Article by Sam Winebaum
Diadora Atomo Star ($240)
Introduction
Made in Italy, the Diadora Atomo Star is a supercritical foam powered more maximal daily trainer. Plush all over. and then some, unlike many in its category, it does not compromise performance or for that matter come in heavy to deliver its comfortable, very energetic ride and versatility. I think of it as a fast, top of the line Italian sports sedan! Let’s get into the details!
The Star follows in the footsteps of other excellent recent Diadora such as the more uptempo Equipe Atomo (RTR Review), the superb Gara Carbon racer/trainer (RTR Review) and one of my favorite daily trainers of 2024 the Cellula (RTR Review) with here their first entry in the max cushion supercritical foam daily trainer category
The Atomo Star gets a new lighter DD Anima N2 midsole foam which Diadora claims has 72% reactivity, 40% higher than their EVA Light and with a weight reduction of 40% compared to EVA. By way of comparison “super” race shoes foam generally are just above 80% in reactivity so here in a trainer we are way up there. And on the run it shows!
At 9.6 oz / 272g US9 on a big 40mm heel / 34mm forefoot stack height it is lighter than most of its most direct competitors, some towering over it in stack height but not in ride quality as the higher you go the more awkward the transitions and the higher the weight.
No plate here and none needed as the geometry and foam deliver a smooth and flexible energetic highly cushioned any pace ride.
Pros:
No compromises: deep, soft, reactive supercritical foam midsole allowed to shine without plates, stiffness, awkward geometry or excess of stack
Fun, fun ride: springy, smooth, very vibration absorbing
Versatile: from slow easy to most daily training
Deluxe plush upper that actually works: great foolhold and sublime comfort
Handcrafted in Italy and it shows.
Cons:
$240 at the high end for sure but you get what you pay for in comfort and ride quality.
Lightening upper materials would reduce weight and better leverage a very light underfoot platform.
Most comparable shoes
Nike Vomero 18
Brooks Glycerin Max
Hoka Skyward X
Puma MagMax Nitro
Salomon Aero Glide 3
Stats
Approx. Weight: men's 9.6 oz / 272g US9
Sample Weight: men’s 9.35 oz / 265g US8.5
Stack Height: men’s 40mm heel / 34mm forefoot (6 mm drop)
Platform Width: 90mm heel / 80mm midfoot / 110mm forefoot
First Impressions, Fit and Upper
Two stars here, the midsole and the upper.
Diadora went all out to create a plush and comfortable very secure upper while for sure delivering it with plenty of classy Italian style. I might argue that they go a bit overboard adding to weight but only for a second as in its class it is one heck of a fine upper.
So comfy, and more as to why below, I even took them for a run barefoot with no issues whatsoever. Side note running them without socks can reduce weight and I think I could size down half a size if I ran them regularly that way.
The main mesh is a relatively thin and dense AirMesh with extensive overlays: suede, leatherette and otherwise.
To provide rear support and stability we not only have a mostly rigid heel counter but a molded clip and stitched on leather like supports below the ankle collars.
For a neutral shoe with relatively soft foam the rear is very stable. Even with the 6mm drop and the softish foam I never had a sense of the heel being mushy or over low at any pace even very slow
The rear collars are thickly padded with thick soft foam that tapers from very thick at the achilles to thinner towards lace up. The overall rear hold is superb in both plush comfort and effectiveness.
The midfoot mesh is relatively unstructured and soft. To hold the foot at lace up, and the hold is outstanding ,we have a densely padded moderately padded tongue.
But there is more as its gusset extends all the way from near lace up to the very front of the shoe as a soft inner supportive lining. Diadora calls this the Unitongue. So we get soft against the front of the foot and support at the same time.
This is why I did not hesitate to run them barefoot on a cold day. This lining likely will make them less breathable in summer but I will ditch socks as essentially they are built in.
The toe box is not particularly broad.
I was worried on first try on that they might be on the narrow side but after the first 2 runs I no longer had any concerns for my medium to narrower volume feet and none at all when I went barefoot.
Midsole & Platform
The Star has a supercritical foam DD Anima N2 midsole and no plates. At a 40/34 stack height it steers clear of the mega heights of shoes such as the Glycerin Max or Hoka Skyward X both at 45mm plus at the heel.
The higher you go the greater the design challenge of making the shoe transition and toe off through rockers (Glycerin Max and Superblast ) or plates (Skyward X). Here, in combination with a judicious outsole design we have a platform that actually flexes towards the midfoot allowing smooth any pace (even slow) toe offs.
Supercritical foams are for sure lighter than more traditional EVA’s with more energy return or reactivity and here we are according to Diadora at 72% reactivity. Not quite the reactivity of super races shoes which are mostly in the lower 80% range but far above EVA’s which sit in the 40% range.
The result is a very energetic feel which combines “bounce” and “spring”. I distinguish the two characteristics as follows: bounce is yes bouncy but can also, in say a TPU based foam such as PWRRUN+ or Salomon new TPU based Energy Foam EVO have a sensation of the return escaping out the sides, a touch of instability. Spring is more direct, more aligned and quicker in return but can be firmer in feel, for example ASICS FF Turbo, adidas Lightstrike Pro and Nike ZoomX.
Here we are closer to a Puma Nitro foam in feel, my sense a bit softer but with the big difference that there is no plate as most Puma have. The result is an all foam return with some nice flexibility and a bit of a front and rear rocker.
No plate and a single density of foam (unlike say the Nike Vomero 18) also eliminates glue layers and their added weight and stiffness. Yes, such construction can be “faster” and more responsive but generally in a daily training focused shoe can limit pace ranges to faster efforts. Not so here.
