Adidas ClimaCool Ride Review

Thanks to Competitor.com for this great review.

Check out My Review Here

Light, durable and made to keep your feet fresh when you run. These adidas CC Ride running shoes have a lightweight mesh upper, allover CLIMACOOL® ventilation, adiPRENE®+ in the forefoot for more efficient propulsion and adiPRENE® under the heel for cushioning.

To start off I wouldn’t classify this as a minimalist shoe, but rather a protective lightweight trainer. There’s a fair amount of midsole to it albeit a very flexible one.

Deep flex grooves on the bottom of the shoe (see photo) provide maximum front-to-back flexibility, which allows your foot to move naturally, regardless of your running style. Unlike a lot of other lightweight trainers, however, this shoe offers a surprising amount of protection underfoot. This is a versatile shoe which is responsive enough to go fast when you want to go fast, but soft enough to absorb impact when you’re just cruising along at an easy effort.

Deep flex grooves throughout the shoe allow for a smooth transition regardless of your running style.

True to its name, the ClimaCool is extremely well ventilated. It’s minimal and extremely unintrusive upper allows your foot to do what it wants to do while optimizing airflow and keeping your feet cool when the weather gets warm.

While this is a great new running shoe, with surprisingly tremendous versatility, it’s not for everyone. If you’re a runner who needs a less flexible shoe with additional medial protection in the midsole and/or upper, the ClimaCool Ride just won’t do it for you. If you like to go off-road, I would refrain from taking these guys on the trail. But if you’re a fairly efficient runner, or simply want to experiment with a more flexible, lightweight shoe for training and racing this summer, then I suggest taking this shoe for a Ride.

Toebox: Generous. I have fairly fat feet and I have plenty of toe clearance, as well as side to side room, in these shoes.

Midfoot: Average. Neither tight nor overly loose, the upper wraps my foot well while providing a secure fit.

Heel: Secure. For an overall flexible shoe the ClimaCool Ride had a rigid heel counter (i.e. not easily collapsable) that held my foot well in the shoe.


In-Shoe Security: Secure. While my foot has plenty of room to do what it wants to do, the shoe doesn’t feel sloppy. When I run my foot can do as it pleases, but it’s not going anywhere.

Perceived Weight: Light. Weighing in at 9 ounces in a men’s 9.5, this shoe felt light on my feet. While it looks like more shoe than others in its category, there’s nothing bulky about it.

Transition: Smooth. No clunk or awkward transition here. The deep flex grooves throughout the shoe allow for a smooth transition, whether you’re a slight heel striker or mostly up on your midfoot or forefoot.

Responsiveness: Firm, but forgiving. This shoe definitely isn’t plush, but it’s fast enough for a tempo run and there’s also enough cushioning underfoot that I felt protected when running at a slower pace.

It's a great shoe but not a real Mininalist shoe, getting closer tho

Follow my Blog on the sidebar for more great Reviews