adidas adiPURE Shoe Review
Upsides
- Comfort
- Traction
- Durability
Downsides
- Narrow width
- Weight
| adidas adiPURE Shoe Scores | |
|---|---|
| Comfort | 4.0 |
| Ventilation | 3.4 |
| Arch Support | 3.8 |
| Foot Support/Stability | 3.7 |
| Overall Sole Durability | 4.5 |
| Toe Durability | 4.3 |
| Traction | 3.9 |
| Weight | 3.5 |
| Overall | 3.8 |
When the word 'pure' comes to mind, I think of a wholesome, clean and virtuous design. When the word 'pro' comes to mind, I think of mastered footwork and explosive on court movement. Put them together and you get a performance shoe for the player wanting a classic look -- in essence, the adidas adiPURE Pro.
To test the feel and performance of this luxury performance shoe, with its full-grain leather uppers and adiPRENE cushioning, we sent our playtest team to the courts for three weeks. Did the shoe match up to its given name? Read on to find out.
Comfort - Score: 4.0
Both adiPRENE and adiPRENE+ ensure heel-to-toe cushioning and shock absorption in the adiPURE Pro. It took a slight break-in period to get the maximum comfort from the full-grain leather uppers. Wanting more padding from the uppers was Eileen, who said, "The shoe had good cushioning around the ankle and heel, but I think I would prefer a little more on the side of the shoe. I felt a little stiffness in the front of my foot during play."
Kana had a problem with the width, but she could tell they provided excellent cushioning, stating, "My initial impression was how narrow the shoe was. I would've automatically returned this one and chosen a wider fitting shoe. Because I have wide feet, these shoes felt very constraining in the forefoot section, specifically the front area of the 3-stripes and torsion system. I felt a little bit of bruising the first few times playing in them, and my big toe knuckle rubbed against the first right eyelet. After I broke them in the material became much softer. The spots on my foot that were being rubbed and pinched weren't anymore. I could tell how they could be very comfortable for players with narrow feet, but I needed a much longer break-in period to make them comfortable."
Suzie found the comfort was her favorite aspect of the shoe. She said, "When I first put the shoes on I felt like they were very stiff, and during my first couple of hits I felt uncomfortable moving in them. My feet were rubbed by the inside of the shoes a bit. However, once I broke them in they were much more flexible, very comfortable, and the rubbing issue had gone away. I absolutely loved the cushioning."
Ventilation - Score: 3.4
Suzie felt the full grain leather offered the comfort, but not the ventilation, she hoped for, saying, "I wasn't as pleased with the ventilation as I would have liked. My feet would get sweaty pretty quickly and I couldn't wait to take my shoes off after a hit or match. I think it partly had to do with the leather, which made the shoes super comfortable, but not as ventilated as I would have liked."
Kana said, "It wasn't the hottest shoe I've worn, but it wasn't the most breathable. The mesh tongue contributed a lot to the ventilation. They could've added a little more mesh, but that would've taken away from the classic look these shoes offer."
Eileen had a differing opinion from the others, saying, "The shoes had great ventilation throughout play. My feet were comfortable and dry after each time playing."
Arch Support - Score: 3.8
The medium arch support sat a little forward for two of our testers and drew a mixed review from our team. Kana felt the arch support improved over time, saying, "The arch support was a little high and a tad bit forward, but after the break-in it flattened and molded to my feet to where it didn't feel out of place. It became more comfortable as time went on."
Suzie had similar sentiments. She said, "The arch support sat a little forward for me and it was a little high off the ground. But when I got used to them my arches felt very supported."
Eileen, who has a narrow foot with a medium arch, wanted more. She said, "The arch was a bit too flat for me. Overall it was okay, but I would prefer just a little higher arch."
Foot Support/Stability - Score: 3.7
The TPU torsion system provided the stability Kana needed. She said, "The torsion system and 3-stripes made the shoe very stable, specifically in the mid-foot section. The shoe felt like it had a higher ride in the back, but the heel fit was snug and secure, so I didn't feel like I was going to roll over."
Eileen also felt stable in the heel, as she stated, "The support around my ankles was great, but I felt movement in the front of the shoe. My feet were sliding forward during play."
Lateral stability seemed to lack for Suzie, who said, "The lateral stability is the only thing I had a problem with. I did not feel as much support in my ankles as I would have liked. I was worried that I could roll my ankle when I was moving side to side. However, moving forward and backwards I felt very supported."
