Details
Brand
Adidas
Heel To Toe Drop
N/A
Breathability
10/10
Latest Version
Yes
Terrain
Road
Type
Neutral
Key Features
• Flexible knit upper design• Adaptive fit• Slip-on design• Supportive and durable leather heel cup• Stripe pattern acts like an overlay to deliver support• Thick midsole with foam cushioning• Durable, reinforced toe box area• Ortholite sock liner for wicking moisture
Upper
The upper on this Adidas brand shoe is composed of a flexible knit material. The upper features an adaptive fit, so it flexes and adjusts accordingly depending on the wearer. The slip-on design makes it easy to pop on or off. In addition, the back of the shoe features a leather heel cup. An Adidas trio stripe pattern actually connects to the laces for a highly adjustable fit. In the front of the shoe, there’s a reinforced toe box and inside there’s an anti-microbial Ortholite liner. Reviewers did find the shoe felt a bit narrow compared to other Adidas brand shoes, but did note that the construction – particularly the upper – felt quite durable. Some felt the shoe opening was a bit small and that even with the slip-on design, it was tough to quickly get the shoe on in a hurry. Users did, however, like the flexible upper construction.
Midsole
Despite the fact that the Prophere looks like it has some kind of Boost midsole, it does not. Instead, the shoe features a thick midsole foam cushioning which is clearly visible just by looking at the shoe. Reviewers found the cushioning comfortable but not better than Adidas’ popular Boost midsole material. Some reviewers even felt there wasn’t enough cushioning in the midsole. It might work as a low mileage shoe but it’s not a good choice for runners. It’s best for those who want an everyday fashion sneaker or gym goers looking for a comfortable footwear option.
Outsole
The Adidas Prophere features a fairly basic outsole design. In fact, it’s what makes this shoe a poor choice for running. The outsole is not well-designed for running and according to reviewers, is incredibly slippery. If you run mainly indoors on the treadmill, these might work, but they’re not at all suitable for long distance training. Poor traction was one of the biggest concerns that users had when it came to the Prophere.
Breathability
The knit upper and adaptive fit help to ensure a breathable sneaker. Some reviewers did note that the shoe felt narrow but otherwise, there were no obvious complaints about the shoe’s ability to ventilate. The upper is nice and flexible to ensure that all foot types have the room they need to move and breathe during activity.
Comfort
While most reviewers found the Prophere comfortable, the biggest complaint from reviewers was about the sizing. The majority of reviewers had something negative to say about the shoe’s fit. Most found the Prophere much too big and many were required to size down significantly. With the right fit, however, reviewers did like the flexible accommodating upper. Many reviewers weren’t impressed with the cushioning (when comparing it to Boost cushioning) but for most the foam midsole felt just fine.
Style
The Prophere is all about style. In fact, most reviewers purchased the shoe for style purposes, not as a workout shoe. The design of the shoe is quite unique. The Prophere combines retro and modern to brings Adidas fans a fresh twist. The thick chunky midsole stands out significantly and instead of loud branding, the shoe incorporates the Adidas stripe pattern via the lacing system. Instead of overlays, the trio of stripes helps provide support. The shoe comes in a slew of colors for both men and women including a light grey, speckled black, teal, black, and brown.
Durability
Reviewers agreed that despite its flaws, the Prophere appears to be a very durable sneaker. The flexible knit upper is anything but weak and flimsy. At the front of the shoe, an often weak spot in sneakers and running shoes, the material has been reinforced to ensure protection against wear and tear. Other construction details such as a leather heel cup and thick, sturdy midsole piece, ensure that the Prophere can handle wear and tear. Reviewers appreciated the quality design but since the Prophere is fairly new to the market, there aren’t that many observations from reviewers about durability just yet.
Protection
The Prophere isn’t built with protection from impact in mind. The thick midsole foam offers standard protection, though nothing out of the ordinary. The rest of the shoe features a quality build, but overall, the focus is really on style. Users likely won’t find the shoe useful for a long distance training, neither is it a top choice for gym workouts.
Responsiveness
Unlike Boost cushioning, the foam midsole in the Prophere isn’t particularly responsive. Reviewers also pointed out that the sole of the shoe felt harder than they expected, which helped with support but didn’t aid with energy-return.
Support
The hard sole of the Prophere provides a bit of support. The upper stripe design also acts in place of overlays to provide support. The shoe also features a fairly narrow fit which some reviewers complained about. The narrow fit does help to ensure the foot will not slide around inside, but for wide feet, this slim fit is a little too restrictive. Thankfully, the flexible upper helps make the fit a bit more accommodating for different foot shapes. Don’t assume the shoe will stretch out, though.
Terrain
One of the biggest issues with the Adidas Prophere is its very slick outsole. The standard design is uniformly flat and not very sticky. Reviewers disliked how slippery the outsole felt on all types of surfaces. Even indoors, the shoe does tend to slide around quite a bit. This isn’t what you want for any type of physical activity. This is one of the biggest reasons why the Prophere is a poor choice for running or any kind of workout. It might be fine for simple gym-based workouts, but any kind of aerobics class or activity with a lot of foot movement won’t feel comfortable with the Prophere. Really, this attractive shoe was built more for style than anything else.
Price
The Prophere features a lower price point than other Adidas shoes because it lacks the comfy, ultra responsive Boost cushioning. Unfortunately, the lower price point didn’t seem worth it to many reviewers who say they would have prefered paying more for the more comfortable Boost cushioning. The shoe is, however, very attractive, so it definitely scores top points for style. For those happy to spend money on a shoe simply for fashion, the Adidas Prophere is definitely worth the price. The design is unlike anything else out there and it’s hard to argue that the shoe looks darn good.
Drop
There’s no information about the Prophere’s drop height, although it looks to be fairly standard. Users had no complaints about the heel to toe drop.
Stability
The Prophere does not feature any stability components. The Adidas stripe logo does attach to the shoe’s laces to help with a stable locked in fit. The leather heel cup is another source of stability in the shoe. Users also noted that the midsole was fairly rigid, which helped cement them and stabilize them. Unfortunately, since traction is so bad in the Prophere, this reduces stability significantly. The slippery sole makes the rest of the shoe quite unstable.
Flexibility
The Adidas shoe features a flexible, accommodating upper but the rest of the shoe is fairly rigid. Users pointed out that the midsole felt stiff – which helped with support, but felt a little aggressive.
Traction
Reviewers had nothing nice to say about the Prophere’s outsole. The flat design equals terrible traction, which reviewers were not impressed with. The result is a slippery outsole that grips badly on all types of surfaces. For workout purposes, this is bad news. A slippery sole is the opposite of what you want for running workouts. For walking around in ideal conditions, though, the Prophere is just fine.
Bottom Line
Bottom line is that the Adidas Prophere is a super stylish, eye-catching fashion sneaker. It has a few problems. Its sizing is way off, has a bit of a narrow fit, and provides subpar traction. Some reviewers also felt the lack of Boost cushioning was a major downside of the Prophere. The midsole just doesn’t feel as nice as other Boost-filled Adidas brand shoes.;However, no Boost means the Prophere costs a lot less. For the price point, fashion-obssesed wearers will appreciate the ultra-trendy design. The shoe is also built with quality materials and the upper fit is comfortable (as long as you get the sizing right). For everyday wear, the Prophere is a fairly comfortable option with major style. Easy to wear with any outfit, the Adidas shoe comes in plenty of gorgeous colors to accentuate your wardrobe.
