Adidas Climacool 02.17

8.5
8.5 score
[Editors rating (8.0) + Users rating (8.6)] / 2 = (WalkJogRun) score (8.5)/10


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Adidas Climacool 02.17 Review Facts

As with many other popular classics from the Adidas range, the Adidas Climacool has recently been relaunched. The Climacool was originally released in 2002, and this relaunched version, known as the Adidas Climacool 02.17, maintains many of the original features and design, giving it a popular retro look and feel.

The Climacool has been designed to ensure that the entire foot stays cool throughout their use, using the innovative 360-degree Climacool mesh upper. As well as keeping the feet ultra cool, the Climacool is a very comfortable shoe, with a sock-like fit. This would be a great choice for a running shoe for you if you suffer from particularly hot feet or you just prefer your feet to be well ventilated.

Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros

360 degress of ventilation 

Lightweight cushioning thanks to the EVA midsole

Retro design

Affordable price tag

TPU stability plugs

Cons

The mesh upper means the Climacool is not waterproof

Outsole

The outsole of the Adidas Climacool is constructed using a strong rubber material. This material helps to ensure that the shoe has excellent traction on any running surfaces. The Climacool also has rubber pods incorporated into the heel and forefoot of the outsole to further enhance the traction of the shoe. As well, as giving excellent grip to the shoe, the rubber outsole also ensures that the foot is adequately protected during a run.

Midsole

The midsole of the Adidas Climacool is made up of a molded EVA foam. This foam is lightweight but highly durable, ensuring that the sole of the shoe can withstand heavy use. EVA foam is known to be a firm material, therefore the midsole of the Climacool provides great support to the foot, keeping it in position throughout a run. Some users may not like the firmness of the midsole, as this can be a personal preference. However, in this case a cushioned insole may be used with the shoe.

Upper

The upper of the shoe is really what the Adidas Climacool is all about. The upper is formed using a thin air mesh material, which allows maximum breathability. It incorporates Adidas's Climacool technology, which is designed to optimize ventilation and moisture control in the shoe. This material helps to wick away moisture and is also able to adjust to the temperature of the foot. This shoe provides 360-degree ventilation to the foot, to really make sweaty feet a thing of the past! The only negative side to the clever use of the Climacool upper is that this shoe is most definitely not

Weight

The Climacool maintains a lightweight structure due to the use of an EVA midsole and a thin mesh upper. EVA is a very lightweight material, which still manages to maintain its durability and comfort. The Adidas Climacool is actually one of the more lightweight shoes in its category.

Breathability

As discussed above, the breathability of the Adidas Climacool is excellent. As well as the Climacool technology being used to optimize breathability throughout the shoes upper, the Climacool incorporates the OrthoLite sockliner. This sockliner is made using an open-cell PU foam, this gives maximum ventilation allowing air to circulate beneath the foot. This helps to cool the foot within the shoe as well as from the outside. The OrthoLite sockliner also helps to wick away moisture to keep the feet dry even with excess sweating, which will also help to eliminate the build-up of bacteria in the shoe.

Comfort

The mesh upper of the Adidas Climacool provides a sock-like fit to the wearer, which provides a great level of comfort. However, some wearers have stated that the fit of the shoe can be a bit narrow, which may put some people off. This narrow fit may be particularly evident in the toe box of the shoe.
The EVA midsole provides a great level of cushioning, with a nice, responsive bounce underfoot.
The major drawback in the comfort stakes for the Adidas Climacool is the presence of a rigid, transparent plastic section on the shoe's medial side. This plastic section can dig into the foot, causing discomfort to the wearer.

Style

This updated version of the Climacool (02.17) has kept many of the design aspects of the Climacool 1 which made it so popular. This gives the Climacool 02.17 a retro look, which is very popular at the moment. The Climacool has a minimalistic design, which means it will get just as much use as a fashion shoe as it will as a functional athletic shoe. Given the smart, low-key design of the shoe, it will look great paired with any outfit, from sportswear to jeans or shorts.
The light, breathable design of the Climacool make it an ideal shoe choice for the spring and summer months. Adidas has also released the Climacool in a number of colorways, with one that will surely grab your attention.

Durability

The strong rubber outsole of the Climacool is built to last, and as such, you should have no issues with durability of this part of the shoe, even with heavy use. This outsole is able to cope with heavy use on a range of standard running surfaces. Similarly, the EVA midsole provides hardwearing support to the shoe.
The only area to be dubious about with regards to the shoe's durability, is that the thin mesh upper may be prone to tearing. However, careful use of the shoe for its intended purpose only should eliminate this risk.

