Adidas Prophere Fully Reviewed and Compared

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Editor rating: 7.0 / 10

User's rating: based on 55 user ratings

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By Steph Coelho

All Adidas Shoes

Adidas Prophere Fully Reviewed and Compared Review Facts

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The Adidas Prophere is a hot new release which features a blend of the UltraBoost’s silhouette and a Primeknit upper construction that’s reminiscent of the Adidas NMD. But, don’t be fooled, this new release doesn’t actually feature any Boost cushioning. Billed as a retro throwback to the ’90s, this Adidas brand shoe features a modern twist. Retro is all the rage this year and with the Prophere it’s all about blending classic with trendy. This super unique looking shoe is a good choice for the gym but it’s more likely you’ll be wanting to wear this shoe everywhere thanks to its sleek and unique design. The contrasting bright midsole and speckled upper design stand out and thanks to a wide variety of style options, there’s a look for every purchaser out there.

Editor's Pros & Cons

Pros

Attractive design
Fairly comfortable
Quality construction
Great color selection
Flexible upper

Cons

Sizing off (fits very big)
Poor traction
Narrow fit

See How

What are buyers saying?

We have spent 4 hours analyzing a total of 550 reviews.

These reviews are then categoried into "Positive" and "Negative" feedback.

Below you will read a summary of them:

Positive

These are classy, comfy and stylish trainers. I highly recommend.
These are high in comfort and feels like you are wearing a sock. Doesn't look that great from the top but the side is great.
These are a high swag sneaker. The are extremely comfortable and wearing them makes you feel fresh. The sole is great and the color I got pops.
It took 3 days to break them in because they were pretty stiff but these are great and comfy now.
These shoes are pretty heavy so get ready for that. I got used to it pretty quick.They look huge but not so bad once they were on my feet. There is a grip on the tongue so I would not recommend low socks. They are also very wide, so get a smaller size. These shoes are really great and I get compliments constantly. They are super comfy and have a great wrap around sole.
If you want to add an insole, get the regular size. Otherwise, get a size smaller because they run huge. They are priced well and very comfortable.
This shoe supports my wide feet well. They are heavy but I say that is because they are durable and well made with great material. I plan on ordering more colors and they look great on.
My husband and I bought a pair each. They ran a little small for us so we had to get a half size bigger.
These did not weigh as much as I expected since they looked so bulky and they are very comfortable.
These were perfect to size for me. I continually get compliments on them. Great for walking around town.
I love the style and they fit great.
My favorite shoe to date. This shoe goes with everything I wear. They run a size larger than what I would normally order. They are great material and are constructed great. I find them easy to clean and the colors are awesome. They have great flexibility. Great job Adidas!
Great fit and design. They literally fit just like I wanted them too.
The weight doesn't outweigh the comfort. I get a lot of great compliments too. I’ll recommend them for sure.
These shoes have proven to be great for my wide feet. They are airy and were comfortable all day I highly recommend these shoes.
The color is my favorite and I am recommending these to all of my friends. They are great in style and comfort.
When I viewed these online, I thought that they were ugly. However, I tried them on in a store and they looked great. I ended up buying them and wearing them for work. They fit snug and the material is wonderful. They are very durable and look cool with shorts.
Although I had to go down a size, these have been attention grabbers. I would prefer more color options like the men have though.

Negative

These are very uncomfortable and not lightweight like advertised. There is no cushioning in the toe box and heel is just OK. I review sneakers constantly and these were horrible right out of the box. I was very disappointed.
I really wanted to like these shoes. I ordered them and they were way oversized; length and width. The photos make them look thinner than they actually are. They are pretty chunky.
I hated these shoes. They were way too big and looked like they were made for a man.
I loved the color but the shoe is too wide. I feel like I was swimming in them. They need to reevaluate their sizing.
These shoes are way too big. They are heavy and clunky and the rim on the outside is thick. Ugly shoe.
These shoes look great. However, they are best for doing nothing. Do not use them for any type of training or running. They keep getting stuck on my bike pedals too.
These shoes fooled me. They looked comfy and plump. The padding was nonexistent, flat. They feel the ground heavy and aren't good for all day use.
This shoe is all sole. And, the border sticks out and looks awful.
WAY TOO BIG! I wish they would put the size on accordingly.
I measured and these shoes still came in huge. They are very cheaply made and flimsy and ugly as sin. These should be advertised as a wide foot shoe.
These shoes have a smooth part on the bottom making them slick; they have no traction.

