Article by Sam Winebaum
Diadora Atomo V7000 ($240 US)
Introduction
The Diadora Atomo V7000 is a stable all around trainer assembled in Italy by craftspeople at Diadora’s home factory. That in itself is highly unusual these days for sure as very few shoes are currently built outside of Asia.
It is the second in the Atomo line assembled in Italy after the Equipe Atomo, a somewhat lower slung more up tempo trainer we liked a lot (RTR Review) for its responsive firmer DD Anima foam with a touch of bounce and Italian team colors and sports car look and ride.
The V7000 shares the DD Anima foam with the Equipe. DD Anima is a special compound developed entirely in house (also a rarity) capable of increasing the responsiveness of the midsole by 30% while reducing its weight by 20%.
They boost the stack height over the Equipe to max cushion levels with a giant 41mm heel / 36 mm forefoot yet the weight is a remarkable 9.17 oz / 260g.
Diadora compares V7000 to the Bondi 8 (RTR Review) in its marketing and, while the Bondi sits on a wider platform, its stack height is similar (actually a bit less than the V7000) and it weighs 1.8 oz / 51g more. Think about that for a second. And V7000 is almost as stable, more reactively cushioned, and faster feeling.
It gets a soft air mesh upper (contrasting with the Equipe’s denser engineered mesh) and is shod in Diadora’s super durable Duratech 5000 rubber that can handle some “terrain” in addition to pavement.
At 9.17 oz / 260g in my US9 sample it is a lot of shoe for the weight and cushion.
Pros:
Assembled in Italy, impeccable quality, stunning styling and detailing: Sam
A max cushion 41/36 stack shoe that isn’t cartoonish in appearance: Sam
Firmer reactive highly cushioned ride with solid vibration absorption: Sam
Smooth flowing ride with an effective rocker (and some flex)given its giant stack height: Sam
Light at 9.17 oz / 260g for so much solid, secure shoe, near the top for ratio of cushion stack to weight: Sam
Cons:
Runs small. Sample is half size up from my normal and still snug all around on my narrower lower volume feet: Sam
Could use yet a touch more bounce: Sam
Pricing at $240 is way up there for a trainer
Stats
Weight: men's 9.17 oz / 260g (US9)
Samples:
men’s 9.17 oz / 260g (US9)
women’s 8.57 oz / 243g (US9)
Stack Height: men’s 41mm heel (measured) / 36 mm forefoot (5mm drop spec).
Available now. $240
First Impressions, Fit and Upper
Sam: The upper is a very soft air mesh with an array of suede like gray and electric green shinier to the touch overlays with charcoal gray highlighting with a very large heel reflective highlight with stylized Italian flag.
The flag motif continues with a “Made in Italy” lace tag up front.
It is a beautiful shoe in my men’s colors and Dominique’s below
The foot hold is super secure, to a fault, as this is a lower volume snug fitting shoe over the midfoot even at my half size up in my sample from my normal US8.5, with length correct at the half up.
I think in part the quite low volume midfoot comes in part from the DNAttivo sockliner.
While the main yellow portion of the sockliner is soft and resembles an Ortholite sockliner, the blue arch support is firmer foam and clearly supportive and maybe for my high arch foot it raises things a bit too much? I have noticed after four runs that the fit has relaxed with more over the top of foot volume, as potentially the sockliner has packed in a bit shifting to thinner socks as well
The toe box width is moderately narrow yet comfortable as the mesh is very soft and has a touch of stretch. Hold up front is impeccable due to those big suede like overlays which create the toe bumper there being no stiffeners upfront.
I have narrower (to medium) and lower volume feet. For sure size up a half here as I don’t think foothold will suffer. Those with higher volume feet and width yet may want to for sure try on before deciding.
Midsole
The DD Anima midsole is made from a “high rebound compound..capable of increasing the responsiveness of the midsole by 30% while reducing its weight by 20%” according to Diadora. It is for sure a light yet at the same time substantial feeling foam given the light weight for the giant 41/36 stack here.
The substantial part comes from the dense stable feel of the midsole and lots of it. The responsive part comes from some distinct rebound or response despite its density. It is quite unique in that sense in that while very well cushioned and vibration absorbing with that rebound it is also dense in feel. Yes, bounce but not a lot, but just enough to please. It feels somewhat like a more responsive dynamic adidas Lightstrike foam with more rubbery type bounce. The foam here is not quite as airy and snappy as ASICS Flight Foam Blast + in say the Nimbus 25 which also is inherently stable but relies on a far broader platform and weighs more as a result.
