Comparisons & head-to-heads
Nike Vapor 12 vs On THE ROGER Pro 3: €160 or €210?
Nike Vapor 12 or On THE ROGER Pro 3? With equal comfort (8.8/10), the Nike costs €2.65 to €3.55 per hour of play, the On €3.10 to €4.15 in Belgium.
Contents · 14 sections
- Key takeaways
- What do €160 and €210 buy on court?
- How much does each hour of play cost?
- What does the extra money buy with THE ROGER Pro 3?
- Which one lasts longer?
- Which one is more comfortable?
- Speed, grip, stability: who wins?
- On red clay, is the price gap justified?
- Nike, Adidas or On: which speed shoe lasts longest for the price?
- Which pair for your case?
- Verdict: €50 more for a foam, not for hours
- Sources
- FAQ
- Related articles
Between the Nike Vapor 12 and the On THE ROGER Pro 3, the €50 gap at list price does not buy a better shoe. With equal comfort, 8.8/10 in our scores, the Nike beats the On on grip, stability, lightness and outsole lifespan. It costs €159.99 against €210.
The On sells a foam. The question is what that foam is worth for your game.
What do €160 and €210 buy on court?
Two speed shoes, but not the same level of scores. The Vapor 12 scores 9.2/10 overall, the best score in our database of 37 models. THE ROGER Pro 3 scores 8.2/10.
| Criterion | Nike Vapor 12 | On THE ROGER Pro 3 |
|---|---|---|
| List price | €159.99 (nike.com/be, men's, hard court) | €210 (On's European sites) |
| Average price recorded in Belgium, June-Sept. 2026 | around €159 | around €187 |
| Weight in men's US 10.5 (Tennis Warehouse) | 414 g | 428 g |
| Drop | 9.9 mm | 8.0 mm |
| Cushioning | Air Zoom in the heel | Helion HF foam, Speedboard plate |
| Outsole | lightened Hart rubber, split herringbone | modified herringbone rubber, designed to slide on hard courts |
| Toe protection | moulded PU on the toe cap and inner edge | not disclosed |
| Fit | true to length, snug in width | standard |
| Outsole warranty | none identified | none identified |
| Overall score | 9.2/10 | 8.2/10 |
The data comes from the Tennis Warehouse review of the Vapor 12 and the Tennis Warehouse listing for THE ROGER Pro 3. The scores are those of our editorial grid, compiled from published tests. Nobody here has worn these two models.
Four criteria for the Nike, one tie, none for the On.
How much does each hour of play cost?
45 to 60 cents more with the On. The price that matters is the price per hour of play: the price of the pair, divided by the 45 to 60 hours of tennis after which the AAPSM, the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine, considers a midsole worn out.
| Price used | Nike Vapor 12 | On THE ROGER Pro 3 | Gap per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average price recorded in Belgium (€159 and €187) | €2.65 to €3.55 | €3.10 to €4.15 | €0.45 to €0.60 |
| List price (€159.99 and €210) | €2.65 to €3.55 | €3.50 to €4.65 | €0.85 to €1.10 |
| Rubber smooth after 35 hours, at the recorded price | €4.55 | €5.35 | €0.80 |
The last row is a hypothesis, not a measurement. It shows what happens to the calculation when the rubber gives out before the foam, which happens on hard courts to players who brake hard.
Over a season, the gap adds up. At three hours a week, about 150 hours a year, the shoe budget runs from €400 to €530 in the Vapor 12 and from €465 to €620 in the Pro 3. At five hours, league matches included, count €660 to €890 against €775 to €1,040.
The full method is in the article on the cost per hour of play.
What does the extra money buy with THE ROGER Pro 3?
A midsole, a drop and a name.
- Helion HF foam. On presents it as a hyper-foam, a first in tennis. It works with the Speedboard, the brand's own plate. The launch is detailed by Tennisnerd.
- An 8 mm drop, against 9.9 mm for the Nike: the heel sits a little lower.
- Ten grams less than the Pro 2. The Pro 3 still weighs 428 g in men's US 10.5, which is 14 g more than the Vapor 12.
- The signature. The model was co-developed with Roger Federer, which matters to some of its buyers.