6.3

Outsole

The Adidas Prophere features a fairly basic outsole design. In fact, it's what makes this shoe a poor choice for running. The outsole is not well-designed for running and according to reviewers, is incredibly slippery. If you run mainly indoors on the treadmill, these might work, but they're not at all suitable for long distance training. Poor traction was one of the biggest concerns that users had when it came to the Adidas Prophere.

Midsole

Despite the fact that the Adidas Prophere looks like it has some kind of Boost midsole, it does not. Instead, the shoe features a thick midsole foam cushioning which is clearly visible just by looking at the shoe.

Reviewers found the cushioning comfortable but not better than Adidas' popular Boost midsole material. Some reviewers even felt there wasn't enough cushioning in the midsole. It might work as a low mileage shoe but it's not a good choice for runners. Adidas Prophere it's best for those who want an everyday fashion sneaker or gym goers looking for a comfortable footwear option.

Upper

The upper on this Adidas Prophere shoe is composed of a flexible knit material. The upper features an adaptive fit, so it flexes and adjusts accordingly depending on the wearer. The slip-on design makes it easy to pop on or off. In addition, the back of the shoe features a leather heel cup.

An Adidas trio stripe pattern actually connects to the laces for a highly adjustable fit. In the front of the Adidas Prophere, there's a reinforced toe box and inside there's an anti-microbial Ortholite liner.

Reviewers did find the shoe felt a bit narrow compared to other Adidas brand shoes but did note that the construction - particularly the upper - felt quite durable. Some felt the shoe opening was a bit small and that even with the slip-on design, it was tough to quickly get the shoe on in a hurry. Users did, however, like the flexible upper construction.

Weight

Among reviewers, it was difficult to find a consensus regarding the weight of the shoe. Some reviewers found the Adidas Prophere very lightweight, while others were not impressed by the weight, calling it heavy. We couldn't find specific weight information for this Adidas shoe, but the varied comments regarding the Adidas Prophere's mass point to a shoe that sits in the middle of the spectrum. For an everyday sneaker, it's just the perfect weight for all-day wear.

Breathability

The knit upper and adaptive fit help to ensure a breathable sneaker. Some reviewers did note that the Adidas Prophere felt narrow but otherwise, there were no obvious complaints about the shoe's ability to ventilate. The upper is nice and flexible to ensure that all foot types have the room they need to move and breathe during activity.

Comfort

While most reviewers found the Adidas Prophere comfortable, the biggest complaint from reviewers was about the sizing. The majority of reviewers had something negative to say about the shoe's fit. Most found the Prophere much too big and many were required to size down significantly. With the right fit, however, reviewers did like the flexible accommodating upper. Many reviewers weren't impressed with the cushioning (when comparing it to Boost cushioning) but for most the foam midsole felt just fine.

Style

The Adidas Prophere is all about style. In fact, most reviewers purchased the shoe for style purposes, not as a workout shoe. The design of the shoe is quite unique. The Adidas Prophere combines retro and modern to brings Adidas fans a fresh twist. The thick chunky midsole stands out significantly and instead of loud branding, the shoe incorporates the Adidas stripe pattern via the lacing system.

Instead of overlays, the trio of stripes helps provide support. The shoe comes in a slew of colors for both men and women including a light grey, speckled black, teal, black, and brown.

Durability

Reviewers agreed that despite its flaws, the Adidas Prophere appears to be a very durable sneaker. The flexible knit upper is anything but weak and flimsy. At the front of the shoe, an often weak spot in sneakers and running shoes, the material has been reinforced to ensure protection against wear and tear.

Other construction details such as a leather heel cup and thick, sturdy midsole piece, ensure that the Prophere can handle wear and tear. Reviewers appreciated the quality design but since the Adidas Prophere is fairly new to the market, there aren't that many observations from reviewers about durability just yet.