Protection

The thick rubber sole of the Climacool helps to provide protection underfoot from undulations in the running or walking surfaces. This is important to maintain comfort to the wearer during its use. Additionally, the EVA midsole provides enough cushioning and bounce to protect against the effects of any heavy impacts on the foot.
The Climacool also has a well-padded ankle collar which helps to keep the ankle in the correct position and to guard against rolling of the ankle during running or walking.
The thin mesh upper of the shoe, however, provides little protection to the top of the foot during use. For some users, this may present an issue.

Responsiveness

The Adidas Climacool is definitely not as responsive as some of the similarly priced running shoes available on the market. The shoe does not incorporate any additional responsive technology that a lot of other running shoes do. The EVA midsole, whilst providing cushioning underfoot and a good level of energy rebound for a bit of a boost, still remains quite firm. This may divide opinion on the shoe as some runners prefer a firmer feel underfoot, whereas some prefer the extra boost provided by a more responsive shoe.

Support

The EVA midsole of the Climacool contains thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) plugs which help to enhance the support provided by the shoe. TPU has very high levels of flexibility and is a fantastic load bearing material. These plugs, therefore, help to provide additional support and stability through the bottom of the foot.
The Climacool has a particularly high ankle collar compared to similar running shoes, which maximizes support to keep the ankle in its optimum position.

Terrain

The Climacool is ideal for use on standard running surfaces, such as well surfaced roads and pavements. The rubber outsole of the shoe is strong enough to protect against any minor undulations or debris present on these running surfaces.
This shoe has not been designed for use as a trail running shoe and as such should not be used for this purpose. Any off-road running risks damage occurring to the thin mesh upper of the shoe. Also, the shoe has not been designed to give enough protection to the foot in these circumstances.

Price

Compared to similar running shoes available on the market, the Adidas Climacool sports a fairly low price tag. The Climacool is also reasonably priced compared to other offerings from the Adidas brand. Given that the Adidas brand holds a reputation for creating, long-lasting premium shoes, this is definitely a well-priced shoe. The reason for the lower than expected price tag may be because the Climacool does not incorporate any high-end technology to enhance performance or responsivity. However, if you are looking for a reasonably priced, comfortable, functional running shoe, then the Climacool should definitely be on your list.

Traction

The majority of the Climacool's users report that the traction of the shoe is excellent on standard running surfaces. This is due to the use of rubber to construct the outsole. Rubber creates a fantastic grip even on wet surfaces, The outsole is built to further enhance traction, with the use of rubber pods on the heel and forefoot.
The traction of the Climacool, however, would not be suitable for use during trail running as it has not been designed with this in mind. Should you wish to go trail running, you should purchase a specialized shoe, designed specifically for this purpose.

Flexibility

The mesh upper of the Climacool allows natural movement of the foot, whilst still holding it in the appropriate position. This gives the wearer a greater feeling of freedom to the foot, more like that felt when barefoot. The ankle collar of the shoe is made up of AdiPrene material, which is a flexible shock absorbing material. This allows some natural movement of the heel, whilst supporting it adequately to prevent injuries.
The outsole and the midsole of the Climacool provide little in the way of flexibility as the rubber and EVA materials are quite firm. This may appeal to some runners, whilst putting others off, it is definitely a personal preference.

Stability

The Climacool's main asset when it comes to providing stability is the TPU stability plugs present in the EVA midsole. The shoe also incorporates both a heel and a midfoot stabilizer to provide stability throughout the whole of the foot. The plastic shank that is present on the medial side of the foot also helps to keep the foot in the optimal position, thus helping to protect against any injuries.
The snug fit of the mesh upper also provides a feeling of stability by firmly holding the foot in its optimal position throughout use.

Drop

The heel to toe drop of the Adidas Climacool is reported to be around 10mm. This is a fairly conventional drop for a running shoe. Users report that when wearing the shoe, the drop isn't particularly obvious, and the fit of the shoe remains comfortable.

Key Features

• Climacool mesh upper for enhanced breathability
• EVA midsole
• TPU stability plugs on the midsole
• Retro design

Bottom line

The Adidas Climacool is a re-released version of the Climacool 1, originally released in 2002. This shoe maintains many of the favored features of its predecessor, whilst getting a bit of a modern twist. The Climacool has an appealing retro design, which has also been modernized slightly to appeal to today's buyers. It also has a simple, minimalistic look, which gives it the versatility to the way in which you can wear it. The Climacool will look in place being worn as a fashion shoe for social gatherings as well as in the athletic arena.
The major selling point of the Climacool is its breathability, which allows even the most sweaty feet to remain refreshed during use! The Climacool will definitely appeal to a wide range of both amateur and professional runners alike. Its affordable price tag will also help to boost its appeal!