Diadora Equipe Nucleo Review
By Bach Pham
Diadora Equipe NucleoPrice: $155 at Diadora
Weight: 9.7 oz, 275 g (men's size 9), oz, g (women's size 8)
Stack Height:
Drop: 5mm
Shoe Purpose: Daily Trainer
Pros: Forefoot response is nice for a standard trainer, comfortable fit
Cons: Runs half-size short, cost higher for a moderate cushioned trainer
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Diadora Equipe Nucleo is a moderately cushioned, lower drop daily trainer. The midsole features DD Anima, which provides a fairly comfortable, lightly bouncy feel underfoot. With a no-frills, breathable upper and durable outsole, the Equipe Nucleo checks a lot of daily training boxes many runners will enjoy.
SIMILAR SHOES: Puma Velocity Nitro 3, Reebok Symmetros 2
PAST MODEL: N/A
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Bach: So this pair came to me from Matt. It was running a bit short in his usual size 10, but fits my typically Men's Size 9.5 extremely well. I found ample room around the toebox and a very comfortable amount of volume that was not too wide or narrow. I would definitely recommend starting a half size down. The upper is very breathable and caused me no issues. The heel features a rigid counter and the laces caused no issues with heel security. The insole is removeable. It does have a decent thickness to it that provides a good landing and step-in comfort. It's a very standard everyday trainer fit and feel throughout. They do offer the shoe in wide and for wide foot runners I would definitely check that out first over a regular pair.
Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Bach well:
Nike Pegasus 40, Saucony Guide 17, Mizuno Wave Inspire 19, Saucony
Endorphin Speed 3, Nike Structure 25
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Asics Kayano 30, Puma Electrify Nitro, Brooks Hyperion, Hoka Clifton 9 GTX
Shoes that have fit large: Hoka Gaviota 5, Reebok Floatride Energy X
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: Yes
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: Yes
Is the Forefoot Flexible: No
How Flexible is the Shoe: Only the most minor in the forefoot
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Average
Recommended for Haglunds: No
Recommended for Sockless: Doable
Durability Expectation: Above Average
PERFORMANCE
Bach: I wasn't sure what to expect of the Diadora Equipe Nucleo having never run in the brand, but I was comfortably surprised by the DD Anima midsole. The shoe feels well-cushioned underfoot despite not being max stacked (shoe stack height is not available, but definitely feels under 39mm). The forefoot in particular when you get into rhythm is both comfortable to the foot and responsive at the same time. The insole adds 1-2 mm of stack and feels noticeable pleasant to land on, adding to the comfort of the shoe. Similar to the Reebok Symmetros series, it offers a nice ride that lets you set it and forget it. The shoe is a fairly average weight, but is responsive enough for strides and slightly above easy paces. I would not do workouts in the shoe but enjoyed finishing runs a bit faster. The cushion is somewhere in the middle, leaning just slightly soft. The Nike Pegasus, Reebok Symmetros, and Puma Velocity Nitro all fall in the same realm as the Equpie Nucleo. The shoe does differ in that it does feature a lower drop. Like its peers this is a daily cruiser through and through, best for daily runs and longer distances for those who don't mind a touch less stack than full max cushion offerings.
I was able to do wet roads and light offroading without any issues. The Duratech 5000 outsole remains fairly unscathed after my testing miles and ample amounts of walking across a month and a half of use. This is very much a great shoe for both runs and walks and daily standing. I liked the fit and feel of it and it's an easy shoe to slip on and go (don't be like me, untie and tie your shoes).
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Bach: The Equipe Nucleo is a neutral shoe. Despite a generously wide base, the sole is just soft enough to offset the width. There's no outsole on the medial midfoot of the shoe, which led me to feeling a touch of instability there on the run. There's also fairly limited sole flaring for lateral stability. The forefoot width is great though and the heel security of the upper keeps the foot locked down well. The shoe itself is not unstable, it could just be more stable in general to be what we can confidently call stable neutral for those who do want more stability. I didn't have any issues as a flat foot runner in the shoe in regards to comfort.
Culture Corner: The Price of Shoes
By Bach Pham
When I really started running around 2019, I desperately scoured the internet for a deal, ultimately finding a pair of New Balance Fresh Foam X Zante Pursuits for an incredible $49. I was a person then who balked at the idea of paying over $100 for a running shoe. Even paying $49 was a difficult decision for myself then.
Today, however, prices have skyrocketed. $110 is typically the low end of quality running footwear prices, with $130-150 being extremely common for standard trainers. Running used to have a reputation has a fairly easy sport to get in with the cost of shoes being the only real barrier to entry, but with each passing year the gateway is becoming harder and harder. The Diadora Equipe Nucleo comes in well above the standard market price of related trainers at $155.
We have talked to many brands about the price of shoes, with a combination of reasons that come into play for the pandemic raising the cost of production and shipping to the incorporation of new technology and components raising the cost of the shoe. A business has to make profit and deliver on what customers are looking for. We do have deals and strategies to help overcome the costs of footwear, but I worry about the market's continued price hike on running. Even with all the resources out now, it can be hard to sort out and make a running shoe decision as a new consumer. It will become a major barrier for new runners as prices continue to go up. My fear is that it will potentially steer more new runners to stick to the extremely budget models between $50-90 - commonly seen in stores in the US. These are typically not quality running shoes typically that will help promote great running due to design issues like poor heel bevels, very firm cushioning or not enough cushioning for a variety of tasks. It is really important that we continue to have a quality subset of shoes that are focused on both cost and quality decision for new runners and runners who want to continue in the sport that is in a reasonable price range and extremely accessible both online and in-person.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Bach: One minor thing regarding the stability of the shoe, I would not mind seeing a little bit of midsole geometry through the medial midfoot to help add a touch of rigidity there for stability or add some medial outsole. That would be more of a personal win though, as I think most neutral runners will be pleased in this iteration of the shoe. I also think Diadora can amplify the midsole further and make this a full-on max cushioned trainer. It feels great already, and I think sticking to the goal of easy and long runs, I think a commitment to cushion would help raise the popularity of the shoe and also match the price point it currently is at. The shoe being $155 means it starts competing with max cushion shoes and even performance footwear, which for me makes it a bit harder of a buy. I would look for ways to cut the price down to the $140s at least or make the change to make it feel more premium.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Bach: This shoe is for runners who want a reliable, beginner-friendly neutral daily trainer with a lower drop. The Equipe Nucleo does run a short, so half-size up is recommended. The shoe does come at a higher price point, which means runners will really want to think about their interest in the shoe from an all-perspectives view including styling. It's a no-frills design that doesn't look over-bulky like some brands but also isn't flashy. If on sale, I would be perfectly happy picking up a pair over many moderately stacked shoes right now, but at full-price it starts competing with max stacked options like the Saucony Triumph, Asics Novablast, and even Endorphin Speed which makes the Equipe a less appealing decision.
GRADES
Bach
Fit: B+ (Loses points for not technically being true to size, but fits well with the adjust up half a size)
Performance: B/B+ (Solid standard trainer ride that's no frills)
Stability: B (Some good design choices with width, but still fairly neutral)
Value: B- (Costs is a bit high for this category, but the build quality feels good)
Personal: B+ (Cost aside, I do enjoy the shoe and like that I can use it for a variety of daily purposes. It's a solid trainer)
Overall Design: B/B+
SHOP | SUPPORT DORDiadora Equipe NucleoPrice: $155 at Diadora
Shop Men | Shop Women
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FURTHER READING
The lightest stability trainer in the market right now.
A new highly rockered offering from New Balance.
Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
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