Diadora Atomo V7000-2 Review
By David Salas
Diadora Atomo V7000-2Price: $240 at Diadora
Weight: 9.7 oz, 275g (Men's size 9.5 / Women's size 11)
Stack Height: Not Provided
Drop: 5mm
Shoe Purpose: Daily Training ; Longer workouts
Pros: Well done rocker with good cushioning underfoot
Cons: Upper volume very low initially, but does break in, forefoot width
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Diadora Atomo V7000-2 is a daily training shoe that is meant to be protective underfoot for long efforts while also being lightweight. The shoe is marketed to be a daily trainer or a long distance racing shoe. The shoe provides a neutral running experience with a rocker profile. The V7000-2 is also hand assembled in Italy, which is rare for a training shoe.
SIMILAR SHOES: Reebok Floatride Energy, Saucony Ride 18
PAST MODEL: Diadora Atomo V7000
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
David: The Diadora V7000-2 fits me true to size in my Men's 9.5, but with really low volume. The shoe felt very snug throughout when I first put it on. This did break in with time and now fits me pretty well, but it did take about 20 miles of running and a couple of days of wearing them for walking. The width throughout the platform is normal throughout the heel and midfoot with a slightly narrow forefoot. The tongue is thin, but padded enough to prevent biting from the laces. The upper is constructed of a nylon mesh and microfiber and feels decently comfortable throughout. The material feels like a hybrid of a thin synthetic mesh you may see in a performance shoe and a softer mesh like feel in a training shoe. There is a decently rigid heel counter that is moderately padded. I did not have any irritation with rubbing or pressure in that region. The midfoot felt very snug initially, but now feels good. I would heavily recommend wearing this shoe for a day or two walking before running in it.
The general lockdown is really good throughout and I had no issues with foot translation or heel slippage. The forefoot is slightly narrow, even with the break in. It is not enough to where I can't run in it, but I do think the experience would be nicer with more width. I do feel the sides of the upper in the forefoot gently pushing into the sides of my toes. I would love for the materials to either break in quicker or have a nicer step in feel, because I am not sure I would have purchased the shoe based on my initial step in. After breaking the shoe in, it is comfortable and nice despite the narrow forefoot.
David's Typical Size: Men's US Size 9.5
Shoes that have fit David well: Nike Vomero 17, Saucony Ride 16, Puma Velocity Nitro 3
Shoes that have fit snug: HOKA Arahi 7
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon Aero Glide
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: Yes
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: Yes
Is the Forefoot Flexible: Somewhat
How Flexible is the Shoe: Mild to moderate when loaded
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Yes
Recommended for Haglunds: No
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: Average
PERFORMANCE
David: The Diadora V7000-2 is a daily training shoe and long distance racing shoe. The general feel is a well-cushioned rocker that has a slight firmness to it. The midsole does have some compliance to it, but I would not necessarily classify it as soft. With that said, there is plenty of foam underfoot for those looking to have high amounts of cushion underfoot. The shoe does have a nice rocker profile to it and is smooth with easy and rhythmic efforts. The heel bevel and toe spring are noticeable, but on the more gradual side. The shoe does maintain a decent amount of stiffness throughout the platform, but does have some natural flex grooves integrated into the platform as you transition forward into the forefoot. This does give the toe off some mild flexibility which blends really well with the forefoot rocker. The high abrasion rubber does have some texture to it and a surprising amount of grip and traction. This certainly runs as a neutral training shoe throughout. The platform itself has a very normal width and there is not much integrated in the shoe in terms of guidance. There are some gentle sidewalls, that are nice, but there isn't much more beyond that.
I do find that this shoe works best as a daily training shoe, but there is a small upside for tempo efforts. The foam does have a small bounce to it, but does feel best at easy rhythmic efforts. For ultramarathon racing efforts, the only thing that would make this shoe a tough sell for me would be the volume and forefoot width. When you are running for longer periods of time, your feet will have some swelling. If they want this shoe to be used for long distance racing, I do think there needs to be a little more space for swelling accommodation. However, if the fit works for you, I don't see why the platform itself can't go for an ultra marathon. The ride does give you a nice balanced rocker.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
David: The Diadora Atomo V7000-2 is certainly a neutral shoe. The lockdown throughout is secure, and the outside traction is good, but the platform does not have many features that cater to stability. The width and cross sectional area of the platform is very normal and the shoe does not have much sole flaring. The heel does have pretty good security, thanks to a noticeable heel counter that is accompanied with some gentle sidewalls. Outside of the initial cradle like heel, the rest of the platform is about as neutral as it gets. This does not mean that the shoe is unstable, just that it is a neutral offering.
Thoughts as a DPT: Ultramarathon Running Considerations for Running Shoes
By David Salas
The Diadora Atomo V7000-2 is intended for daily training and long distance racing. The shoe does not have a plate or use materials that compare with super shoes (as does the Gara Carbon). Because of this, I interpret "long distance races" as ultra distances, or races that are longer than a marathon. Many people end up wearing a super shoe anyways, but there are plenty that do not with ultra marathons. For ultra marathons people normally want a reliable, cushioned, sturdy, and spacious shoe that does not get in their way while they are competing. For the most part the Atomo V7000-2 does this, but misses in one special consideration.
The Diadora V7000-2 does not have very much volume and can feel quite snug on foot. The upper material does break in, but still maintains a very low volume throughout. When running longer distances, our feet will have normal amounts of swelling that result from this. This is why many shoes that are aimed at longer distances will have quite a bit of width and volume through the forefoot to accommodate for that. The same can also happen with longer periods of standing. I find that this shoes platform performs well for its intended use, but falls short with forefoot volume and width. Those who do not need a lot of volume and width in the forefoot will be able to take the platform for longer distances, but those that struggle with swelling may need to look elsewhere.
RECOMMENDATIONS
David: I enjoyed my time in the Diadora Atomo V7000-2, but I do think there could be some improvements. The biggest thing for me is the upper fit. As much as I enjoy the fit now that the upper broke in, I feel like I should not have had to work as hard as I did on getting that break in. Playing with the materials and dimensions could help with that. The other thing would be widening the forefoot. Even after the break in, I do find that the outer parts of the upper still put gentle pressure that I can feel on the sides of my toes.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
David: The Diadora Atomo V7000-2 is a daily training shoe for those that like neutral riding platforms and gently rockered shoes. The rocker is not dramatic, but noticeable enough for it to be one. The forefoot has mild flexibility as well for a smooth and surprisingly natural feeling toe off. The fit is certainly snug throughout initially, but does break in. I would still say the fit caters to those that like having a more snug fit though. The price tag is higher than normal for current shoes on the market, but this does seem to be in line with its production and hand crafting in Italy. There is a designer-esque aesthetic and feeling to this shoe, and if that makes the price worth it for the individual then it works. For me personally, performance wise this shoe performs comparably with most of the $160-$180 dollar trainers.
GRADES
David
Fit: B (Narrow forefoot, low volume, break in took longer than I would have hoped for)
Performance: A (I really enjoy the ride of the shoe and I do think this could be a nice training shoe or even walking shoe for someone)
Stability: B (Decently stable heel, but very neutral throughout the rest of the platform)
Value: B (The value comes more from those that want the designer and hand crafted details. Otherwise the shoe is a nice premium trainer comparable to the normal premium trainer category.)
Personal: A- (I personally do like the aesthetic as a walking shoe, and I do enjoy running in the shoe. I just wish the forefoot was wider.)
Overall Design: B+
SHOP | SUPPORT DORDiadora Atomo V7000-2Price: $240 at Diadora
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