This relatively soft foam is very vibration absorbing (as all Diadora midsoles tend to be regardless of compound) with a clear, very pleasant distinct rebound at any pace and with never any harshness or awkwardness. While not per say a stability or support platform, it remains very stable at midfoot and well planted with the upper clearly assisting.
About as fine a platform and foam ride as any I can recall for day in day out training with no real or perceived weight or overstacked feel penalty. Diadora really threads the needle between too much of two good things: huge stack height and modern foam well here with great foam and for these days "moderate" stack height.
Outsole
Diadora is highly strategic with its outsole design focusing its Duratec 5000 rubber in key wear areas while ensuring the coverage enhances the ride characteristics.
Even with the big 34mm forefoot stack the Star has very decent front flexibility for such a high stacked shoe. As with other Duratec 5000 shod shoes I expect excellent durability.
Ride, Conclusions and Recommendations
The Atomo Star is a true pleasure to run. From its plush and comfortable secure upper that is so well finished it can easily be run barefoot, to its lively reactive midsole that is friendly to any pace run, to its commendable light weight for such a big shoe and substantial upper, Diadora delivers the highly polished, Italian fast sports sedan of max cushion road trainers.
Every run in the Star has been big smiles for me no matter the pace, not easy to do when the stack height is up there at 40/34. While not the ideal uptempo shoe for faster runs it for sure can also handle them due to the high reactivity of the midsole foam.
The reactivity of the Anima N2 midsole is particularly noticed balancing plentiful forgiving relatively soft cushion with lots of return. No plate no problem here, as the flex and slight rocker move me along smoothly no matter the training pace while the upper kept me locked to the platform and stable.
The $240 pricing, in the realm of carbon racing supershoes, for sure gives pause. Yet, given the superb ride, versatility, comfort, and quality Made in Italy durable construction goes very far in being justified if you are seeking an all around reliable light, lively and fun max cushioned trainer that balances all its parts so well.
Sam’s Score: 9.58 /10
Ride (50%): 9.8 One of the best if not the best and most pleasing all around training rides of the last year or so
Fit (30%): 9.5 A bit too plush adding to weight and potentially warmth
Value (15%): 9 Wish it was priced closer to $200
Style (5%): 9.5 Serious yet playful at the same time
😊😊😊😊 ½
6 Comparisons
Brooks Glycerin Max (RTR Review)
The Glycerin Max goes too far, too high for me with its 45 mm heel 39 mm forefoot stack height towering over the Star’s “modest” 40/34. The ride as a result is duller, the transitions far more labored as instead of flex or a plate the Glycerin relies on an accentuated front rocker which is harder to find at slower paces.
At 10.85 oz / 307g US men’s 9 the Brooks is also considerably heavier than the 9.6 oz / 272g US9 Diadora. Both have plush uppers with the Star’s more refined and lighter on the foot. Both true to size with the Star’s toe box a bit narrower but more secure as less stretchy. Clear win for the Atomo Star despite its higher pricing due to its superior ride and greater versatility.
ASICS Superblast (RTR Review)
The popular Superblast goes all out for light weight at huge stack heights as it checks in with a 45 mm heel / 37 mm forefoot yet weighs about an ounce less than the Diadora at 8.7 oz / 249g. It’s foam is slightly firmer, its upper more minimal in support and comfort and its ride more uptempo leaning than the Star’s. Depends on what you need. The Star will handle a wider range of daily training paces for me while the Superblast is more long runs at faster paces focused.
Hoka Skyward X (RTR Review)
A clear competitor in the big smiles department to the Star, the huge stack X towers above the Star at a massive 48 mm heel / 43mm forefoot stack. It has 2 supercritical foams and an elaborate carbon plate to help stabilize and move it along. It all works very well together.
While a noticeable 1 oz heavier the X is easy to roll along at any pace with lots of energy return and a smooth roll. I wish it was more moderate in stack height and weight to move it closer to the Star as an all around daily trainer. Its weight comes in part from its somewhat suffocating plush upper which, while fitting similarly to the Star's, is overdone. Priced near the Diadora at $225 I do think the Star is a more versatile shoe and I think slightly better value
Puma MegaMax (RTR Review)
I personally did not test the MegaMax but our international team did. See their review above. Higher stacked than the Star with a similar midsole foam it checks in somewhat heavier.
Nike Vomero 18 (RTR Review)
Nike’s latest Vomero is yet another shoe that towers over the Star at 46mm heel / 36mm forefoot (10mm drop). It is somewhat heavier and has a dual foam construction of ZoomX and ReactX. Somewhat stiffer and firmer due to the glue between layers unlike the Diadora’s single supercritical foam construction, it leans somewhat faster paces than the more easy going Star and has a more precise fitting upper
Salomon Aero Glide 3 (RTR Review)
Sharing the same reasonable 40mm heel height as the Star, but with a higher 8mm drop, the Salomon is about 1 oz lighter. Its soft supercritical TPU midsole is bouncier and overall the Salomon is less stable than the Star with its upper considerably lighter and not as supportive. Also fun to run, it leans faster paces and for light runners with well aligned form while the Diadora is more forgiving and easier to handle.
Index to all RTR reviews: HERE
Tester Profiles
Sam is the Editor and Founder of Road Trail Run. He is in his 60’s with 2025 Sam’s 53th year of running roads and trails. He has a decades old 2:28 marathon PR. These days he runs halves in the just sub 1:40 range if he gets very, very lucky. Sam trains 30-40 miles per week mostly at moderate paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Utah be it on the run, hiking or on nordic skis. He is 5’9” tall and weighs about 160 lbs, if he is not enjoying too many fine New England IPA’s.
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