Adidas Adipower 2 Review (Fit, Performance, Value)
I’ve been wearing my Adidas Adipower 2s for almost two years now. As you might imagine, considering they’ve been my shoe of choice for that long, I’m a big fan of the Adipower 2 weightlifting shoe.
In this review I’ll tell all the reasons why I’ve stuck with my Adidas shoes for so long.
Overview
The Adidas Adipower Weightlifting II Shoes have been Adidas’ weightlifting shoe option for quite some time now, and for good reason. The Adipower II is a really high quality shoe.
It has a 20.1mm (0.79 inch) raised heel that creates the perfect lift and it has a very stable base. The Adipower snugs the foot, especially around the ankle without feeling suffocating.
Finally, as an added bonus, it’s a good looking shoe.
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Adidas Adipower II Review
Overall Look
There are two types of weightlifters when it comes to look. Lifters that want a simple, clean design that doesn’t really draw attention and those that want to make a statement with a bold, attention-grabbing shoe.
The Adidas Adipower II Weightlifting Shoes fall more into the former category. They currently have three different colors to choose from:
- White with Black trim
- Black with White trim
- Sky Rush with Cloud White and Shadow Navy trim
The white and black varieties have a pure Adidas look. Simple, clean and very sharp. The Sky Rush blue which is a bright blue (almost teal) is definitely more “noticeable”, but the design is the same.
Upper
The coolest part about the upper is that it’s made of 50% recycled content. Even better, you’d have no idea that was the case unless someone told you (like I did… just now).
The doesn’t feel stiff, but it holds it’s shape really well – even after hundreds of workouts.
The laces, strap and buckle have all held up well over the years and I’ve had zero issues with any of them.
Heel
The heel has a 20.1mm (0.79 inch) lift which is pretty standard for a weightlifting shoe.
The heel is a TPU heel meaning that it’s as dense as any material you’ll find in a weightlifting heel and it’s completely resistant to compression. This prevents force loss through the shoe when driving the foot into the floor. You can squat 1000 pounds and the heel isn’t going to budge.
Fit
The fit of the Adipower 2 is one of my favorite features of the shoe.
First off, the shoe fits true to size. I wear a 13 in a tennis shoe and dress shoe and these Adidas shoes were spot on size-wise.
Second, they thread the needle when it comes to being snug, but not suffocating. Having plenty of room for your toes without feeling loose and unstable.
My favorite part of the shoe is the extra reinforced padding around the heel. It really snugs the area just below the ankle and makes you feel really locked into the shoe. Even more impressively, that padding has not broken down the entire time I’ve used them. They feel the same today as they did two years ago.
Performance
My Adipower 2’s have been the best performing weightlifting shoe I’ve ever owned and I’ve owned quite a few pair.
The base of the shoe, including the heel, has good width and the shoe feels exactly stable. I always feel balanced and stable when wearing these shoes whether I’m doing Olympic lifts or squatting.
The snug fit of the shoe also makes my foot feel braced and very secure, but not in any way restricted.
Price / Value
The Adipower II come with about a $200 price tag. (Sometimes you can catch them on sale for about $180) This is obviously not cheap, but it’s also very comparable to many other weightlifting shoe competitors.
I also believe you have to look at cost a little differently with a weightlifting shoe. A good pair of running shoes may last you six months if you use them consistently. On the other hand, a good weightlifting shoe can last well over double that. Don’t forget to take that into consideration when assigning value.
Check out latest price on Amazon for Adidas Adipower Weightlifting II
Should You Buy the Adidas Adipower 2?
Ultimately, would I recommend others to buy a pair of Adipower 2s?
Absolutely.
I love my Adipower 2 shoes and even though I have other options to choose from (I also have a pair of Adidas Powerlift 4 as well as a set of Do-Wins), these quickly became my go-to shoe after I got them. Two years later and they’re really the only shoe I use every day.
