Details
Brand
Adidas
Heel To Toe Drop
10 mm
Breathability
8/10
Latest Version
Yes
Terrain
Road
Type
Neutral
Key Features
• SUPERCLOUD midsole cushioning• Fused tongue helps create a sock like fit• Mesh overlays• Mesh upper• Waffle patterned outsole helps distribute weight and lessens impact forces• Ortholite sockliner
Upper
The Adidas Falcon Elite 5’s upper has been significantly revamped. For starters, the look of the upper has been drastically changed. The synthetic overlays of the previous version have been removed. Replacing them is another mesh layer which makes the shoe much more breathable. The tongue of the shoe has been fused to the upper which helps to create a sock -like fit. In addition, the added heel tab makes putting on and removing the shoe a breeze.;The stretchy upper makes the shoe fit comfortably but snugly. Inside the shoe, you’ll find an OrthoLite sock liner which provides extra padding and helps to wick away moisture creating a dryer environment when runners are faced with rainy conditions. Most reviewers were pleased with the new fused tongue and heel tab. They felt that putting on the shoe was much easier. For those with wider feet, the task was a bit more arduous, though.
Midsole
The midsole of the Adidas Falcon Elite 5 has been changed a bit. A new addition to the midsole is the SUPERCLOUD material which enhances the shoe’s energy-return and makes the shoe very comfortable to wear. The solid cushioning provided by the material helps ensure a supportive base.;The well-padded ride was lauded by many reviewers. The majority of runners who tried the shoe felt that the cushioning was very plush. The full-length cushion offers ample shock protection and reviewers were very happy with the shoe’s highly cushioned midsole. Many described the padding as “pillow-like”. Runners who prefer more rigid cushioning may want to steer away from the Falcon Elite 5.
Outsole
The Adidas Falcon Elite 5’s outsole is composed of uniformly flat lugs organized in a waffle-like pattern. This pattern helps to distribute the impact of each footfall. It also helps to create a stable base for the wearer. The outsole is made of a flexible rubber that helps promote natural movement of the foot. The rubber material is intended to enhance durability as well. The shoe is intended for road running and the Falcon Elite 5’s outsole should keep up with your heavy pavement pounding without a hitch. The outsole remains fairly similar to the previous version, so no important updates to comment on here. This fifth iteration of the model provides the same solid outsole construction.
Breathability
The Adidas Falcon Elite 5 is made of mesh which helps maintain a breathable environment for the wearer’s foot. The design is intended to keep a runner’s feet from overheating. The removal of the bulky synthetic overlays has improved the shoe’s ability to ventilate. The overlays have been replaced with another mesh layer which not only reduces the weight of the shoe but helps to keep the wearer’s foot cool and dry.
Comfort
The Adidas Falcon Elite 5 is a well-cushioned neutral trainer. The ample full-length midsole cushion does a good job at providing comfortable padding underfoot. The SUPERCLOUD midsole material is soft and offers a plush ride for wearers. Most runners were extremely pleased with the comfort of the Falcon Elite 5.;Unfortunately, quite a few runners found that although the midsole provided great impact protection, the toe box was much too narrow. This too-snug fit made the shoe feel uncomfortable, especially towards the end of a run when the foot has swollen in a size a bit. Going up a half size may be necessary for runners who prefer more wiggle room in the forefoot.
Style
The Adidas Falcon Elite 5 is a super stylish shoe. In fact, many reviewers commented that they picked the Falcon Elite 5 specifically as a casual wear shoe because they really liked its style. The shoe offers up a sleek, modern design that is versatile enough to wear on the track and out for errands. It’s easy to picture this shoe being worn in the workplace without a strict dress code. These are definitely meant to be worn by the fashion conscious.
Durability
The Adidas Falcon Elite 5 is a durable shoe that is meant to last for several hundred miles of training. Its durable outsole is organized in a waffle-like pattern to help distribute the impact of each footfall minimizing sole’s the wear and tear. The Falcon Elite 5 shoes have a lot of life in them. Paired with the stylish design and affordable price tag this particular Adidas model offers up superb value. These will hold up for miles of training.
Protection
The Adidas Falcon Elite 5 is a solid neutral trainer. Runners will feel well-protected in the shoe whether they’re running a 5K or a marathon. The shoe looks a lot like a fashion sneaker, but it packs a lot of midsole cushioning that’s built to last. The SUPERCLOUD midsole material is distributed the full-length of the shoe and helps to protect the wearer’s joints from the impact of running.;Runners who are worried about the sport’s effect on their joints should rest assured when running in the Falcon Elite 5. The cushioning is not only comfortable, it also delivers supportive padding underfoot.
