The Nike Zoom Vomero 13 is one of the most popular neutral trainers made by Nike. Representing their top level of cushion, the Vomero can sustain a pounding and can log a lot of miles.

In my testing, it already logged 125+ miles before the writing of the review. However, there is also a reason for this — which will be discussed later.

It has been a few years since I have run in a Nike cushioned model, and I can say things have changed for the company.

Nike Zoom Vomero 13 General Info

The Vomero represents the top level of cushion for the Nike neutral trainers and a flagship for their neutral cushioned models.

Nike Zoom Vomero 13 – Toe

These shoes compete against the likes of the Brooks Glycerin, ASICS Nimbus, Saucony Triumph ISO and Mizuno Wave Sky. However, these come in at a lower price range than any of the shoes against which they compete.

When these shoes showed up, I was quite excited. These are a pair which I was very much looking forward to testing. They have a great look, and straight out of the box they looked ready to go.

When I first put them on, they were quite comfortable to just wear and walk around. However, on the first run — and many subsequent run afterward — they caused hot spots and blisters on my feet.

Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Sole Unit

The sole unit of the Vomeros have not changed from the 12s. Using Nike’s Dual-denisty midsole of soft “Lunar” foam towards the top and the slightly firmer Cushlon midsole to help with responsiveness through toe-off.

Under the heel, Nike uses Zoom Air units to provide lightweight cushioning for your heel. This is especially nice if you are a heel-striker or when your form breaks down.

This is far-and-away the softest portion of the sole unit — and if you are a heel-striker, I would tell you to look at these shoes because of it.

The outsole features consistent blown rubber offers great traction on most surfaces. But the best part of it is how the outsole is laid out.

The pressure-mapped design allows for flexibility and comfort through your entire stride. Featuring a standard 10mm heel-toe drop, the sole unit of this shoe is a highlight.

Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Upper Info

Nike Zoom Vomero 13 – Top

The upper has been completely redesigned and features a new circular-knit design. This knit opens up the shoes for great breathability.

They also feature the signature Nike technology of Flywire to lock in your feet. These technologies create what should be a great upper. However, the upper is where the shoes let you down.

Nike Zoom Vomero 13 – Lace

These uppers caused hot spots and on the inside balls of both of my feet. These blisters continued to develop on every run for the first 45 miles in the shoe. I was about to write my review with complete negativity in mind.

However, after 45 miles they finally loosened up and felt like a completely different shoe. So I had to start over on my review and see try each of my workouts again.

The upper fits true to size, but is a little narrow in the toe-box. That narrowness added to the pressure on the balls of my feet until they were truly broken in. If not for the first 45-50 miles in these uppers, the shoes would have been 4+ stars.

Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Conclusions

The Nike Zoom Vomero 13 is a big, cushioned trainer that can withstand whatever miles you want to throw at it. With cushioning to spare, these shoes truly respond well during the longer runs and are light enough to get going during speedwork.

Nike Zoom Vomero 13 – Heel

The redesigned upper, however, seemed to leave me flat at first. There have been few shoes in the past 3-4 years for me that have needed any breaking in — let alone the amount these needed.

As I stated before, I had already written my review in my mind before they finally locked in. There is no reason that a shoe should take 45-50 mile to break in with today’s materials and technology.

Once they did fully break in, they were good shoes. However, never did they blow me away and it was hard to forget the first few miles and the blisters gained along the way.

They are not a bad option at all. However, if I were in the market to buy a high-cushioned trainer, I would probably start looking at a different option — like the Saucony Triumph ISO or the Skechers GOrun Ultra R2.

We purchased a pair of Nike Zoom Vomero 13 from runningwarehouse using our own money. This did not influence the outcome of this review, written after running more than 50 miles in them.