What the premium does not buy comes down to four absences: no named rubber, no announced toe reinforcement, no published wear test, no outsole warranty. On these four points, the sources consulted say nothing for the On. The On page places the model within the brand's range.
Which one lasts longer?
The Vapor 12, with 7.2/10 for durability against 6.4. Neither is an endurance shoe.
No pair is judged without the lifespan of its outsole, and here both brands made the same bet: weight and feel before rubber. At Nike, the bet is documented. Tennis Warehouse notes that the brand removed a large part of the rubber to lighten the Vapor 12, and sees the outsole wear smooth in the usual places, under the forefoot and towards the toe. Tennis Companion gives it 8.2/10 for outsole durability and judges it "not designed to be the most durable", but tougher than most lightweight models. Its toe is covered in moulded PU up to the inner edge, where the back foot rubs on the serve.
At On, there is no measurement. No wear test with figures has been published for the Pro 3. The only clue comes from a Gear Patrol review, which reported an outsole wearing faster than expected on hard courts. It covered the first generation of the Roger Pro: it is a signal about the range, nothing more.
No safety net either. No outsole warranty has been identified on either side. In Belgium, the 2-year legal guarantee covers a defect, not rubber worn by play.
Which one is more comfortable?
A tie: 8.8/10 for both. It is the only criterion where the On matches the Nike, and it is the one people buy it for.
They get there by two routes. The Vapor 12 places an Air Zoom unit in the heel and keeps the foot low, with a firm forefoot; RunRepeat notes higher energy return than the previous generation. The Pro 3 bets everything on its foam and its plate. Both are in our ranking of comfortable tennis shoes, the Nike second, the On fifth, separated by the rest of their sheets.
One point for the On: the fit. Its fit is given as standard, while the Vapor 12 is snug in width, with no wide version identified.
Speed, grip, stability: who wins?
The Nike, clearly.
A full point separates them on grip, 9.4/10 against 8.4, and it is the gap you notice most in a change of direction. The outsole of the Vapor 12 is split herringbone, a pattern made to follow the flex of the foot, and tests describe it as needing no break-in. That of the Pro 3 is modified herringbone, designed to let you slide on hard courts. Stability follows the same order, 8.8 against 8.2.
On the scales, only 14 g separate them in men's US 10.5. The lightness score widens the gap, 9.3 against 7.8, because it reflects what the tests describe in play: a shoe that reacts at once on one side, a more cushioned shoe on the other. The Vapor 12 is first in our competition ranking.
On red clay, is the price gap justified?
A little more than elsewhere, without disappearing. More than eight Belgian courts out of ten are red clay according to the RTBF, and that surface wears rubber far less than hard courts. The On's weak point, its 6.4/10 for durability, therefore weighs less there: both pairs will end through the foam, after 45 to 60 hours.
That leaves 45 to 60 cents more per hour for identical comfort.
Both models exist in a clay version. The Vapor 12 was recorded in that version at Tennis-Point.be, Passasports, TennisDirect.be, Zalando and on nike.com/be. The Pro 3 Clay was recorded at Passasports and TennisDirect.be; the Tennis-Point.be listing is an all-court version. Check the surface before ordering: the two outsoles are not interchangeable.
On carpet, neither is suitable. You need a completely smooth outsole.
Nike, Adidas or On: which speed shoe lasts longest for the price?
Nike, with two models out of four.
| Model and average recorded price | Durability | Cost per hour of play |
|---|---|---|
| Nike Vapor Pro 3, around €117 | 8.6/10 | €1.95 to €2.60 |
| Nike Vapor 12, around €159 | 7.2/10 | €2.65 to €3.55 |
| Adidas Adizero Ubersonic 5, around €116 | 5.5/10 | €1.95 to €2.60 |
| On THE ROGER Pro 3, around €187 | 6.4/10 | €3.10 to €4.15 |
The Adizero Ubersonic 5 is the useful benchmark. At €150 list price, it slots between the two models in this duel, then sells for around €116. It weighs 388 g and locks the heel well, but RunRepeat finds its cushioning almost non-existent, and its outsole is the lowest rated of the four.
The Vapor Pro 3 costs the same per hour as the Adidas and scores 3.1 points more for durability. It gives up 0.4 points of comfort to the Vapor 12 and to the On.
