can put a pretty big dent in your wallet. The shoe costs $45 more than the average low-top sneaker!

If you want a summer kick with a similar appeal that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, we highly recommend the New Balance 2002R ($145) or the New Balance 530 ($100).

Even though it's a reincarnation of the old running shoe, the Nike Zoom Vomero 5 keeps up with the latest cushioning technologies and features the same Cushlon foam as in the modern-day Vomero 17.

Of course, this was reflected in the amount of shock absorption offered by the sneaker. At 112 SA, it's not as high as in the running shoe (137 SA) but it is above the average for a casual sneaker. The Vomero 5 reduces the impact on the foot and joints, making it comfortable for prolonged periods of walking.

Nike also makes the underfoot experience more fun in the Vomero 5 by placing two large Zoom Air units in its heel and forefoot.

The responsive nature of these elements helped to raise the shoe's energy return to 63% which is even higher than the average of road running shoes! For the record, we test both categories following the same ASTM F1976 method.

Thus, you can expect a very pleasant, slightly bouncy, and cushioned feel in the Vomero 5 that stays that way for hours.

Measuring the shoe's stack height with a caliper, we found that there is 31.4 mm of material sitting in between the heel and the floor. It is just about the same as in the average sneaker.

A Zoom Air unit adds a couple of welcome millimeters to the shoe's forefoot stack. At 21.8 mm, we found it a bit taller than average offering more protection for the toe joints and the ball of foot.

As a daily running shoe in its past incarnation, the Vomero 5 has a moderate heel-to-toe drop of 9.6 mm.

It is a perfect setup where the heel is slightly elevated above the toes to offer more cushioning for the heel and take some pressure off the Achilles.

Showing 28.0 HA on our durometer, it proved to be a moderately soft cushioning foam that is 10% softer than the industry average.

It may not be the softest blend but Cushlon boasts a high level of durability and provides lasting comfort underfoot. This is exactly what we expect from a pair of daily beaters.

The in-shoe comfort is completed with a nicely padded insole on top of the midsole. Measuring its thickness with a caliper, we got 4.2 mm.

Long hours of walking felt easier thanks to the Vomero 5's roomy fit.

After pulling a mold out of the shoe, we measured its widest part at an above-average 95.4 mm. That's roomier than most other D medium sneakers we tested!

A nice and rounded shape of its toebox also contributed to the wiggle room and minimized toe pressure. We recorded a standard width of 68.7 mm in the big toe area.

A tall vertical space of 31.5 mm also made the Vomero's toebox feel very accommodating.

We have zero complaints about the Vomero's laces.

They look good, stay tied, and there is also a handy webbing on the tongue that helps to keep them in place. 

Keep in mind that you will either get flat or wavy laces depending on the colorway.

We tested the Vomero 5's grip by imitating a walking person's heel strike on wet concrete. To our disappointment, the shoe's outsole didn't generate a ton of friction and showed a pretty low coefficient of 0.37.

Thus, you should be careful when stepping on slick surfaces like wet concrete, cobblestone, wood, or tiles in the Nike Zoom Vomero 5. But on the bright side, you have nothing to worry about on dry pavements and sidewalks.

The kick's outsole is only partially covered with rubber to keep the weight down. Also, the shoe's retro design wouldn't be complete without Nike's signature waffle treading.

We found that the Nike Vomero 5 is a moderately stable shoe that is going to feel supportive for most folks.

Back when it was a dedicated running shoe, the Vomero 5 was recommended for people with neutral pronation and normal arches. It means that their feet and ankles don't require any additional arch support as they don't roll inwards excessively.

If you think that your feet could use more support, try the more stable sneakers from ASICS and New Balance.

The Vomero 5 may look all rigid and structured but it is actually quite forgiving.

Subjecting it to our manual stiffness test, we could easily bend and twist the shoe. On a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 stands for the highest flexibility, we readily gave this Nike sneaker a 2.

The small shank under the arch only adds a touch of structure to the shoe's platform. It is not the type of shank that controled severe overpronation on the old-fashioned stability shoes.

The same goes for the shoe's heel counter.

The TPU caging at the back looks like hard plastic but when we gave it a push and squeeze in a manual test, it gave in just like that.

Thus, the heel counter also got a pretty low stiffness score of 2.

But the good news is that it doesn't feel floppy at all. We experienced a nice hold around our heels and ankles which didn't allow undue shifting or sliding inside the shoe.

It just didn't hold the foot in place as securely as the more rigid heel counters do.

The wide base of the Vomero 5 definitely helped us feel more surefooted.

Measuring the widest part of its sole in the forefoot, our caliper showed 111.6 mm, which is a few millimeters wider than average. 

The midsole is also slightly widened in the heel area.

Our caliper shows 87.0 mm in its widest part which is a few millimeters wider than average.

But it's important to note that the sole is NOT wide enough to be considered chunky.

The Vomero 5 never made us feel restricted and moved seamlessly with our feet throughout the wear test.

When we measured how much force it takes to bend this Nike sneaker to a 30-degree angle, we got a below-average reading of 11.4N. That makes it even more flexible than most other lifestyle sneakers.

