Is the Adidas AdiPower 3 Worth It?

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Weightlifting shoes need a supportive design that boosts your lifting performance. I’ve tried various lifting shoes and seen how different each can be in stability, comfort, and durability. When the AdiPower 3 came out, I had to get a pair to see how it held up against its other counterparts. 

The Adidas AdiPower 3 do have a higher price than many other lifting shoes so you’re going to want to really look into whether these are the right choice for you.

I bought myself a pair of AdiPower 3s because I wanted to find out how they perform, their pros and cons, how they compares to other popular weightlifting shoes and to answer the question of are these weightlifting shoes worth buying?

What’s New About the Adidas Adipower 3?

The AdiPower 3 takes inspiration from its predecessors AdiPower 1 and 2. One of its most notable features is how much lift it provides. Like AdiPower 1, it has a heel height of 22 mm, which is slightly higher than the average shoe.

The extra heel height is great for those looking for more ankle mobility. However, this mobility also means my knees have gone over my toes more, causing them to compensate more.

Material

The shoe uses rigid fabric made of canvas and ripstop materials. This material is hard wearing and of course provides good security for the toes.

The shoes also have a suede-like material and a very snug and rigid heel cup area giving more heel stability and reducing heel slip.

Also, the adipowers use at least 50% recycled materials and weigh in at 466 grams or 16.4 ounces.  

Comfort

With a high-quality sole and padding, the AdiPower 3 feels great. they wrapped around my feet perfectly and gave me good stability, allowing me to focus on my posture and lifting more. It has a removable and replaceable insole that isn’t very soft but feels like it has good durability to it.

The insole did make them slightly more uncomfrtable to wear so I wore slightly thicker socks. But this is by no means a deal-breaker.

The adipower 3 also have surprisingly good arch support. It feels like youre wearing orthotics in there. I do have slight pronation in my feet, so i do favour shoes that have a little bit more support in the arch just to serve as a reminder before I begin lifting the weight.

Also, the tongue doesnt move or shift while youre wearing them. Not a big deal, but these small attentions to detail shows how well a shoe has been thought out, or not. 

One thing to note is that the AdiPower 3 has quite a narrow build, especially around the toe area. It suits my feet OK, but I don’t recommend it for people looking for a wide fitting shoe or who want space to really splay their toes out. This AdiPower model is better suited to athletes with narrow or average-width feet. 

Appearance

Sleek and simple, the AdiPower 3 comes in four colors: red, green, black, and white. I went for black as the red was sold out, they do look quite similar to the previous iterations design wise which is expected, no real big differentces in the design really. I do wish they had some more adventurous colours available though, but again, not a big deal really. Putting the shoes side by side with previous iterations you can see the similarities in design.

Stability

As I mentioned, the AdiPower 3 has a narrow build. This narrowness extends into the outsole or the bottom of the shoes. If compared to other footwear for weightlifting, it has less surface area. If you’re comparing these to a shoe like the Romaleos or even the Savaleos by Nike, the width of the sole will be very noticeable.

The pair was stable enough for me to do what I needed to do, but I can also see why it may feel unstable for some people. I’ll explain this issue later in the Romaleos 4 comparison. 

The AdiPower 3s have excellent tread. The rubber tread on the toe and heel areas are uniform. They work well and are very grippy on the gym platform or on pretty much any other surface as you would expect them to be.

Overall, I’d say the Adidas Adipower 3 has a solid performance. It didn’t present any traction issues or discomfort.

My feet feel comfortable throughout every workout and i do feel secure and confident when wearing them. Also, in the months I’ve had these shoes I’ve not seen and stretching or loosening in the materials or fabrics.

How Does the Adipower 3 Compare To Other Lifting Shoes?

Many people will be wondering if they should upgrade to the Adipower 3s from the AdiPower 2 and also the Nike Romaleos 4 which would probably be considered the closest competitors. Here’s my take on it. 

AdiPower 3 vs. AdiPower 2

The first AdiPower model was iconic and set a new standard for weightlifting shoes. Now that we’ve got a second and third iteration let’s compare them.

Both shoes have higher-than-average lifts or heel heights. They also have narrow structures towards the middle part and toes. 

Although it became a favorite over time, I didn’t like the AdiPower 2 initially. Its design and material felt chunky and looked cheap. Despite this, it was durable and had a good fit. It weighs 16.2 ounces or 460 grams, which lies on the average-to-heavy side regarding shoe weight. Its 20.1 mm heel height provides a lower lift and less ankle mobility.

You can still get the AdiPower 2 shoes on the Adidas website for $120. 

Because it’s the third iteration, the AdiPower 3 has an improved upper construction. Its ripstop materials and synthetic overlays on the upper forefoot and midfoot give it a sleek look. Little has changed in the design, except the look of the materials. The diagonal lines on the AdiPower 3 aren’t placed as far forward as the lines on the AdiPower 2. One noteworthy difference between them is their prices. The AdiPower 3 costs $220. 

Adidas AdiPower 3 vs. Nike Romaleos 4

Let’s begin with their similarities before we get to their differences. Both the AdiPower 3 and Romaleos 4 have superb durability and fitting. Both provide fantastic support and structure, with some differences we’ll discuss in a minute.

The Nike Romaleos 4 remain one of my favorite weightlifting and powerlifting shoes. It uses woven fabric in its upper for a flexible toe box. The sole and heel use TPU, while the outsole has rubber treads to ensure a stable and steady foundation during snatches and other movements.

One area where the Romaleos 4 wins is in the stability it provides. The Romaleos do have a wider outsole, which I’ve found extremely helpful with stability and balance. These shoes also offer more space in their toe box also, so you have that added comfort and more ability to properly splay your toes out. 

Meanwhile, the AdiPower 3 has less surface area on the outsole, presenting less stability and support. They’re also more expensive than the Romaleos 4 (if these current deals are still correct). If you don’t mind the narrow build and higher price, stick to the AdiPower 3. I recommend getting the Romaleos 4 for better comfort and fitting especially if you have wider feet. However, neither of these shoes can be called wide fitting shoes.

Author

Stuart Patrick

Stuart Patrick is a health and fitness lifestyle journalist who writes for ListedFit.com.

“I've spent a lot of time trying to get in shape and change my body and I realised there are so many untruths in the health and fitness industry that can slow down or stop your progress, so I share my knowledge and experience to help others to cut through the BS.”

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