Adizero Dropset Pro Review: A ‘Do-It-All’ Hybrid Training Shoe Built for Running & Gym Workouts
For everyday athletes dedicated to working on both their strength and speed, finding a single shoe to do it all can be one of the biggest obstacles for training and race day. While most shoes are designed primarily for either running or strength training, a growing category of hybrid training shoes aims to bridge the gap.
Adidas is one brand making big moves in the hybrid training shoe world and its latest drop could be just the shoe hybrid training enthusiasts have been asking for. Following on from the launch of the genre-bending Adidas Adizero Dropset Elite, a shoe built with elite hybrid athletes in mind, the Adizero Dropset Pro is a shoe for the rest of us. Whether you’re chasing a podium spot, looking to PB in a fitness race, or just love the hybrid training style, this take-down model promises to scratch the itch of both speed and strength in one shoe. But is this the right hybrid training shoe for you? I laced up the Adizero Dropset Pro to see if it’s worth adding to cart.
Using traditional running shoes for Hybrid racing
Hybrid training is certainly having its moment in the sun as fitness races like HYROX continue to grow in global popularity. Hybrid training isn’t exactly new, but the fitness racing phenomenon seemingly came out of nowhere. Besides the mixed modal demands of race day, the global phenomenon has also sparked an uptake in training workouts that incorporate both fast-paced interval running and functional training movements in one session.
The shift in training styles has left many athletes fumbling for the best shoes to train and race in. Because most fitness races focus so heavily on running, until now the trade off for most athletes has been speed over stability. Sports brands were left scrambling to offer solutions for hybrid athletes with options that always felt like a compromise. Until now, the choice for race day shoes came down to which racing shoe offered a suitable amount of grip for the sled push and pull stations.
It’s true, existing performance-based running shoes on the market were ticking the box for athletes with carbon plates and high stack heights heights to blast the interval runs and great grip for the sled stations. But, when it came to executing movements like the lunges, farmer’s carry, and wall balls, the lack of stability in traditional running shoes really threw a spanner in the works. For an elite hybrid racing athlete, these compromises aren’t a big deal. But, for plebs like me trying our utmost to enjoy the race while giving our best throughout, stability is key at these stations that came in the later part of a HYROX race.
A true hybrid shoe
When it comes to stability, the Adizero Dropset Pro knocks it out of the park. It’s well worth a look for those who don’t want to choose between speed and strength in their hybrid training or fitness race. It’s an excellent running shoe for the modern runner. Fitness racing aside, Adidas has done something that needed to happen by creating a very capable running and gym shoe in one package. While Adizero Dropset Elite might be too much of a good thing for the average everyday athlete, the Adizero Dropset Pro is a bit of a genius shoe in that it performs like a true hybrid shoe.
While the popularity of fitness races like HYROX are growing in popularity, many runners are also listening to the experts and doing more crosstraining and strength training in the gym. These days, most runners are heading into the gym on a regular basis and they’re realiasing that their running shoes aren’t quite cutting it in the gym for movements like deadlifts, lunges, and the like. It’s also true many runners also don’t want to go out and buy a specific, separate gym shoe. They’d much rather have a shoe that does it all, a shoe that you can run in, do some cross training and do strength work in. The Adizero Dropset Pro is brilliant for that.
How does the Adizero Dropset Pro perform?
I made sure to test the Adizero Dropset Pro in a range of different gym settings. From HYROX classes at smaller boutique gyms to solo hybrid training sessions at a commercial gym, I did my best to put the shoes through its paces. There’s no doubt, this shoe ticks the box massively in the gym. I also took the shoe for a spin on a few dedicated interval runs and tempo runs to see how it performs with no distractions.
The biggest takeaway for me in the gym is the stability of the shoe. The Adizero Dropset Pro features a 7mm drop with a stack height of 22mm in the forefoot and 29mm at the heel. Those specs don’t scream stability, but if you’re coming from a super shoe that is really bouncy and unstable, this will feel quite minimal compared to that experience. Typical racing shoes these days are closer to the 40mm mark when it comes to stack height so Adizero Dropset Pro is more pared down for sure.
Most importantly, I don’t feel like I’m wobbling around when doing lunges and farmer’s carries in the Adizero Dropset Pro, which is a big plus. On the wall balls you’ve got a stable base so I never feel like I’m tipping forward or losing my balance and I don’t feel my knees caving inward when fatigue sets in and I’m 70 wall balls deep.
The shoe features the Adidas Lightstrike Pro Foam (as seen across the speed-focused Adizero range) to provide super-lightweight cushioning and energy return to support a responsive performance experience on the runs. Rather than a single carbon plate running down the center of the shoe, the Adizero Dropset Pro features Adidas Energy rods that run in a tuning fork-like formation down either side of the shoe. This propulsion system is designed to support a smooth and fast heel-to-toe transition with their tuned stiffness aiding propulsion that provides an enhanced push off.
