New Black and Red AdiPower Drops!

It looks like Adidas had plans to launch the black and red Adipower weightlifting shoe much earlier than we had heard on the interwebz. I just posted yesterday that Adidas announced the white and grey model would be available Summer of 2014, but they made no mention of other colors. I had found a digital mockup of the adipower with black/red color ways, but since it was still rough looking we assumed it would come out after the white version. Apparently we were wrong!

Here’s the digital sketch that Hookgrip released on their Facebook page. adipower-mockup

And here is the actual shoe as it appears on Adidas’s website.

black_red_adidas_adipower_weightlifting

The black/red version looks almost identical to the original 2012 Adipower design, save one minor detail – the lacing system. If you look closely it appears that the first set of “loops” are now gone. I can’t image that Adidas would go through the effort (and cost) of changing the design of the upper unless there was a need for it. Perhaps the loops were less durable than standard eyelets, or maybe the lacing pattern was less effective. I never felt any problems with the laces but maybe someone out there can shed some light on this?

Overall the new colors look pretty slick. While I like the grey mesh on the strap,  I could have done without the silver accenting on the upper. Oh well, I’m just excited that they are finally releasing new colors of the Adipower Oly.

Click here to read my full review of the 2012 Adidas Adipower.

17 thoughts on “New Black and Red AdiPower Drops!”

  1. I have the red adipowers as well, and was thinking about buying these when i noticed the missing lace loops on the new colorway and was deterred. I took my adipowers and restrung them without using the loop thats missing on the new colorway and it seems like alot of pressure on the “weightlift” horizontal loop. Kind of concerned about this, and was hoping it was just stock photos that had them missing.

  2. I agree. If people didnt like the loops, they could just skip them. If you had no problem with the way the adipowers functioned, you would want those loops and now it appears you dont have the option to use them.

    I ordered them anyway because if I could customize adipowers, this is how I would design them with these exact colors, hopefully its just stock photos of an early run prototype with the loop system. They will be in thursday and I will update when I receive them.

    1. RK: Hey, I just bought a pair too. Have you tried squatting in them? If so, how were they? Thanks.

  3. I did back squats in them last night, and overall they felt fine. I have the Adipowers in red/orange, Nike Romaleos 2, a few of the Reebok Oly Lifters and IMO the Red/Orange Adipowers work best for me hands down. I prefer squatting in the Romaleos because they are stiffer, but all around the Adipowers. I just cannot fathom a reason why Adidas would remove lace loops and not redesign any other part of the shoe (not that they needed to). The only difference between the two colorways are the loops. And there is a definite difference in how they lock down your foot. I like my foot being choked basically when I do the snatch and c&j, and although I LOVE the black/red colorway, functionally I prefer the red/orange adipowers. Its so odd that I almost think Adidas just forgot them. Like I said previously, if people want to skip that loop, its fine, but if you like being cinched down and want that loop, you dont have that option.

  4. Day 2 in these, I’m now convinced it was a design error. It changes the way the shoe fits and the way it breaks in. The upper around the laces folds differently once they start to break in and becomes uncomfortable. I emailed Adidas today about it, I’ll keep the site updated.

  5. Any response from Adidas RK?

    Had another question for you too if you have a moment? I’m trying to decide between the Adipowers and the Reebok Oly Lifter for an all around shoe to train in. Since you have both I’m hoping you can help.

    I do mostly squats, deads, standing military press and bench as my main lifts. I can see how the Adipowers would be great for those lifts but just wondering how they would function for other exercises? I’m thinking I might need an additional shoe once my main lifts are finished if I get the Adipowers because they might not be flexible enough?

  6. No reponse from Adidas. Sent 2 emails so far.

    If you are doing mostly stationary movement where your feet are locked in, the Romaleos are probably the best shoe for that. They are the stiffest and to me I feel more glued to the floor.

    Now the Adipowers are more flexible than the romaleos, narrower and have just a medial strap so you cant cinch them down quite as much. The Reeboks are the most comfortable, fit snug and easily the most flexible. But the more and more I use all 3, I personally dont have much use for the reeboks. If im doing a crossfit type workout, I would rather use nanos or minimus, innov8 etc. – unless its fran, or a workout with a lot of front squats, front rack lunges, thrusters, etc. If you are planning to wear your lifting shoes for anything other that lifts, ie box jumps, double unders and say, cleans – then the reebok is the only way to go. You just cant do those things in Adipowers or Romaleos (technically, you could, but it would suck)

    I do mostly crossfit style and dedicated Oly and strength lifting. Theres no doubt in my mind that the Adipowers are the better shoe for me. Easily.

    Now, the new adipower and the missing lace, I have noticed one difference. It makes the shoe feel slightly wider in the forefoot. Some people complain that the Adipower is too narrow, maybe this is the way to go if you have that problem.

  7. RK, it can’t be a design error. There isn’t just one person working on a new design but a whole team. After they make the first batch, testers come in to iron out the design/manufacturing errors. Adidas has a reputation to uphold. Surely someone must have noticed something like a missing lace.

    I’m searching for my first lifters so I would like to know Adidas’ reasoning behind this design.
    Keep us posted.

  8. I agree that its highly unlikely its a design error. BUT, I cannot for the life of me understand why they would do this. There is NO other design change to this shoe. All they did was remove the first lace loops. You could string the older red/orange adipowers the same way by just skipping that loop. Why would they leave them off and take away the option to string them like the old colorway adipowers? It just doesnt make sense. I could understand if they added something, but all they did was remove something you could already do with the red orange colorway.

    1. Right before I was going to buy a pair of the black adipowers, I saw the lacing change.
      Now I’m not really sure what pair to get.

      RK, is there really THAT much of a difference between the red/orange pair and the black pair?
      Is it enough to justify buying the red/orange pair over the black pair?

  9. DJK,

    To me, its a big difference because I have both colorways and I can feel the difference. Now I still use the black red, and they are still great shoes. Just put it this way, If both pairs disappeared into this air, I would repurchase the core energy despite the complete bad assery of the black/red colorway. Function trumps looks in oly shoes.

    REALLY wish Adidas would answer my email.

  10. I picked up a pair of the black/red ones from Adidas in Soho, New York City (actually north of Houston and Broadway).

    The new lacing doesn’t seem to be a big deal. They fit well anyway.

  11. I just recieved a pair of the Red/Orange Adipowers (After using the Power Perfect II for 3 years) and i also dont have those lace loops.

    It must be all new Adipowers for 2014…

    I havent had a previous pair of Adipowers to comment on the lace loops, but overall they definately feel stiffer and narrower, but not uncomfortable!

    I love the ‘In your face’ Red!

  12. I bought the White adipowers after using the red ones with the additional Loop for about 2 years now. personally i prefer the 2014 model because ist much more comfortable. they are as tight as the previous ones but you’ve got more space at your toes. i personally like it that way and the Color is much better.

    so long

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