Sole Durability - Score: 4.5
adidas has always shown exemplary outsole durability in it's shoe lines. The adiWEAR6 rubber held up to the team's expectations. Eileen said, "There's no wear showing at all on the sole. They are nice and durable, but they still feel very light."
Suzie, putting in a lot of hours with the local Division I college players, stated, "I have worn them for over 20 hours and still have not seen any wear."
Kana agreed with the others, saying, "It just looks like I've walked around with them. There's no wear to be seen."
Toe Durability - Score: 4.3
With plenty of adiTUFF on the medial side of the forefoot and toe area, the adiPure Pros ensure maximum durability. Eileen said, "The toe area has held up well, you can see marks from the court where I drag my toe, but the shoe has held up great."
Feedback was the same for Suzie, as she stated, "The adiTUFF really helps for toe dragging. There's no wear showing so far.
Traction - Score: 3.9
Playing mostly on TW's grippy indoor court, Kana felt satisfied with the traction. She said, "Right out of the box the traction felt great. I felt confident running around because I wasn't afraid of slipping or losing my footing on the court. After 10 plus hours of play the grip is still just as good from when I first put them on."
Eileen was also impressed, saying, "There's plenty of traction and grip with this sole."
Suzie was satisfied with the traction. She said, "The shoes had really good traction. I felt they didn't slip out from underneath me when I changed direction quickly forwards and backwards."
Weight - Score: 3.5
Although, the adiPURE Pro weighs in heavier than past shoes she's tested, Eileen felt at home with the weight, saying, "The weight was just right. It was easy to start, stop, and change directions. The weight of the shoe was similar to shoes I already wear."
Feeling like the shoe was on the heavier side was Suzie. She said, "The shoes were too heavy for me. I like shoes on the lighter spectrum and would have liked these shoes to be a bit lighter."
Agreeing with her was Kana, saying, "This was a little heavier than some of the shoes I've playtested, but they didn't feel bulky on the court. They felt very maneuverable, but I wouldn't have minded if they were a little lighter."
Overall - Score: 3.8
With full-grain leather uppers, the adiPURE Pro lives up to its name with a traditional feel and a performance inspired ride. The classic and clean styling makes it easy to match the shoes with a variety of outfits. On court our team found the cushioning, traction and durability to be the standout features. With a fit on the narrow side and a generous arch support, the fit favors those with narrower feet, as well as players seeking a glove-like fit. Our testers with wider feet found comfort to come after a more substantial break-in period. Support and stability were on par with other performance shoe offerings, but the shoe offers a softer ride than the adidas Barricade line. If you are seeking a classic look without sacrificing modern performance, these might be the shoes for you.
Likes
Eileen "The weight was great and I liked the cushioning around the ankle. They felt light during play, but proved durable in the upper and outsole.
Kana "The amount of cushioning felt just right."
Suzie "I loved the cushioning and comfort in these shoes, and I felt a lot of support and stability when I played."
Dislikes
Eileen "From my arch forward, the shoe felt too narrow. I would prefer a little more cushioning in this area. I felt like my foot was sliding forward and hitting the front of the shoe during play."
Kana "The ventilation could've been better, but more importantly, the shoe was too narrow for my foot, which was disappointing as I could tell I would've rated it higher if it was a little wider."
Suzie "I would have liked the shoes to be more breathable and a little bit lighter."
Compared the adidas adiPURE Shoe to other shoes they've worn, our testers said:
Eileen "I prefer the Adidas Barricade 6.0 to this shoe because of the overall fit. The Barricade 6.0 has a wider front foot area with better cushioning. The arch on this shoe was too low for me and I prefer a higher arch. This shoe felt narrow and flat."
Kana "Compared to other adidas shoes, the adiPURE Pro followed the adidas trend of being very stable, but needing a long break-in period. It seems they aim for the narrow to slightly less than medium foot width, which makes it difficult for me to score their shoes higher, as I'm just not made for that fit."
Suzie "I was extremely pleased with the cushioning and comfort. I liked the fit, especially since I have narrow to medium feet. The only thing I preferred in other shoes were the weight and the ventilation."
Playtester Foot Types:
Eileen - Narrow width/Medium arch
Suzie - Wide width/Medium arch
Kana - Wide width/Low arch
Review date: March 2011. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.
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