Nike Zoom Vomero Roam review

We believe that you are in for a treat with the Nike Zoom Vomero Roam if you are after the following:

• a warm, water-repellent shoe for mild winter and late fall
• a well-cushioned sneaker that remains comfortable for hours
• a grippy and stable kick that feels surefooted on slippery urban surfaces

Stay away from the Vomero Roam if you have wide feet or need more in-shoe space in general. The same setup that makes this Nike shoe ready for cold and wet weather also makes its fit pretty snug. Consider the HOKA Transport 2 instead.

Another reason to opt for a different shoe is if you need a truly waterproof shoe. Because this Nike kick offers limited protection and can only withstand moderate, short-term water exposure, you would be better protected in a shoe like the HOKA Clifton 9, among other waterproof options.

If you've experienced the luxurious cushioning offered by the Nike Zoom Vomero 5, you will be glad to know that the winterized Vomero Roam is built on the exact same platform and provides the exact same level of impact protection!

Our lab tests confirmed that the shoe's chunky midsole has a high shock absorption of 112 SA in the heel, which is significantly higher than the casual sneaker average.

Two large Zoom Air units in the Vomero Roam's heel and forefoot make the ride feel particularly responsive. Measuring its energy return in the heel, we got an impressive reading of 65.4%!

That makes this Nike shoe much boucnier than average and even puts it in line with some of the daily running shoes! Let's not forget that this kick stems from the famous Vomero running shoe lineage.

With its abundantly cushioned platform, the Nike Zoom Vomero Roam measures a heel stack height of 35.2 mm, exceeding the category average.

But considering how high some trainers can get (45-50 mm), it's not the tallest silhouette out there.

The shoe's forefoot stack height is also elevated above average. At 25.0 mm, it offers ample cushioning for the ball of the foot and the toe joints.

A heel-to-toe drop of 10.2 mm feels quite natural in this Nike sneaker. The heel is moderately elevated above the toes, taking the strain off the Achilles and calves for long hours of walking and standing.

Pressing our durometer against the shoe's full-length Cushlon foam, we got a moderately firm reading of 43.2 AC.

But while it's not the plushest material, it feels pleasantly supportive for long hours out on concrete. And the fact that it's complemented by protective and responsive Zoom Air units makes it feel more forgiving than the static measurements suggest.

A piece of even firmer carrier foam adorns the shoe's heel for added rearfoot stability. Our durometer showed a notably firmer reading of 50.5 AC in this part of the shoe.

Comparing the fit of the Vomero 5 and the Vomero Roam side-by-side, we could immediately feel how much snugger the winterized version is! But we don't have to guess when we can make one-to-one gel casts of both shoes' interiors.

Using a digital calliper, we measured the widest areas of both replicas and found that the Vomero Roam is a whopping 6.5 mm narrower than the Vomero 5! That surely puts it into the narrow category at only 88.9 mm!

Wearing a pair of thicker winter socks can be problematic in this Nike shoe.

The Vomero Roam's toebox also came in proportionally narrower at 63.6 mm, which is 5.1 mm snugger than the summer-ready option.

Please note that it is also notably narrower than the average sneaker, catering to people with narrower feet.

On a positive side, you do get plenty of vertical space in this Nike shoe.

The massive toe bumper up front doesn't limit the space above the toes, and we measured its toebox height at an above-average 30.3 mm.

Intended for city use in the colder season, the Vomero Roam showed its ability to maintain grip in less-than-ideal conditions like wet concrete, slushy pavements, and other slick surfaces you may encounter in mild winter.

With a high friction coefficient of 0.76, it is significantly tackier than the regular Vomero 5 (only 0.37)!

The Vomero Roam employs a tougher rubber blend than the Vomero 5 and uses a full-length outsole for a larger contact area on slip-inducing surfaces. It also features a more aggressive waffle tread pattern and a pronounced heel-braking zone, akin to hiking shoes!

The addition of a rubber mudguard, along with the shoe's overall tougher build, inevitably limited the Vomero Roam's forefoot pliability.

