I test a lot of running shoes for both the road and trail, but I’d never tested a running shoe designed specifically for the treadmill until I ran in the Adidas Treadflow.
It’s the latest addition to Adidas’s extensive running shoe line-up, and it aims to carve its own specific niche thanks to a series of features that make it better for indoor running than regular shoes.
I ran 8.5 miles in the shoe on a treadmill to see how it compares to the best running shoes for the road, all of which can, of course, also be used for indoor runs as well.
Here are my main takeaways from the experience, and my verdict on whether you need a treadmill running shoe.
The Adidas Treadflow is lightweight and breathable
Most of the treadmill-specific features of the Treadflow focus on making it lightweight and breathable, which is a welcome benefit for indoor runs since they tend to be hot and sweaty.
The Climacool upper is thin and wicks sweat away to evaporate, and there is a series of cutouts on the underside of the shoe that run through to the bottom of your foot to create more ventilation.
At 8oz in my US men’s size 9.5, it comes in lighter than most running shoes, which makes it easier to pick up the pace in the Treadflow during indoor workouts.
It’s less cushioned than most running shoes
One of the other reasons that the Treadflow is lightweight is the relatively low midsole stack it has. It has 32mm of cushioning under the heel and 22mm under the forefoot for a 10mm drop, whereas most running shoes I test these days have nearer 40mm of foam at the heel.
Since the treadmill itself provides some cushioning compared with running on the road, you don’t need as much underfoot, and the dual-density midsole on the Treadflow includes a layer of Adidas’s springy Lightstrike Pro foam, the same material used in the brand’s racing shoes.
Over the course of my run, I didn’t find I missed the extra cushioning I’d get from other shoes, but the midsole on the Treadflow doesn’t feel quite as lively as some higher stack shoes, including Adidas’s own Adizero Evo SL.
The Treadflow is good value
The Adidas Treadflow costs £110 in the UK, and although the US release date hasn’t been confirmed yet, I’d expect it to cost $130 in line with the price of other Adidas shoes.
That makes it cheaper than most running shoes, which I think is a good move given the potentially niche appeal of the shoe.
You can run in it outside too, but it has its drawbacks
I did a short run outside in the Treadflow as well and can confirm my legs didn’t fall off, so it can be used for more than treadmill runs, but it isn’t the perfect shoe for this.
The cutouts on the bottom of the shoe are good for ventilation indoors, but trap rocks easily when outdoors, and the Treadflow isn’t as cushioned and comfortable as I’d like for regular road running.
It also has a very flat rubber outsole, and while this is made from the same LightTraxion rubber used on road shoes like the Adidas Adizero Boston 13, the tread on it seems specifically designed for flat treadmill use.
It will work for general gym workouts as well
If you tend to do hybrid workouts in the gym where you lift weights as well as run on the treadmill, the Treadflow should suit this better than most running shoes.
That’s mostly down to its relatively low stack height, which makes it more stable than very soft and high running shoes, and the breathable design is also good for high-intensity workouts.
Should you buy the Adidas Treadflow?
I just spent a week on holiday in a delightfully sunny place, which meant I moved several of my daily runs to the treadmill to avoid hot conditions. I only took one pair of running shoes on this trip, and it wasn’t the Adidas Treadflow.
All of that is to say you don’t need a dedicated treadmill running shoe — I got on very well while abroad using the Asics Megablast for all my indoor and outdoor runs — and I have done hundreds, if not thousands of miles of treadmill running in the past using road running shoes without complaint.
However, that’s not to say the Adidas Treadflow is completely without merit. It has some interesting features to help keep your feet cool, and if you exclusively run on the treadmill and also do other workouts, it could be a good option since it’s cheaper than most running shoes.
It could also be an option for a running shoe rotation if you want to save your best, more expensive shoes for the outdoors rather than wearing them out on the treadmill, if you do a lot of both indoor and outdoor running.
My favorite running shoe of the year so far is just £20/$20 pricier in the Adidas range, though, so if you want a more impressive all-round running shoe that you can use indoors and out, I’d look at the Adidas Adizero Evo SL.
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