Adidas 4DFWD 2

To a large extent, innovation involves taking risks. And that means that sometimes things go well, sometimes badly and sometimes so-so. But if one thing is clear is that if you are in a business where technology is fundamental to its growth, you innovate or you die. Adidas has always been at the forefront of innovation in running shoes. It did so with the incorporation of Boost in 2013 or with the use of recycled plastic from the ocean to manufacture the upper of its shoes. Then, in 2021, it surprised us with a trainer like the Adidas 4DFWD.

A model that incorporated a new midsole made with 3D printing and with 39% bio-based materials. The result undoubtedly caught the attention of the entire sector. These are shoes that continue to bet on sustainable materials, and with cushioning systems beyond foams or carbon plates. The bet was undoubtedly risky, and as we said in the analysis, it worked out kind of well. The first model that worked better as a sneaker than as a running shoe, mainly because of its stability problems. But we could see that this bet was here to stay. And so it has been. Today we talk about our experience with the Adidas 4DFWD 2

Ideal type of runner for the Adidas 4DFWD 2

This is a running shoe, intended for running this time, for curious people. For athletes who want to try new things, that's for sure. For runners up to 80-82 kg, for distances of 10-12 km, on asphalt and neutral running gait. And for paces between 4:30 and 6:00 min/km.

I want to emphasise that these are running shoes. Adidas has solved the main issues that we found in the first edition. First of all, their instability during the race. Adidas does not mention this fact in the description of its technical data sheet, but it is very noticeable.

Now the shoe is more secure when you run with it. The feeling is that its midsole, made up of a lattice-like webbing of plasticised cables, is now more robust, firmer (something that is also noticeable during running). This fact, together with a construction of the upper with materials that better envelop and protect the foot, allows us to run with them without the risk of suffering unwanted movements in the race.

We find a much more protected heel area, and a more forceful mesh that embraces the instep and both sides of the foot offering that feeling of security that we missed in the first version.

What did I like most about the Adidas 4DFWD 2?

First of all, we can already talk about them as running shoes. The running sensations are very different from what we can consider a running shoe with EVA foams. The feel is firmer. Don't expect a soft, squishy feel on landing. It is a landing with cushioning that feels hard, but responsive.

Adidas tells us that this technology tries to take advantage of the forces that are exerted vertically when we land on asphalt, converting them into horizontal forces that facilitate forward momentum. It's really difficult to perceive that horizontal momentum, as the brand says, but you will notice that the shoe responds. That is to say that if you squeeze it, you will find it responsive. It's a very flexible model and I'm sure their midsole technology will evolve into faster shoes when they get that balance between responsiveness and stability that they're well on their way to finding.

I also have to talk about their design. I personally love them. They catch your attention and the model I tested in cream, grey, white and orange colours is spectacular.

I like their grip, thanks to the safe bet that incorporates Continental throughout the sole of these Adidas 4DFWD 2.

And last but not least, I love the risky bets, and we will always defend that at RUNNEA. Evolve, do not stagnate and do it model by model with obvious improvements as we have seen in this second edition.

Possible points of improvement for the Adidas 4DFWD 2

I'm going to talk about 2. On the one hand, their price. Like everything in life, technological innovation usually comes with high prices in their first years of life. A 180 GBP starting price for a shoe is a high price. And it is likely to go down over time, as manufacturing processes become more efficient.

Compare Adidas 4DFWD 2 prices

And the second point is weight. Gaining stability and safety requires in many cases the incorporation of materials that help in that function. And including those materials increases the weight of the model, which will be a challenge for the evolution of the next editions: maintaining performance and stability while lightening the weight of the shoes.

Conclusions

I must admit that I really liked this second edition of the Adidas 4DFWD. I have run with them and the sensations are totally different from what you may have tried before. As a professional in the sector and also a fan of the world of trainers, there is nothing more exciting to me than seeing releases like the 4DFWD 2 in the market. They are a breath of fresh air for customers. And luckily in recent years we have seen the arrival of carbon plates, recycling and now 3D printing in running shoes. The challenge now is to get competitive prices.