You can really feel the responsiveness with this propulsion system underfoot. The boost you get form these is wild at times and takes some getting used to as they are very bouncy. You get a really powerful push-off in these, so make sure you take your time breaking them in and getting your feet used to them before you go in guns blazing and are tempted to wear them every day. I found the Lightstrike Pro Foam propulsion system gives you a little extra oomph in the wall balls and burpee broad jumps too which is so nice to have.
The Energy Rods also help to stiffen and stablise the platform. Plus, to give you even more stability on top of what is already a super wide base, the shoe features generous foam side walls and the Lighttraxion rubber outsole has been brought up all the way on the later and medial side of the shoe to contain the foam and stabilise the mid foot and heel.
I found the Adizero Dropset Pro performed brilliantly on a range of different runs on the road and on the treadmill. I really like the lower stack one these but you don’t feel like they’re lacking cushion at all, they’re not super soft but give you just enough cushion and responsiveness. You do notice there’s not much stack under the toe, which takes some getting used to if you’re accustomed to running in high stack shoes, but I actually quite like that the lack of foam under the forefoot. It gives a more traditional, pared down feeling. That said, there is good cushioning through the forefoot, which you’ll appreciate if you’re a midfoot striker.
The shoe offers a really good blend of speed and cushion and you get a nice peppy ride thanks to the propulsive unit. It’s not a full plate, so if you like a more stripped down propulsive unit these may feel great for you. If you’re not a super fast runner, like me, these will feel more than enough for you. The outsole geometry is not as aggressive as the Evo SL for example, but there’s still enough toespring to make a difference.
Up to 10km in this shoe feels great and I particularly like using it on the treadmill. Where a very stacked shoe can feel a bit weird and unstable on the treadmill, the wide flat feel of the Adizero Dropset Pro makes it a really nice option for uptempo treadmill runs. Bottom line, they feel a lot more stable than a shoe like the Evo SL for example.
For a “gym” shoe, the Adizero Dropset Pro is very light, which is one of its strongest points. Weighing in at 180g (UK 6), these feel lightweight underfoot. Adidas has done some creative design to cut weight in the shoe as much as possible. The 2.6mm razor-thin Adizero sockliner helps minimise weight and maintain a low stack height, while also supporting ground feel and control during strength and functional movements. Even the grip has been engineered to reduce weight while maintaining functionality. The back portion of the outsole features the Adidas lightweight traction system (Lighttraxion) to help you stay fast on your feet during runs and more explosive movements. In the front of the shoe, performance on the sleds is prioritised with a heavier duty Continental rubber outsole.
Looking at the heel of the shoe, the Adizero Dropset Pro features a nice firm heel counter. You get lots of stability in the heel, with no heel slip on the sled push when using a runners knot. The traction performs well on the sled push, sled pull and the burpee broad jumps, and I never feel like my foot is sliding around in the shoe either. The shoe is a lot more comfortable and flexible than the more rigid traditional Dropset gym shoe. You get a more running shoe feel in the upper, thanks to the Climacool technology in the very breathable mesh upper. The tongue is also gusseted for comfort and the ankle collar feels plush and cushioned like a running shoe.
While running shoes tend to be more on the narrow side in the toe, there’s plenty of space in the toebox in the Adizero Dropset Pro. It’s not as wide as the traditional Dropset gym shoe, but it’s also not narrow. In terms of sizing, you can look at going with your usual Adidas size in these. If you have a pair of Evo SLs you can safely go with the same size in these. I’m a size 4.5 / 5.UK in Puma, Reebok and New Balance but in these I sized up to a 6UK.
Is the Adizero Dropset Pro right for you?
The Adizero Dropset Pro is a crosstraining shoe in the truest sense of the word. For me, it’s definitely the more sensible option for hybrid training and fitness racing than a max stack shoe. The shoe will most certainly be an interesting proposition for a lot of us who are looking for something that gives you the confidence to do everything you need to do in the gym. It works well on runs, does the Hyrox movements well and is super comfortable. The shoe fills that gap for someone, like me who dabbles in a lot of different training modalities.
As brilliant as this shoe is for workouts that mixed training modalities, I wouldn’t have the Adizero Dropset Pro as the only running shoe in my rotation. It’s not made for long runs and recovery runs at slower paces so if you do a lot of that I’d recommend investing in a max cushion shoe for your long runs and slower runs and the Adizero Dropset Pro for everything else.
The price of this new addition to the Dropset lineup is perhaps the most surprsing thing. At R2,999 they’re not as unattainable as the Adidas Adizero Dropset Elite. The Elites are not yet available in South Africa but comparing the Pro to the dollar price of the Elite at $270 you can see the price difference opens the Pro version up to a much broader audience.
I’m very impressed at what Adidas was able to do here at this price point. It feels like they took a more minimal running shoe and added some key support structures to it so it’s solid for functional training as well.
The Pro variant fits in well with the daily trainer price tag, whereas many of the other hybrid racing shoes on the market are quite pricey. At this price point, Adizero Dropset Pro seems to be the shoe that most people will want to gravitate towards. If you’re looking for a multitasking shoe with a lower stack that favours stability, then the Adidas Adizero Dropset Pro just might be your match.
The Adizero Dropset Pro is now available in South Africa online at Adidas.co.za.
