Details
Brand
Adidas
Heel To Toe Drop
N/A
Breathability
10/10
Latest Version
Yes
Terrain
Road
Type
Neutral
Key Features
• Lightweight and breathable upper made from Primeknit fabric• Highly compressed and stable EVA foam used in the midsole• Hard rubber outsole with grooves placed horizontally and vertically• Unknown weight and heel drop• Extremely flexible and responsive ride due to lighter weight• Meager stability provided by tight-fitting upper and comfortably rigid midsole
Upper
This is the part of these shoes that Adidas made the most drastic departure from a traditional footwear design, and it’s the part that is sure to attract the most attention from interested customers. In the same vein as Nike’s Flyknit upper material, Adidas’ Primeknit upper is made entirely from a woven synthetic fabric. The benefits to this material are manyfold, in addition to weighing less, this fabric allows for a tight yet comfortable fit while also wicking away moisture and facilitating excellent airflow to the rest of the shoe.
Midsole
While Adidas has taken a radical design departure in many aspects of these shoes, one area that has stayed relatively untouched is their midsole. This is for good reason since the design they’ve adopted is highly effective for essentially any midrange footwear. EVA foam is the key ingredient in the Swift Run’s midsole, which is sure to be a familiar sight to anyone who has worn a casual running shoe made by Adidas in the last five years. This is a pliable yet sturdy material that provides all of the needs demanded from a high-quality midsole without weighing down the entire shoe.
Outsole
The heaviest part of these running shoes can be found on the underfoot, serving as a sort of anchor to keep the rest of the Swift Run balanced properly. This is most visible in the design of this shoe’s outsole, which uses hard rubber to ensure durability and protection. This rubber material is then cut with several long grooves that allow for a bit of give, ensuring a small amount of flexibility and benefits to traction. Any shortcomings in regards to foot protection that may be caused by the lighter upper portion of these shoes has been compensated for adequately on the underfoot, thanks to this impressive outsole.
Breathability
Aside from a conveniently lighter weight, the next most attractive feature offered by Adidas’ Primeknit upper material is the increased breathability. Since it is made from textile, this upper already has a benefit over foam and synthetic-based uppers in terms of moisture management and ventilation. However, when considering the benefits of a woven knit pattern, these positive effects are further amplified. The result is a level of comfortable breathability that blows all other running shoes out of the water, with the exception of Nike ’s similarly designed Flyknit footwear.
Comfort
To ensure a comfortable ride from start to finish, Adidas implemented a few key design features to the Swift Run Primeknit. The most obvious feature is the use of Primeknit material, which provides a snug fit with fantastic breathability and a lighter weight. From these, Adidas implemented a soft and responsive EVA midsole that ensures the entire of the wearer’s sole is protected from shock and discomfort. These underfoot benefits are bolstered by the hard rubber outsole, which supplements the midsole through its impressive resiliency and protection on most casual walking and running terrains.
Style
As is custom from Adidas, these running shoes exude a sense of style that is difficult to find anywhere else. This brand has been known for their second-to-none fashion sense for decades, helping to define the hip-hop era. It is this sense of style that can be seen in these shoes, with an unconventional shape and design that is just familiar enough to be comfortable while being enough of a departure from conventional design to look appealing. Most retailers only list these shoes in black or white, however, shrewd shoppers may be able to find some rarer color variants such as rose gold.
Durability
Here’s where these running shoes begin to encounter some problems. Adidas stresses on their website that these shoes aren’t actually intended to be used as serious running shoes and states that they’re more in the genre of casual streetwear. This is how they can justify these shoes offering significantly less durability than their other running shoes. The average runner won’t need to worry about these shoes falling apart after a short jogging session on a sidewalk or treadmill. However, anything more intense is completely out of the question.
Protection
Another unfortunate drawback that comes with the use of woven fabric for these Adidas shoes is an inferior level of foot protection. The fact that this shoe’s upper doesn’t even completely cover the foot, leaving several small holes exposed due to its perforated style, should be evidence enough that these weren’t intended for protection. However, the bottom half of these shoes have been designed to provide the same level of protection that can be experienced in most other Adidas runners thanks to its EVA midsole cushioning and hard rubber outsole.