Which pair for your case?
| Your case | The pair | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You take the ball early and come to the net | Nike Vapor 12 | 9.4/10 for grip, 9.3 for lightness |
| You drag your toe on the serve | Nike Vapor 12 | moulded PU on the toe cap and inner edge |
| Budget capped at €160 | Nike Vapor 12 | €159.99 list price, around €159 recorded |
| Three sessions a week on hard courts or indoors | Nike Vapor Pro 3 | 8.6/10 for durability, around €117 |
| Wide forefoot | On THE ROGER Pro 3, to be tried on | standard fit, where the Vapor 12 is snug |
| Mostly red clay, and you want that foam | On THE ROGER Pro 3 Clay | the surface spares its rubber, comfort of 8.8/10 |
Verdict: €50 more for a foam, not for hours
To place the Vapor 12 against its other rivals, two duels exist: Vapor 12 vs Asics Solution Speed FF 4 and Vapor 12 vs Adidas Barricade 14. The overall ranking sets the four models cited here against the rest of the market, and the comparison tool lines them up criterion by criterion.
Sources
- Tennis Warehouse, Nike Zoom Vapor 12 review
- RunRepeat, Nike Vapor 12
- Tennis Companion, Nike Vapor 12 review
- Nike Belgium, Vapor 12 hard court
- Tennis Warehouse, On THE ROGER Pro 3 listing
- Tennisnerd, launch of THE ROGER Pro 3
- On Belgium, THE ROGER range
- Gear Patrol, On Roger Pro review (1st generation)
- RunRepeat, Adidas Adizero Ubersonic 5
- RunRepeat, Nike Vapor Pro 3
- AAPSM, when to replace athletic shoes
- RTBF, clay at the heart of Belgian tennis
Your questions
Frequently asked questions
Nike Vapor 12 or On THE ROGER Pro 3: which should you choose?
The Nike Vapor 12 for most players: 9.2/10 overall against 8.2, better grip, a better-rated outsole (7.2 against 6.4) and €28 less at the prices recorded in Belgium. THE ROGER Pro 3 holds its own if you want its Helion HF foam and play mostly on red clay.
How much do the Nike Vapor 12 and the On THE ROGER Pro 3 cost in Belgium?
€159.99 at list price for the men's Vapor 12 on nike.com/be and €210 for THE ROGER Pro 3 on On's European sites. The average prices recorded between June and September 2026 are around €159 and €187, or €2.65 to €3.55 and €3.10 to €4.15 per hour of play.
How good is the On THE ROGER Pro 3 in 2026?
It is a comfortable, expensive speed shoe: 8.2/10 overall, 8.8 for comfort thanks to the Helion HF foam, an 8 mm drop, 428 g in men's US 10.5. Its durability is rated 6.4/10, with no wear test with figures and no outsole warranty identified.
Nike, Adidas or On: which brand lasts longest for the price in a speed shoe?
Nike. The Vapor Pro 3 scores 8.6/10 for durability at around €117, the Vapor 12 7.2/10 at €159. The Adidas Adizero Ubersonic 5, at around €116, is rated 5.5/10, and the On THE ROGER Pro 3, at around €187, 6.4/10.
Which is more comfortable, the Vapor 12 or THE ROGER Pro 3?
They are level in our scores, at 8.8/10. The Vapor 12 relies on an Air Zoom unit in the heel, THE ROGER Pro 3 on Helion HF foam and the Speedboard plate. The On has a standard fit, the Nike is snug in width.
Are On tennis shoes worth the price?
For comfort, yes: 8.8/10 for THE ROGER Pro 3. For lifespan, no: 6.4/10 for durability at €210 list price, the highest price in our database of 37 models. Per hour of play, it costs 45 to 60 cents more than a Nike Vapor 12.
Do the Vapor 12 and THE ROGER Pro 3 come in a clay version?
Yes, both. The clay Vapor 12 was recorded at Tennis-Point.be, Passasports, TennisDirect.be, Zalando and on nike.com/be. THE ROGER Pro 3 Clay was recorded at Passasports and TennisDirect.be; the Tennis-Point.be listing is an all-court version.
