Nike React Vapor NXT Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 3.9

Shoes that carry "Vapor" in the name bring an expectation of out-of-the-box comfort, so it came as a surprise to our team that these React Vapor NXTs required some break-in. The effort was worth Michelle's time. She said, "Initially, I wasn't sure what to expect from these shoes. Were they going to be like a Vapor or a Cage or something completely new? And having used Nike running shoes with React technology for the past several years, I was wondering how this would translate to a tennis shoe in terms of feel and comfort. Once I slipped them on, I found these shoes to fit my medium-width feet just right, and I never considered sizing up or down. The shoes definitely needed a break-in, though, as they felt pretty stiff on first wear, especially around the toes. After a solid hour or two in them, they felt snug and comfortable, but I wouldn't say plush. The cushioning felt more responsive than soft. The upper was fairly flexible, and I really liked the snug feel of the neoprene-like layer holding me in."

After a minor break-in period, Chris thought these shoes felt comfortable and supportive, with a good level of cushioning. He said, "The React Vapor NXTs took a bit of a break-in before they started to flex with my feet and feel comfortable and natural to move in. After a couple of hours of training, the shoes felt much better and were pretty much match-ready. The general feel was more substantial, like a Vapor Cage rather than a light and supple Vapor X. The chassis felt very rigid and supportive, but once it was flexing better, my feet felt safe, comfortable and supported. I liked the level of cushioning. The ride was very comfortable without being over-pillowy."

With wider feet, Tiffani had to make some sock adjustments to get a better fit. She explained, "The last few Nike shoes I've tried, the Wildcard and Zoom Zero, and even the Vapor X, didn't really fit my wider feet well. At first try on, the Vapor NXTs were on the stiffer side and somewhat tight through the forefoot. I needed about five hours to break these shoes in enough to get them flexing heel to toe, and the medium-width toe box meant that I needed to wear thinner socks. When I wore thick, cushioned socks, the toe box felt too tight on my wide feet. Aside from the break-in, I thought these shoes had a nice amount of cushioning. It was a good balance of responsiveness and comfort. Ventilation was a highlight, and I don't recall my feet ever feeling overly hot in these shoes."

Jason also has wide feet, but he didn't face the same issues that Tiffani did. He said, "These shoes required a substantial break-in period before they felt totally comfortable. For me, that was about five or six hours, and then I noticed the shoe flexing easier and moving better with my feet. I thought the fit was fine for my foot shape because I didn't notice any rubbing on my toes or soreness in my arches. I really liked the React midsole's cushioned yet responsive ride."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.3

The Vapor NXTs had a more substantial look and feel, and that translated into solid stability for our playtesters. Chris explained, "I found the forefoot area of the React Vapor NXTs to be very stable and supportive. The shoes had solid lateral rigidity, and I was never in fear of rolling over or sliding around too much in the forefoot. At the rear of the shoe, I would have liked an additional lace eyelet since it was difficult to lock my heels in. I had two pairs of React Vapor NXTs, and in one pair, the shoes would gape at the ankle collar while the other pair didn't. Although I never did feel locked in around the heel, I was able to find enough support from the forefoot to play all out without any issues."

Tiffani had a similar experience. She added, "I initially struggled to lock my heel down in these shoes. They weren't flexing well before I broke them in. My heel would pop up, and I wished that the lacing system came back a bit farther to help cinch up the fit toward the rear of the shoe. This issue did subside as the shoes became more flexible, but I still wanted that extra eyelet option. The Vapor NXTs did feel stable during my movements, and I never felt in danger of an ankle roll."

Once he had broken them in, Jason had full confidence in the Vapor NXTs. He said, "These are very stable and supportive shoes! I did have a little heel slippage when the shoe wasn't fully broken in. Because the shoe wouldn't flex, my heel would lift up slightly, but the slippage disappeared after a few hours. As far as stability goes, the Vapor NXT is top-notch. I felt fully locked in when moving laterally and changing directions, and I never felt like my feet might roll over."

Michelle thought the React Vapor NXTs performed quite well in this category. She said, "I loved the support and stability of these shoes! There was a shot that made me completely trust the shoes, and that's the shot where I was pulled off the court (think of a running forehand that you have to hit from the doubles alley). The court down the line is more open than it is cross court, and you decide to hit the all-or-nothing shot, ripping it down the line. You sort of need to trust that you can push your speed and hope the shoes hold you upright as you're making contact. Yep, that shot was awesome with these shoes! I felt I could play really offensively in them, and I was trying to channel my inner Aryna Sabalenka while wearing these shoes. I always felt upright and in the right position to set up and strike the ball how I wanted. The uppers also supported my feet well. The sock-like first layer was super cozy and comfortable, and the second layer added an extra locked-in feel. No complaints here!"

