If you've run on a treadmill in the last few decades in shoes made for the road, you've known three classic problems: sauna feet, a sole that acts like a bad episode of "Top Gear" on rubber, and cushioning that's great for the Alps but - to put it mildly - superfluous in the gym.
Adidas apparently decided he had had enough of this improvisation and created the Adidas Treadflow, the first running shoe born for the treadmill. Not for the marathon, not for the trail, but for that steel band that runs while you stay in place. Ironic? Yes. Comfortable? Even more so.
From Owens' sprints to your fitness card
Adidas has been making running history since the 1920s – it started with stitched sprint shoes for Jesse Owens, and today it is a high-tech laboratory of foam, carbon plates and mesh. The treadmill has long remained “the problem of the child without shoes”. But as people started running indoors en masse – first in winter, and then during pandemic lockdowns, when the balcony was the only stadium – it was logical: The treadmill is not asphalt, and this deserves recognition in the form of special shoes.
CLIMACOOL: mini air conditioning for your feet
The main trump card Adidas Treadflow model is CLIMACOOL, a technology that makes your feet feel like you're getting a spa treatment. The air mesh upper and cleverly placed vents in the sole create airflow around your entire foot. The result? No more feeling like you need to order a fan directly under the treadmill after ten minutes of running.
Foam Symphony: Lightstrike + Lightstrike Pro
Instead of copying road shoes, the Adidas Treadflow cleverly adapts to a device that is already shock-absorbing in its own right. That's why the dual-core Lightstrike and Lightstrike Pro The foam doesn't act as a soft cushion, but as a turbo-accelerator. Running is more responsive, transitions between steps are smoother, and you no longer feel like you're running on mashed potatoes.
LIGHTTRAXION: grip that holds – but doesn't hold
The sole is made of rubber. LIGHTTRAXION, already tested on the elite Adizero models. But this time it's a special version that has just the right amount of grip for the rubber band. So you won't slip like in a comedy show, and you won't get stuck like in the movie "Home Alone".
Specifications (for those who like to measure everything – even your smartwatch's heart rate): Adidas Treadflow
- Model: Adidas Treadflow
- Upper part: CLIMACOOL mesh with synthetic reinforcements
- Center: Lightstrike + Lightstrike Pro
- Sole: LIGHTTRAXION with ventilation cutouts
- Weight: 220g (7.76oz)
- Heel drop: 10 mm
- Price: €130 (currently abroad, USA still waiting for its piece of the cake)
Would you buy it? Adidas Treadflow
If you regularly run on a treadmill, it's almost as logical as buying a sports watch that doesn't just measure time. But if you're a die-hard "outdoor only" runner? No worries - Adidas still has a fleet of other models with which you can heroically jump through puddles.
