Comparing the Nike Pegasus Premium, Vomero Plus, and Vomero Premium
The Nike Vomero Premium is the newest max stack behemoth to hit the market. Priced at $230, it's releasing in October 2025 and features a tall stack of ZoomX and two Air Zoom units. The Vomero Plus ($180) and Pegasus Premium ($210) released earlier this year and feature different versions of Nike's flagship technology. Below, we will compare the three shoes and help you decide which is best for you.
We’re back today comparing Nike’s max cushion running shoe options. We are going to let you know what each of these three shoes is best for, whether or not you should add one or all of them to your running shoe rotation, and what strengths and weaknesses they each have.
Nike Vomero Plus
Nike Vomero Plus
The Vomero Plus retails for $180 and it features a 100% ZoomX foam midsole. There’s no plate, there’s no dual foam, there’s no stiffening agent, it's just a gimmick-free shoe, but you do get a tall stack of foam. While we don’t think it represents the best of the best max cushion shoes, it is a very capable shoe. It's very comfortable—it has a super plush upper, tongue, and heel and a great step-in feel. However, a couple of things that we don’t love are the 10mm drop and that it feels like overkill for a daily trainer with 43mm of foam in the heel. The problem with such a high stack of foam is that it is also a bit too bouncy and almost aggressive as a recovery shoe.
But a lot of people are really enjoying it as a do-it-all cruiser type of shoe. Given the high stack of foam, it is pretty light and the lightest of these three shoes. It is like a higher stack Novablast 5 or a more comfort-oriented EVO SL. Of these three Nike max cushion shoes, if you are only going to have a one-shoe rotation or if you are a beginner runner, this is the best one. It can handle just about any kind of run.
Nike Pegasus Premium
Nike Pegasus Premium
With the Pegasus Premium you are getting some more technology. There is a top layer of ZoomX foam (same foam name, but hard to say if it is the same compound as in the other shoes). The middle is a full length air unit—it looks like they took the air pod from the Alphafly and stretched it out to go across the entirety of the shoe. And then the bottom layer is ReactX foam. All of this technology results in a pretty heavy shoe that is neither fast or responsive; but, what you do get is a really fun ride, a great bounce, excellent protection, and a unique experience. So, if you’re looking for something totally different, this would be a great option.
A few things to note are that it is not a stable shoe—it feels very wobbly if you land on the back—and there is a lot of weirdness to it. Also, because the air pod unit ends before the toe-off, it is not a great grip and rip type of shoe. It is difficult to get it moving quickly. However, if you are looking for a great looking shoe with some innovative technology that is fun to run some miles in, the Pegasus Premium is a good one.
Nike Vomero Premium
Nike Vomero Premium
We’ve been calling the Vomero Premium a contraption because it just feels like you are running on top of technology or some sort of anti-gravity treadmill. Of the three shoes we are comparing here, this one does the best job of carrying on the legacy of the Nike Invincible, which was really the first non-plated max cushion shoe using race foam and providing a uniquely fun and bouncy ride. With the Vomero Premium you are getting the maximum of everything—the most amount of ZoomX foam with 55mm in the heel, not one, but two Air Zoom units, and a really plush and comfortable upper. What you end up with is a very fun shoe that is super comfortable. The air units in the Vomero Premium don’t feel anything like the air pods in the Pegasus Premium. The air zoom units in the Vomero Premium seem to be designed more for impact absorption, which is why it is not a very fast shoe. Yet, you do get the bounce and responsiveness from compressing the air zoom units and the ZoomX foam—it’s just not a quick release.
The cool thing about this shoe is that Nike has figured out a way to introduce a stiffening agent, with the air zoom units, without introducing a plastic or carbon plate, which can result in a more stiff feel and ride. With the air zoom units, it’s like a plate that is soft. The stiffening agent here, the air zoom units, provides the bounce and the rebound, and some stability for the high stack of foam. Nike also used the best version of training ZoomX that we’ve experienced. It’s decently soft, decently bouncy, but not squishy, which makes it the best of these three for comfort cruising and high mileage training that is also the most protective. While it also has a 10mm drop, it feels more like a 5-6mm drop and there are no stability issues in this one. Again, it is 100% overkill for most people, but if you want something really fun, slightly ridiculous, and unique, the Vomero Premium is a great pick.
For Yowana's video comparison of these three Nike max cushion shoes, check out the YouTube video below:
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