Adidas AdiStar

THE REVIEW:

Probably one of the most well known models of weightlifting shoes amongst athletes in the Olympic Lifting arena, the Adidas AdiStar was released in 2008 and debuted in the Olympic Games in Beijing. The model boasted several upgrades and improvements over the older and cheaper Ironwork models.

The AdiStars have a visible wood block heel, a single, extra wide hook and loop strap and a TPU welded mid-sole make. The heel cup is also very supportive giving the shoe a very stable overall feel. The leather upper of the shoe is made of kangaroo skin which is a soft, pliable and durable leather. This features makes new pairs of AdiStar shoes very quick to break-in. Despite this fact, this shoe does not tend to fit wider feet very well. The toe area is tight and, even though the leather will stretch, you may find your forefoot spilling over the sides. This is not the best support, especially for Olympic style lifts.

These shoes should not be confused with other AdiStar models. The “AdiStar” name is a line reserved for Adidas’s top end shoe and they come in many varieties. As an example, Adidas makes an AdiStar “shooting” shoe for competitive rifle shooting competitions that looks identical to the Weightlifting shoes. The difference is the heel of the shooting shoe is not solid wood and is softer, not what you want at all.

My biggest complaint with the AdiStars is this: They are rather hard to find and only carried by a handful of US distributors. They also have a minimum advertised price of $199 so don’t expect to find them new for cheaper than that. Because of the restrictive cost, these shoes are probably best left for only the most serious of Olympic weightlifters.

WHERE TO BUY:

The AdiStar Weightlifting Shoe can be purchased directly from Adidas – Click Here to Check Them Out.

If you can’t find your size from Adidas, alternatively you can try checking on Amazon – but be careful and make sure you are purchasing the Weightlifting model!

PROS:

  • Well made, great leather and very stable
  • Mesh material allows for better ventilation
  • Great styling

CONS:

  • The most expensive pair of mainstream weightlifting shoes
  • Do not fit wide feet well

29 thoughts on “Adidas AdiStar”

    1. That would be because until now, Adidas was the only real brand of Olympic lifting shoe. They were seen at the Beijing Olympic games and were worn by almost all the Olympic lifting teams. However, Risto has started to take ground with a few teams such as USA Weightlifting and numerous countries across the world. Definitely worth looking into as well.

  5. I've had a pair of these for about two years and I really like them. My feet aren't wide or anything, though.

    The only other shoe I've tried are the Nike Romaleos. I stuck with these instead because the heel is a bit lower, and they weigh a lot less as well.

  6. I own these. I have really narrow feet, so they fit well. If I had wider feet I would have gone with something else.

    If you have a C-width foot or narrower, you might want to give these a try.

  8. I would like to point out a couple things about this shoe. First off, every adidas adi-star like shoe looks the same. This does not mean they are constructed the same. Secondly, the reason the shooting and weightlifting shoe are very similar (the construction has several major differences) is that the demands of a competitive shooting shoe are fairly similar in that both require a lifted heel and a lack of padding (soft squishy soles are not accurate).

    Finally, the uppers of the adistar are made of kangaroo skin, an extremely pliable material that will adjust to wider feet. This is the same upper they use for their soccer and rugby boots and given time are very comfortable on wide feet.

    I would like to add that I have no connection to the shoe industry, adidas or any comercial institution.

    1. That's good info but I've had these before and can agree that they aren't the best shoe for wider feet. The problem arises from the fact that your foot will "spill-over" the edges at the front of the shoe. This causes some pinching when you come forward onthe shoe and more importantly, you lose stability. A shoe with a wider toebox is better because the ball of your foot is more fully suported.

  9. What exactly is the difference between the shooting shoe and the lifting shoe? I accidentally got the shooting shoes, and was wondering if I should just keep them, or send them back.

    1. I've been unable to find a good answer to this one. They look identical and materials appear to be the same. I would guess if anything the heel and mid-sole may differ but it doesn't look like it from the photos of the adidas shooting shoe.

    2. The shooting shoe does not have the wooden heel… It's made out of some sort of compressible material, making it useless for weightlifting. It's also missing the velco straps. I thought the shooting shoe looked nicer, but the heel is not suitable for weightlifting (although the heel is definitely better then what you'll find on most cross training shoes these days).

    1. I have at least a D-width foot and have owned these for a couple years now. Although I've liked Adidas as a brand for many years, I basically cannot wear their shoes (of any style) because they run too narrow for me. I took a chance on these simply because my 10-year-old Reebok WL shoes were starting to fall apart and the options were so limited at that time. I have to wear the thinnest athletic socks I could find to get them on my feet — no way I can wear my usual thicker ones — but make no mistake, once on your feet they are awesome. Super stable and the sole has just the right amount of stick to it. My old Reeboks are pretty good shoes, with full leather uppers and real wooden soles, but these are noticeably superior. I consider them the Cadillac (or BMW/Mercedes) of WL shoes.

  11. ok, so tomorrow is payday, which means that i am getting a pair of weightlifting shoes. price isn't too much of a problem as long as i am not getting junk.

    i'm wondering which you would suggest, the adistar or the adipower?

    1. It's in the works. I've been wearing the AdiPower Weightlifting shoe to the gym for almost a month just to properly test them out. Review should be up in a few days.

  16. what is the difference between these shoes and the new red AdiPower? im considering in purchasing a pair but i dont know which one is better

  17. Hello there and thanks for the review!

    I just ordered a pair of AdiPower shoes, same size as mine Adidas Goodyear model shoes.
    I would love to own a pair of AdiStars too and I still found a few websites where to buy them.

    The problem is about the size. Do you think I’ve to buy the same size as the Goodyear too?
    Do they fit like the AdiPower? (i’ve still to receive these)

    My feet it’s exactly 28.75cm long, size UK 10.5 in the Goodyear.

    Thank you for an helpfull reply

    Chris

  19. First off I know somthing about these specific adidas with the wood heal I have both adaipower shoes and love them but these with the wood heel I’m actually getting in a few months. Last I checked these are not for sale and if they are there probably used since they are limited quantities made for Olympians not general public. They are hand made in Germany. If any of you in fact have this shoe you are very fortunate. Other then that for the rest of us the the adipower that retails for about $200 is worth every penny I’ve tried Nike and reebok and like these by far the best. I use merrils or Salmons for cardio and 5-10 for bike riding.

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