Review of the Adidas Adizero Rocket
I have been running on my midfoot/forefoot for a few months now using my old Adizero Ace shoes. These shoes were already very light and flat compared to my old traditional running shoes. I needed some new ones though so I looked for an even flatter and minimal shoe so I decided to get the Adidas Adizero Rocket.
The first Adizero Rocket model was released in July 2009 and the one I got were released on January 2011. It comes with forefoot adiPRENE+ which is supposed to provide extra support for the forefoot. It seems to make the sole around the forefoot pretty stiff so I'm not sure if that's a good thing.
Appearance
The shoes look pretty cool for running shoes. The shoe has an open mesh allowing it to breath easily which is very nice. Even now in the winter I dont have any problems with cold feet. Of course its not water or snow resistant but it wouldn't be a very light shoe if it was.
Fit
My first impression of the shoe was very good. They are very light and feel very comfortable. The first time I tried them on it was very noticeable that it had no cushioned heel compared to my old shoes. The toe box is wide enough for me it feels snug but not to the point that it gets uncomfortable. My feet have a very high arch and sometimes I can't tie my shoes loose enough to give it enough room. This is however no problem in the Adizero Rocket.
Performance
My first run in the Adizero Rocket went very well although I might have been a bit too enthusiastic to start with. I ran about 4 miles in a very high pace and the next day my calves felt very sore. I really needed to get used to the shoes for a few weeks. I did some shorter runs and switched with my other shoes every now and then.
Now a month later I have ran about 80 miles or so in these shoes and I'm running very comfortably in them. They are very light and they still provide some support. Which is a good thing for me since I have only been running for about 8 months now.
Conclusion
The adiPRENE+ forefoot technology sole seems to hinder the natural movement of the forefoot while running. However being a total newbie with running this might be a good thing for me because I tried barefoot running a long time ago and my feet hurt like hell. So the support it gives to my forefoot seems to prevent that very well. In my eyes this is a good transition shoe from traditional running shoes to a more minimal shoe like the Merrell Trail Gloves. I am very happy with these and making good runs on them.