Craft Atmosfar Overview & First Run Review
Below we are breaking down the specs of the new max cushion Craft Atmosfar, comparing it to the Nike Vomero Premium, and giving our thoughts after the first run.
Craft is joining the ranks of the Max Cushion Gang with the all new Atmosfär. With a massive 51mm stack of beaded eTPU foam, the Atmosfär is built to bring a high-stack, highly protective ride without relying on a plate. At 240g, an 8mm drop, and a smooth rocker, this could be one of the more versatile max cushion options we’ve seen this year.
Specs of the Craft Atmosfar 1
Stack Height: 51mm of foam in the heel with a 6mm drop
Weight: 240 grams in a Men's US Size 9
Midsole Construction: un-plated beaded eTPU foam
Price: $190
Craft Atmosfar 1
Comparing the Craft Atmosfar 1 to the Nike Vomero Premium
The Marketing Brief
Craft is marketing the Atmosfar 1 as a non-plated max stack shoe designed for comfort and versatility over long distances. It features a firm, robust foam that gives you back what you put into it. The Vomero Premium is Nike’s max cushion behemoth, featuring 55mm of leg-saving ZoomX foam as well as dual Air Zoom units, delivering a more inherently bouncy, fun ride.
Midsole Foam
With the Craft Atmosfar 1 you are getting a beaded eTPU foam and a lower drop, while the Nike Vomero Premium uses a PEBA version of their ZoomX foam and a higher drop, along with an Air Zoom unit in the forefoot and heel.
Stack Height & Drop
With both shoes, you are getting over 50mm of foam in the heel. The Atmosfar 1 has 51mm of foam in the heel with a 6 mm drop, while the Vomero Premium has 55mm of foam in the heel and a 10mm drop. In both cases you are getting tons of foam in the forefoot, providing a lot of protection and cushioning underfoot.
Weight
There is a significant weight difference between these two max cushion cruisers. The Vomero Premium is one of the heaviest performance running shoes on the market, coming in at 350 grams (in a Men's US size 10) or closer to 340 grams in a size 9. The Atmosfar weighs in at only 240 grams in a Men's US size 9—a full 100 grams lighter. What's crazy is that the Vomero Premium doesn't feel as heavy as it is and the Atmosfar doesn't feel as light as it is. Both are big shoes and neither feels nimble or lightweight on foot.
Price
The Vomero Premium comes at a premium price—$230 MSRP, while the Atmosfar retails at $190.
Nike Vomero Premium
First-Run Review of the Craft Atmosfar 1
The Atmosfar 1 packs a lot of foam into a surprisingly lightweight package, with a massive 51mm stack of beaded eTPU foam. Our US Men’s size 10.5 only weighed 256 grams. The upper is a noticeable improvement over some of Craft’s previous shoes. It’s lightweight and comfortable without creating any distractions on the run. The one thing to be aware of is the very curved shape of the toebox, so if you don’t like that feeling, going up a half size may be worth considering.
Craft uses a surprisingly thin layer of rubber on the outsole. The midsole foam feels extremely soft and squishy when you press on it with your hands, but that sensation doesn’t really carry over to the run. Instead, the ride lands closer to that Goldilocks middle ground, giving you plenty of cushioning without feeling overly soft or unstable.
Despite the low weight on the scale, the Atmosfar 1 doesn’t necessarily feel like a lightweight shoe because of the massive amount of foam, which is reminiscent of the ASICS Superblast 3 or Saucony Paramount Max. What it does have is a surprising amount of get-up-and-go for such a highly cushioned shoe. Compared to shoes like the Superblast 3, Paramount Max, and ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28, the Atmosfar has more pep, although you need to put a little more force into the shoe to get the foam working.
For Yowana's full first-run review of the Craft Atmosfar 1, check out the Supwell YouTube channel:
We found the ride to be less natural at slower paces, where the geometry doesn’t feel quite as smooth. Once you start moving into moderate or uptempo efforts, though, the shoe really comes alive. The combination of the geometry and foam gives it a responsive feel and makes it more versatile than you might expect from a 51mm max-cushioned trainer.
The Atmosfar 1 makes the most sense for bigger runners or anyone who wants a lot of cushioning and protection without a super soft, squishy ride. It’s also a good option if you want a max-stack shoe that can handle faster paces rather than being limited to easy and recovery miles.
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