Responsiveness
Something that contributes greatly to this shoe’s overall responsiveness is its lighter weight, thanks to the use of Adidas’ Primeknit upper. Aside from this, the EVA foam used for the Swift Run’s midsole improves its response time dynamically, after absorbing the energy from each impact with the ground, it is then rebounded explosively to drive the next step forward. To be fair, the impact of this midsole is lessened since the nature of this shoe’s design is less for running and more for casual walking. However, enough responsiveness is there to provide an easy ride for most low to mid-intensity running sessions.
Support
Not much thought has been put into providing support with these Adidas shoes. It seems that the main focus of its design was on comfort, a lighter weight, and a fantastic sense of style, with support or stability being a bit of an afterthought. By no means does this mean that runners will receive no support whatsoever from these shoes. However, those with a tendency to experience injuries such as shin splints will likely want to invest in some orthotics for additional support.
Terrain
These shoes offer some protection from the elements thanks to a hard rubber outsole. The wearer’s foot is also defended to a degree thanks to the use of highly shock-absorbent EVA foam for the midsole. However, these Adidas shoes weren’t designed to be used on any terrain tougher than an asphalt road. In fact, these shoes weren’t really designed for running in the first place, having more of a focus on casual walking. Realistic expectations are necessary when using these shoes for any serious running.
Price
When considering the type of footwear the Adidas Swift Run falls into and the features present in its package, the price it is listed at currently can be justified as a good deal. Even the suggested retail price upon its launch was similarly reasonable. This shoe is in the same price range as a mid-range running shoe or high-end casual street shoe. This means that an individual shouldn’t feel cheated if they spend full price on this product. However, when comparing these shoes with some other running footwear options on the market, it may be tough to justify this purchase. With so many other manufacturers releasing running shoes with better features at similar or better prices, the only real justification for purchasing the Swift Run Primeknit is a love of their style and lightweight feeling.
Drop
Unfortunately, there is no clear information about the exact heel drop of this shoe. What can be determined by its appearance and reviews from customers is that the heel-to-toe elevation is high enough to be noticeable but not so much as to be a hindrance. Anyone familiar with the design of the average running shoe will likely be used to these since they often utilize greater heel cushioning in the rear while providing a more intimate connection to the ground in the front. As a casual street walking shoe, it is also a fair estimate that this drop is slightly lower than that of the common running shoe, placing it more in the region of higher drop trail runners at best guess.
Stability
As previously mentioned, these shoes are far more flexible than they are stable due to the design of its outsole and upper. All footwear manufacturers have to strike a balance between flexibility and stability and Adidas decided to place the majority of their design emphasis on the former. That said, there are some aspects of the Swift Run Primeknit that ensure a stable ride. One is the midsole, which provides some necessary rigidity through its highly compressed EVA foam construction. The other is the upper’s tight fit, which ensures that the wearer’s feet don’t slide around while wearing them. These two features are the only things keeping individuals wearing these Adidas shoes from losing all control.
Flexibility
Thanks to the lightweight construction of the Adidas Swift Run Primeknit, flexibility is guaranteed. The combination of an extremely thin and breathable upper portion supplemented by an outsole with multiple deep grooves means that virtually no stiffness can be felt during a running session in these shoes. The midsole does provide a bit of balance to prevent these shoes from feeling too floppy, however, these Adidas runners ultimately feel far more pliable than they do stable, meaning runners looking for stability should look elsewhere.
Traction
Despite not being intended for use in environments where traction would be a major concern, these Adidas shoes have some traction-related amenities put in place to prevent undue slippage. This can be seen on the underfoot through the outsole. Since it is made from a hard rubber, the Swift Run’s outsole is highly resistant to damage from abrasion. This single piece construction has been tweaked by adding several grooves both horizontally and vertically. In addition to allowing for some forgiving flexibility, these grooves can act as teeth and provide a more solid grip on the ground beneath the wearer’s feet.
Bottom Line
For individuals who are looking for a fashionable and lightweight pair of casual shoes, the Adidas Swift Run Primeknit is an excellent choice. If these same individuals want to try running in these shoes, they may find them to be a bit more troublesome due to some design limitations. These limitations include a lack of solid stability and resilience in most mid-range to high-end running terrains. However, working through these limitations can result in an excellent pair of shoes for casual jogging sessions and even some short sprints. Thanks to the knit fabric upper, these shoes manage to feel lightweight and responsive enough to emphasize speedwork and running in warmer climates without any grief.