Overall Sole Durability - Score: 3.7

As a new model in the Nike lineup, the React Vapor NXTs were a bit of an unknown for our playtesters, and that included how durable they would be. After wearing them for about a month on hard courts, our reviewers had mixed opinions. Tiffani described, "There's a lot of material on the uppers, which gives these Vapor NXTs a durable look. However, I was starting to see the tips of my toes wear down after about five hours. It didn't take much longer for me to expose the threads in the Flyweave material. I saw some wear on the outsoles as well, but I'll likely wear out my toes first."

Having a similar experience, Michelle added, "In more ways than one, these shoes sit in between a Vapor Pro (or Vapor X) and a Vapor Cage 4, and that's true when it comes to durability too. The Vapor NXT was less durable than the Cage 4 but more durable than the Vapor Pro. The top of the upper started to show some wear, and the outsole was smoothing out a little under my big toe after a few weeks of wear. But again, these are still holding up better than the lighter Vapor Pro or Vapor X for me."

Jason was happy with how the shoes fared on the hard court. He said, "I thought the durability was slightly above average. There appears to be plenty of rubber left on the outsole after 13 hours of playtesting. There's no significant balding to report."

As a toe dragger, Chris wasn't as pleased with the durability. He said, "I expected more durability from the React Vapor NXTs. The stiffer feel of these shoes reminded me of the Vapor Cage 4s; I found those to be decently durable and expected that trend to continue here. However, I found both the outsoles and the uppers to wear down quickly. I wore the outsoles down under the big toe area in under 10 hours of play, and I went through the upper protection and into the Flyweave."

Traction - Score: 4.7

The new outsole pattern on the React Vapor NXT looked intriguing, and our playtesters thought it offered brilliantly balanced traction. Jason said, "I really liked the traction because it had enough slip to it that I could slide out of my shots with no problem. The outsole pattern is unique and allows for give when moving side to side, but it provides the grip needed when moving forward. The outsole was also surprisingly quiet; there wasn't that squeaking that can be found in most other tennis shoes."

Michelle thought the balance of give and grip was one of the Vapor NXT's best features. She described, "Along with the stability, the traction on these really stood out to me. Nike has been using some new outsole patterns that I am constantly unsure about before I try them, and they keep surprising and delighting me with a perfect blend of tack and give."

The chorus of praise continued with Chris. He said, "I moved well on court in the React Vapor NXTs, as I found ample grip to make quick starts, stops and changes of direction. The outsoles were very quiet, so I felt pretty stealthy in them too. Some shoes we test squeak with only the slightest movement, but it wasn't until I put the outsoles of the React Vapor NXTs into a slide that they chirped. There was enough give in the traction to allow me to slide controllably, and I felt very safe moving in these shoes."

Rounding out the crowd of happy playtesters, Tiffani said, "I liked how these shoes worked on the hard court. I felt there was enough give when I wanted it, and the outsoles hooked up to the court when I wanted to take off to the next shot. They were also impressively quiet as I shuffled my feet."

Weight - Score: 4.2

When our team put the Vapor NXTs on the scale, a few eyebrows were raised. Weighing 13 ounces for a women's size 8.5 and 15.8 ounces for a men's 10.5, these shoes aren't as light as expected of something called a Vapor. However, the scale doesn't always tell the whole truth. Michelle explained, "Initially, I think everyone was a little concerned about how heavy the shoes would feel since they weigh a bit more than what we were expecting. But I have to say it again, these shoes do not feel as heavy on foot as they do on the scale. You could say they hide their weight well. The technology keeps them feeling quick, and I never felt like the shoes were bulky or heavy. They didn't feel as light as the Vapor Pro, but they definitely didn't slow me down."

"Although the weight didn't really bother me, I would not consider these Vapor NXTs 'lightweight' by any means," added Jason. "Don't be fooled by the Vapor in the name; these are not like the Vapors of years past. They definitely have some weight to them and feel more substantial than what I would consider a speed-oriented shoe."

Despite their weight on the scale, these shoes felt surprisingly speedy on court to Chris. He said, "While not being the lightest pair of shoes, I did find the React Vapor NXTs to feel very fast on court. The forefoot support, traction and rigid chassis all seemed to come together to give me everything I needed to move at full speed. When playing in the shoes for the first couple of hours, they did feel a tad clunky due to the stiff chassis, but once the shoes started to flex with my feet, every step felt more natural."

The React Vapor NXTs felt well balanced to Tiffani. She concluded, "These Vapor NXTs don't look very light, but they felt lighter than expected. I wouldn't say these are strictly speed shoes, but they're a good blend of a lightweight feel with some stability built in."

Overall - Score: 4.2