To our delight, the Vomero 5 turned out to be even lighter than it seems.

Tipping the scale at 11.1 oz (316g), it is about 3 oz (85g) lighter than average. It is also lighter than such popular Nike kicks as the Air Max 1 and the Dunk Low.

If you are in search of an airy summer sneaker, the Vomero 5 is right up your alley!

Its ultra-thin mesh with extra wide chain links makes the shoe a really cool option (both literally and figuratively).

As soon as we pumped smoke into the shoe, it escaped through the mesh in a matter of seconds.

On foot, the Vomero 5 never allowed the heat to build up and we could even feel a cool breeze on our toes in the evenings.

You can see how amazingly thin and transparent the shoe's fabric is as we hover it over the bright light.

Exploring the shoe's mesh closer through a microscope, we saw super thin threads that formed a very porous material.

On a scale from 1 to 5, where 5 is the most breathable, this is what a solid 5 looks like!

In the midfoot, this Nike sneaker features a TPU cage with a Swoosh logo. We quickly found that it was not real leather as the material melted instantly under the fire.

Some colorways of the Vomero 5 also feature thin suede overlays throughout the upper. But in our Vast Grey version, these overlays are made of TecTuff.

TecTuff is a polyurethane finish that greatly enhances the base material's abrasion resistance.

Looks like the sneaker uses real leather or suede beneath the TecTuff because it resisted our butane torch and leather scratch owl like genuine material would.

Despite its highly durable overlays, the Nike Vomero 5 still has a lot of exposed mesh panels throughout the upper. Especially in the toebox.

You can see how extremely delicate this material is in our microscope check above.

A mere touch of our Dremel left a large glaring hole in the shoe's mesh. Be careful not to slash this sneaker against the ground!

Nike sacrificed a good deal of protection to keep the Vomero 5 as well-ventilated as it is. So if you are someone who blows through their kicks fast, we advise choosing a more reinforced sneaker instead.

The New Balance 1906R, for example, has excellent upper durability that doesn't compromise breathability.

On the upside, the inner lining of the Vomero 5 promises a very long life. Made of soft nylon fabric, it seems to be completely unbothered by our Dremel!

After 4 seconds of drilling it with sandpaper at 5K RPM speed, the fabric didn't even show a scratch!

Compared to the damage that the same test caused to other sneakers, the Vomero deserves the highest durability score for heel lining durability.

Nike uses targeted BRS1000 rubber instead of a full-length outsole to protect the high-wear areas on the Vomero 5. It helps to shave some weight off the shoe.

Pressing our durometer against the rubber showed that it is indeed a very hard compound. At 85.5 HC, it is a bit harder than the average. This is often an indicator of higher abrasion resistance. 

With our Dremel set to 10K RPM speed, we applied its sandpaper tip to the shoe's rubber for 22 seconds. The pressure remained consistent at 3.2N.

As you can see in the video above, the BRS1000 resisted the Dremel like a true warrior! Measuring the depth of the dent with a tread gauge, we found that it was not even a millimeter deep! Only 0.8 mm.

It is an impressive result for a lifestyle sneaker.

In addition to its abrasion resistance, the shoe's rubber is also very thick. Measuring it with a caliper returned 4.8 mm.

All things considered, we expect the Nike Vomero 5 to last much longer than your typical pair of kicks.

Its mesh panels will most likely be the first bits to tear up but if you can prevent that, it will take months of regular use before you need to upgrade your kicks.

The Vomero 5 has four reflective strips on each shoe - two in the front and two at the back.

The interiors of the Vomero 5 feel incredibly cozy thanks to the well-padded collar and tongue.

Measuring the thickness of the tongue, our caliper showed 10.0 mm. Similar to most sneakers, it keeps lace bites at bay.

YES! The tongue of the Nike Vomero 5 has gussets on both sides.

Attached to the rest of the upper, this tongue design offers a more secure foot lockdown and prevents that annoying tongue sliding that we experience so much with non-gusseted shoes.

There are no pull tabs or finger loops to assist in getting the shoe on.

This Nike sneaker comes with an easily removable insole. You can replace it with custom orthotics in case you need additional cushioning or arch support.

The Vomero 5 first came to prominence over a decade ago, in 2011.

Back then, it was part of Nike's popular series of running shoes which is now on its 17th edition! With the rapid evolution of running footwear, the Vomero 5 became obsolete as a performance shoe but remained comfortable enough for day-to-day wear.

Over the years, Nike attempted to reintroduce the silhouette a few times.

First, the brand collaborated with A-COLD-WALL to give the Vomero a futuristic (and polarizing) twist in 2018. The shoe received a humongous blocky heel counter which didn't appeal to everyone but certainly drew attention to the sneaker.

Another wave of interest in the Vomero emerged in 2019 after it was spotted on Drake himself.

But it wasn't until September 2022 that the Vomero 5 gained traction as a nostalgic Y2K era-inspired kick in its first Oatmeal colorway.

Viewed as Nike's response to the dad shoe obsession, the Vomero finally took some market share from New Balance. Interestingly enough, the kick has a striking resemblance to the New Balance 2002R kick.