Protection

The Adidas Prophere isn't built with protection from impact in mind. The thick midsole foam offers standard protection, though nothing out of the ordinary. The rest of the shoe features a quality build, but overall, the focus is really on style. Users likely won't find the Adidas Prophere useful for a long distance training, neither is it a top choice for gym workouts.

Responsiveness

Unlike Boost cushioning, the foam midsole in the Adidas Prophere isn't particularly responsive. Reviewers also pointed out that the sole of the shoe felt harder than they expected, which helped with support but didn't aid with energy-return.

Support

The hard sole of the Prophere provides a bit of support. The upper stripe design also acts in place of overlays to provide support. The Adidas Prophere shoe also features a fairly narrow fit which some reviewers complained about. The narrow fit does help to ensure the foot will not slide around inside, but for wide feet, this slim fit is a little too restrictive. Thankfully, the flexible upper helps to make the fit a bit more accommodating for different foot shapes. Don't assume the shoe will stretch out, though.

Terrain

One of the biggest issues with the Adidas Prophere is its very slick outsole. The standard design is uniformly flat and not very sticky. Reviewers disliked how slippery the outsole felt on all types of surfaces. Even indoors, the shoe does tend to slide around quite a bit. This isn't what you want for any type of physical activity. This is one of the biggest reasons why Prophere is a poor choice for running or any kind of workout. It might be fine for simple gym-based workouts, but any kind of aerobics class or activity with a lot of foot movement won't feel comfortable with the Adidas Prophere. Really, this attractive shoe was built more for the style than anything else.

Price

The Adidas Prophere features a lower price point than other Adidas shoes because it lacks the comfy, ultra-responsive Boost cushioning. Unfortunately, the lower price point didn't seem worth it to many reviewers who say they would have preferred paying more for the more comfortable Boost cushioning. The shoe is, however, very attractive, so it definitely scores top points for style. For those happy to spend money on a shoe simply for fashion, the Adidas Prophere is definitely worth the price. The design is unlike anything else out there and it's hard to argue that the shoe looks darn good.

Traction

Reviewers had nothing nice to say about the Adidas Prophere's outsole. The flat design equals terrible traction, which reviewers were not impressed with. The result is a slippery outsole that grips badly on all types of surfaces. For workout purposes, this is bad news. A slippery sole is an opposite of what you want for running workouts. For walking around in ideal conditions, though, the Adidas Prophere is just fine.

Flexibility

The Adidas Prophere features a flexible, accommodating upper but the rest of the shoe is fairly rigid. Users pointed out that the midsole felt stiff - which helped with support, but felt a little aggressive.

Stability

The Adidas Prophere does not feature any stability components. The Adidas stripe logo does attach to the shoe's laces to help with a stable locked in fit. The leather heel cup is another source of stability in the shoe. Users also noted that the midsole was fairly rigid, which helped cement them and stabilize them. Unfortunately, since traction is so bad in the Adidas Prophere, this reduces stability significantly. The slippery sole makes the rest of the shoe quite unstable.

Drop

There's no information about the Adidas Prophere's drop height, although it looks to be fairly standard. Users had no complaints about the heel to toe drop.

Key Features

- Flexible knit upper design
- Adaptive fit
- Slip-on design
- Supportive and durable leather heel cup
- Stripe pattern acts like an overlay to deliver support
- Thick midsole with foam cushioning
- Durable, reinforced toe box area
- Ortholite sock liner for wicking moisture

Bottom Line

Bottom line is that the Adidas Prophere is a super stylish, eye-catching fashion sneaker. It has a few problems. Its sizing is way off, has a bit of a narrow fit, and provides subpar traction. Some reviewers also felt the lack of Boost cushioning was a major downside of the Prophere. The midsole just doesn't feel as nice as other Boost-filled Adidas brand shoes.

However, no Boost means the Adidas Prophere costs a lot less. For the price point, fashion-obsessed wearers will appreciate the ultra-trendy design. The shoe is also built with quality materials and the upper fit is comfortable (as long as you get the sizing right). For everyday wear, the Adidas Prophere is a fairly comfortable option with major style. Easy to wear with any outfit, the Adidas shoe comes in plenty of gorgeous colors to accentuate your wardrobe.