The geometry is excellent for a 5mm drop high stack shoe with a stable landing, easy enough transition off the heel and really easy toe off for such a giant with front flex grooves just in the right places and when paired to the rubber making also for a stable forefoot. I do think the midfoot profile on the ground is a bit flat but after all the V7000 is also intended to provide some inherent stability which it does
Outsole
The outsole is Diadora’s Duratech 5000 rubber with the rear green ring firmer. I think that firm rear ring helps keep the 5mm drop honest on heel strike not over compressing the heel, important for me as I tend to heel strike at slower paces. The outsole as with the Equipe Atomo should prove very durable over time. There is enough patterning that park paths and very light trails should be fine as well
Ride
The V7000 has an all around basic and very high cushioned training ride. The high stack makes it a not particularly agile shoe but it does have up front with that giant 36mm forefoot stack an effective rocker and some flex starting at the last lace hole, so a combination rocker and flex which si something I like in a big big stack shoe with a lower drop, here 5mm. Transitions are smooth from the heel for such a big shoe helped by the denser foam and not overly broad but very stable rear platform keeping the heel from compressing too much at slower paces or a wider heel platform as other low drop max shoes such as the Bondi 8, More v4 or even Shift 3 do at slower paces for me. I agree with Diadora that the result is an inherently stable platform.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Sam: The V7000 is all class. Beautifully styled and impeccably assembled in Italy this new max cushion entry has a firmer ride with some noted rebound, a very stable neutral platform and commendable light weight for its giant stack and substance. It could have yet a touch more bounce and softness but not much more to perfect and keep its stability and flow intact.
If you are looking for a reliable and very light big cushion trainer that is not a chore to run slower paces at (although picking up the pace it does move along well) it is an intriguing new entry. Sizing, as noted may be tricky, with the shoe running small size up half for sure and lower volume over the midfoot at least during break in miles.
At $240 pricing is way up there but you are getting a durable high quality trainer with I think great style that bridges it over into sneaker culture and lifestyle wear land as well.
Sam’s Score: 9.1 /10
Ride 9.25 Fit 9.1 Value 8.5 Style: 9.6
😊😊😊
Comparisons
Index to all RTR reviews: HERE
Hoka Bondi 8 (RTR Review)
The Bondi is far heavier (1.8 oz / 51g heavier), broader and yet more stable, but has duller riding foam and is more of a chore to run at anything faster than slow than the V7000. Its upper fit is actually quite similar. If you are in market for a stable high stack super cushioned trainer that is really run able the V7000 is for me a better option.
New Balance Fresh Foam More v4 (RTR Review)
Lower stack height, far broader platform, softer foam, far heavier ( almost 2 oz / 56g heavier) and ponderous to run, the FF More is the pillowy old sedan to the V7000’s Italian luxury speedster.
Saucony Endorphin Shift 3 (RTR Review)
men's oz 9.5 oz / 269 g (US9) 39 heel (measured) / 34 mm forefoot (spec)
At 0.3 oz heavier and a bit lower stack height with a 4mm vs 5mm drop, the Endorphin Shift has a later rocker geometry and softer foam that leans faster paces as a priority while the V7000 handles slower days far more smoothly.
ASICS Superblast (RTR Review)
Very similar in ride characteristics for me the Superblast has 4mm more cushion at the heel at the heel and 1.5 mm more upfront so is an more traditional 8mm drop yet also weighs 0.7 oz less than the V7000. How given how light the Diadora is compared to the others in the max cushion category? It has ASICS supercritical FF Blast Turbo foam in 2 densities. If the $60 premium for the ASICS is not an issue it is a superior shoe due to its lower weight and airier foam. If style and a slightly more stable ride are more important you won’t go wrong in V7000.
ASICS GEL-Nimbus 25 (RTR Review)
About an ounce heavier and on a far broader platform, the new Nimbus 25 is also inherently stable and a touch more so than the V7000 . I think the ASICS over does its rear platform width to get there while the narrower platform V7000 not only is nearly as stable but far lighter and moves forward off the heel if you strike there notably more smoothly.
Both have excellent toe offs for so much foam up front with the ASICS more rocker based in feel while the V7000 feels more flexible. I do give a slight nod to the foam feel of the ASICS FF Blast +, a bit quicker rebounding not as dense. and a clear victory to its incredible smooth fitting and true to size if not quite as performance fitting upper.
The Diadora Atomo V7000 is available now at our partners:
FLEET FEET SHOP HERE
HOLABIRD SPORTS SHOP HERE
Tester Profile
Sam is the Editor and Founder of Road Trail Run. He is 65 with a 2018 3:40 Boston qualifier. 2022 was Sam’s 50th year of running. He has a decades old 2:28 marathon PR. These days he runs halves in the just sub 1:40 range, if he is very lucky, training 30-40 miles per week mostly at moderate paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Utah. He is 5’9” tall and weighs about 164 lbs, if he is not enjoying too many fine New England IPA’s.
Samples were provided at no charge for review purposes. RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased via shopping links in this article. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content. The opinions herein are entirely the authors'.
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1 comment:
Interested in trying some diadora atomo v7000 (1st or 2nd edition). If I go half-size up, will the toebox be accommodating enough on the lateral side (I have a neuroma)?
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