Do-Win vs Adidas Adipower 2 Weightlifting Shoes
My first pair of weightlifting shoes was a pair of Adidas Adistar 2000 Wood Sole Shoes. I wore those shoes until the shoe literally, after 15 years, disintegrated from the heel. They came with me every step of my career and lifted in 6 different weight rooms. I loved those shoes.
Since those shoes have fallen apart and considering Adidas stopped making them about 12 years ago, I’ve been searching for a new favorite weightlifting shoe. Based on some recommendations from some friends I picked up a pair of Do-Win Weightlifting Shoes a few years back and, more recently, a pair of Adidas Adipower 2.
I’m going to do my best to compare and contrast the two different shoes, both pros and cons of each. My hope is if you’re deciding between the two, then this article will go a long way in helping you make your decision.
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Do-Win vs Adipower
First, just the straight specs of each shoe:
| Spec | Do-Win | Adidas |
| Heel Material | Hard Plastic | TPU Wedge Midsole |
| Heel Height | 0.75″ | 20.1mm (0.791″) |
| Shoe Material | Synthetic Leather and Nylon Mesh | Woven Textile Upper |
| Straps | 2 Metatarsal Straps | 2 Metatarsal Straps |
| Price | Reg $105 (currently $95 at Rogue.com) | Reg $170 (currently $119 at Adidas.com) |
Fit and Feel
The fit and feel of the two shoes, in my opinion, is the biggest difference between them.
Starting with the Do-Wins, they have a much more flexible and relaxed feel. The thing I like about Do-Win is they feel to me like a tennis shoe with a heel lift. They are not overly rigid or tight.
Do-Wins are designed for a wider foot. This is by design, they say so themselves on their product description.
For me, I have to pull the laces to the point where the two sides of the laces are basically touching each other. I have a slightly narrow foot, but not overly so. If you actually do have a narrow foot you may find it hard to get Do-Wins to get snug enough for you. In fact, I wouldn’t recommend anyone with a narrow foot of getting Do-Wins unless you try them on first.
On the other hand, the Adipower Weightlifting II Shoes are a bit stiffer through the upper. They also have a lot more cushion throughout the inner heel of the shoe and through the midfoot. This extra cushion envelopes the foot and creates a really snug fit. My foot feels much more ‘locked in’ to my Adipowers.
All this extra cushion also creates more heat. I can tell a difference in temperature between the two shoes. The extra warmth from the Adipowers is not enough to bother me, so I don’t necessarily see it as a negative, but it is noticeable.
I know that review articles like this typically give you a “winner” for different categories, but there is no real “winner” when it comes to fit and feel. The winner here really comes down to personal preference.
If you’ve never worn lifting shoes before or are a casual lifter who wants to give lifting shoes a try, I’d recommend the Do-Wins. If you have a wider foot I’d also suggest giving the Do-Wins a try.
If you are a more serious Olympic lifter and you’ve worn lifting shoes before you’re more likely to like the feel of the Adidas Adipowers.
Heel
I was actually surprised when I looked up the actual specs for each shoe. I would have thought for sure that the heel lift in the Adipowers would be significantly higher than the Do-Win. For some reason, I’ve always thought the heel on Do-Wins was less pronounced.
While technically they are a bit higher (.04 of an inch), the heel feels higher. The heel also feels more rigid than the Do-Win’s as well.
Durability
It’s hard to give you a definite on durability because in my mind, unless you’ve worn a shoe until the bitter end, how can you give an absolute answer on durability? I can tell you that a pair of Adidas Adistars will last you for twenty years of lifting before they come apart at the seams. But, what about these two shoes?
The Do-Wins I’ve had for close to three years and while they obviously don’t look brand new anymore, they still look and function great. I’ve had no issues with the soles. The upper, made of a combination of leather and mesh, still looks great with no issues. Even smaller components like the straps and strap buckles are still intact and working great.
I’ve had the Adidas Adipowers for about a month now. They still look like they just came out of the box.
There is really no way to tell at this point how durable the Adipowers will be, but based on my last pair of Adidas lifting shoes I have a good feeling these are going to last awhile.
Price
This is really where the Do-Wins excel. You can pick up a pair of the Do-Win Weightlifting Shoes on Rogue for under $100. The lower price tag definitely makes Do-Wins the best budget weightlifting shoe. For less than $100 you can get a quality, durable weightlifting shoe. That’s hard to do.
The Adidas Adipower Weightlifting II normally has a slightly higher price tag. Depending on the model (color scheme), a pair is going to run you somewhere between $150 and $200.
However, you can always check for sales. I happened to catch my Adipower 2s on sale on Adidas.com for $119. I had already been getting ready to spend the $180 for a pair and as soon as I saw the price drop it was a wrap. Really happy I didn’t hesitate because they’re back to regular price (at least at the time of this writing).
Other Reviews of the Do-Wins and Adipowers
Hopefully, this review has helped you make your decision between buying a pair of Do-Wins or the Adidas Adipower Weightlifting II.
However, I am only one person and you may want to see what other people have to say. I get that so I’ve taken the liberty of pulling the review scores of both shoes from Rogue.
The Adidas Adipower 2 has a 4.8 review score based on 13 reviews. I couldn’t help, but wonder – who didn’t give this shoe 5 stars and what was the issue? Basically, it was someone who felt the original Adipower 1 was a better shoe than the 2. I’ve not personally worn the 1, so I can’t say, but based on what is currently available these shoes are as good as you can get.
The Do-Win Classic Lifter has a 4.7 review score based on 287 reviews. I’m not surprised by the number of reviews with Do-Win being such a budget-friendly shoe. It really does make them a great first lifting shoe for someone not totally sure if a lifting shoe is right for them.
If you’re not sure if a lifting shoe is right for you, I detail the 3 reasons why you should wear weightlifting shoes here.
Final Thoughts
Both the Do-Wins and Adipowers are really solid lifting shoes. Which one is best for you really comes down to personal preferences.
Wide Foot – Do-Win
If you have a wider foot, then Do-Wins were literally made for you. If you have a narrow foot, go with the Adipower.
Snug Fit – Adipower
If you like the feel and stability of a snug, tight fit the Adipower is going to be the better choice. However, if you’re looking for a casual fit the Do-Win is the better choice.
Price – Do-Win
You can get a pair of Do-Wins for under $100 which is almost impossible to beat. If you can catch the Adipowers on sale they aren’t too far off.
Heel – Adipower
The heel lift feels more pronounced to me in the Adipower and a bit firmer so it gets the nod when it comes to heel.
Finally, I think both are really good shoes. But, if I could only pick one, which one would I pick?
The Adidas Adipower 2.
While Do-Win has its pros and it’s a great lifting shoe for the price, the Adidas Adipower 2 is the superior shoe in my opinion. It feels better made, the extra cushion provides extra stability and the heel lift is perfect. I really love my Adipowers and hopefully, they last me another 15 years like my Adistars did.
Stay Strong!