Responsiveness
The Adidas Falcon Elite 5 contains SUPERCLOUD midsole cushioning which offers up plush, comfortable cushioning and great energy return. The rubber outsole also provides a modicum of responsiveness. The majority of runners were very happy with the shoe’s ground-feel. The ride is well cushioned but still feels snappy.
Support
The Adidas Falcon Elite 5 offers the same amount of support at the previous iteration. The neutral trainer features a grippy outsole which provides a supportive base upon which runners can feel stable. The SUPERCLOUD midsole cushioning provides another layer of support for the wearer. The upper, free from synthetic overlays, provides a snug and secure fit which helps to stabilize the wearer. The new fused tongue helps to create a locked-in feel and sock-like fit enhancing the overall support of the shoe.
Terrain
The Adidas Falcon Elite 5 is definitely a road shoe. You won’t be taking these off-road very often but that’s fine since you likely won’t want to get them dirty. They look too good to get them caked with mud !;Just because the Falcon Elite 5 isn’t meant for trails, doesn’t mean you can’t hit a hard packed urban trail once in a while. Just use caution. The shoes perform well on pavement and will handle miles of pounding the road without a problem. The rubber waffle patterned outsole helps to distribute the impact of each footfall so hard pavement shouldn’t be a problem when running in the Falcon Elite 5.
Price
The Adidas Falcon Elite 5 retails just above $100. The shoe remains a very affordable option. The shoe is super stylish and can be worn outside of training. Other similar fashion-oriented trainers retail for a lot more and comparatively these are a bargain. They look just as good as similarly styled shoes but they’re a fraction of the price. They’re not just good-looking, though. They offer up very comfortable cushioning in a well-fitting package. Most wearers were very happy with the value of their purchase and felt the price tag was more than fair.
Drop
The Adidas Falcon Elite 5 has a heel to toe drop of 10mm. It doesn’t feel high off the ground, though. So runners won’t feel unstable when running in the shoe. The SUPERCLOUD cushioning is concentrated in the heel of the shoe which makes the Falcon Elite 5 a heel-strikers oriented shoe. Still, the shoe is a good choice for forefoot strikers as well thanks to its ample full-length cushion. Even with a 10mm drop and a well-cushioned midsole, the shoe provides good ground-feel.
Stability
The Adidas Falcon Elite 5 is a neutral shoe so it does not have the medial post seen in most stability shoes. Instead, the wearer is made to feel stable in other ways. The outsole provides traction which helps to keep the wearer grounded and moving forward. Unfortunately, the Falcon Elite 5 performs poorly in wet weather. Some runners were left feeling uncertain of their footing when heading out for rainy day runs in the Falcon Elite 5. Thankfully, in dry weather, the shoe performs quite well. The upper’s mesh overlay provides a sock-like fit which keeps the wearer locked into the shoe.
Flexibility
The Adidas Falcon Elite 5’s outsole is composed of rubber that is quite flexible. This helps to promote natural foot movement. Most reviewers were quite happy with the shoe’s pliability. The shoe did not require a break-in period and felt nice and flexible right off the bat. The shoe’s flexibility doesn’t mean that it’s not supportive, though. The heel cushioning is quite rigid and helps to provide support underfoot.
Traction
The Adidas Falcon Elite 5 has an outsole that features a fairly flat tread pattern. The lugs do have some texture to them so they provide some degree of traction when running on pavement.;A huge issue that quite a few reviewers noticed when wearing the Falcon Elite 5 was its poor performance in wet weather. The shoe does a bad job of gripping wet surfaces and runners felt unstable when running on rainy days. The water even seemed to degrade the shoe’s material. This is definitely a major downside of the Adidas Falcon Elite 5.
Bottom Line
The Adidas Falcon Elite 5 remains a solid neutral trainer. The various updates to the shoe help bring it up another level. A few tweaks to the upper have reduced the weight and enhanced comfort. The improved fused tongue was a hit with many reviewers and helped create a better fit than with previous versions of the shoe. The SUPERCLOUD cushion also got a hugely positive response from reviewers. Wearers described the ride in the Falcon Elite 5 as ‘Pillow-like’. A few minor adjustments could still be made to bump the Falcon Elite 5 to near-perfect.;Shaving off a little more weight might be worthwhile and a wider toe-box would likely be well-received by even the most loyal Falcon Elite fans. The aesthetic alone of the shoe has made it a hit among runners and non-runners alike. Paired with a fairly low price tag, the Elite 5 is the perfect option for runners who want supportive cushioning and style in one package.