Our custom-built machine recorded that it takes an above-average force of 17.3N to bend this Nike shoe by 30 degrees. It's not rigid enough to cause discomfort, but it adds a welcome touch of support for longer walks.

Its stiffness level doesn't hinder smooth heel-to-toe transitions thanks to the shoe's moderately curved toe rocker.

Built with more demanding weather conditions in mind, the Vomero Roam logically uses tougher, more protective upper and outsole materials, which reflect in its heavier weight.

At 14.6 oz (414g) in a men's US size 9, it is indeed heavier than average but not to the extent that it feels foot-dragging. It is, in fact, on par with the Nike Dunk Low.

Even though it's NOT a waterproof sneaker, the Nike Zoom Vomero Roam can get pretty toasty if worn in warmer temperatures or indoors.

The shoe's ripstop upper, water-repellent finish, and tough overlays don't allow much air circulation, as shown in our breathability test above.

Our light test didn't reveal any visible perforations or ventilation holes...

...and the microscope shots demonstrated exactly how tightly woven the ripstop textile is!

All test results considered, we can't rate this Nike shoe's breathability any higher than 1 out of 5. Its sweet spot lies in city walks and commutes at cooler temperatures.

But please remember that although it is a winterized sneaker, it is not meant for pouring rain, deep snow/slush, or spending long hours in freezing temperatures.

We believe that most people will find the Nike Zoom Vomero Roam's construction stable and supportive enough, even for extended periods of wear.

First of all, the shoe's above-average torsional rigidity prevents the foot from rolling inwards excessively, making it suitable for people with moderate overpronation concerns.

We measured the total torque required to twist the shoe in both directions at 19.1 Nm, which is on the high end for lifestyle trainers.

Contributing to the shoe's wobble-free ride is a tough heel counter, which was carried over from the Vomero 5. But unlike the original version, it has no perforations and is made of a solid TPU piece.

Paired with a generously padded collar, it has enough structure to raise this area's stiffness score to 4 out of 5 and provide a solid rearfoot lockdown.

The shoe's stability is further enhanced by a rather broad platform, which is significantly wider than average at a whopping 121.4 mm! That actually makes it the most platformy sneaker in our roster, even slightly wider than the New Balance 9060 (121.0 mm)!

Its heel dimensions, on the other hand, are more moderate but still wider than average, at 92.7 mm. Having so much landing area on slippery sidewalks surely made us feel more surefooted.

The shoe's rubber mudguard proved even tougher than it seemed and left the Dremel test almost unscathed! A flare of it protrudes to the top of the shoe's toebox, the spot where we test the toebox durability of all shoes, and raised our score to 4 out of 5!

The interior mesh lining, on the other hand, could have done better at this price point. Showing visible signs of wear within seconds of our Dremel test, we lowered the shoe's heel padding durability score to 3 out of 5.

Nike used its HART (High Abrasion Rubber Tech) rubber for the Vomeror Roam's outsole, and it didn't disappoint! Our rigorous Dremel test provided solid evidence of its abrasion resistance, with a dent depth of only 0.8 mm!

Add the shoe's 5.9 mm outsole thickness to the equation, and you can expect plenty of outsole life from this winterized Nike kick!

The shoe's internal padding is moderate yet sufficient for a comfortable step-in feel. We measured its insole thickness at 4.2 mm.

Because the shoe's insole is removable, you can potentially replace it with a custom insert. But it can be problematic considering its tight fit.

As daylight hours shrink during the colder season, reflective details on your trainers become increasingly useful.

The shoe's tongue and collar are fairly well-padded without being overkill. The tongue in particular came in at 8.6 mm, a standard thickness for a casual sneaker.

A fully gusseted tongue is a must-have feature, given the Vomero Roam's intent. It helps keep the interior warmer by preventing heat from escaping the shoe too quickly and by keeping wind and water out.

Two handy finger loops, one at the front and one at the back, make it easier to put on the shoe.

As happy as we are with the comfort and features packed into the Nike Zoom Vomero Roam, we still think that it is a bit overpriced for its kind. But the price could have been justified if the sneaker had a Gore-Tex membrane.