The Adidas Adipower 2 and Nike Romaleos 4 are perhaps two of the more ‘premium’ choices when it comes to the world of Weightlifting Shoes.
But which shoe is better? In this article, we’ll look at some of the key features and provide a direct, head to head comparison between each shoe to help you determine which one is right for you. Be sure to check out my individual reviews of both the Adipower 2 and the Romaleos 4 as well if you’re looking for a bit more in-depth detail.
Looks
When comparing looks for both, there’s definitely a very noticeable difference, both shoes are instantly recognizable but for altogether different reasons.
The Adipower 2 has a much cleaner design, in my opinion, whereas the Romaleos 4 reminds me of a soccer boot. its a bit more flash and in your face overall, so if that’s your thing then the Romaleos 4 may be the shoe for you, otherwise, you’re probably like me and prefer your shoes to be more on the simpler side, in terms of design, which the Adipower 2 is. Of course, this isn’t accounting for the color choices, naturally, that bright pink is about as flashy and in your face as they come!
Even the sole designs are very different in both and continue the theme of simplicity vs strikingness (is that even a word?). There’s really not much to comment on with Adipower 2, it’s a flat sole with a very basic grip pattern and the shape is as you would expect a shoe to look. The Romaleos 4, however, is very angular and has a lot of points and flared edges. The grip pattern also contains a hollow section through the midsole to the heel, I’m not entirely sure of its purpose, perhaps weight saving, but either way its a very different look to most other Weightlifting Shoes currently on the market.
Overall, the Adipower 2 is the clear winner here. Of course, looks are a very personal thing so you may feel completely different.
1st Adidas Adipower 2
2nd Nike Romaleos 4
Fit & Feel
Where do I even begin here? Both shoes are so different from each other in this department, you’d be forgiven for thinking they were both designed for two different sports!
If flexibility and comfort is your thing, you’ll love the Adipower 2. however, what you gain in flexibility, you lose in stability, which is where the Romaleos 4 shines. It’s not to say that the Romaleos 4 is uncomfortable or inflexible, just more so than the Adipower 2, and by quite some margin.
It’s not all one-sided here though, one particularly nice feature with the Romaleos 4 is the dual strap system, which gives a lot more control over the tightness so fit and feel can be tailored to suit, to a degree. The Adipower 2 only has the standard one strap, which works well but as you would expect, doesn’t offer the same level of control.
The final key differences lie in the heel area. Heel slip was a very big issue with the Romaleos 4, certainly not something I would expect from a top of the range Weightlifting Shoe. Conversely, the Adipower 2 is very stable and secure in the heel, which seems kind of counterintuitive given the difference in flexibility between the two, but there we go. The Adipower 2 also has a fabric loop sewn into the back of the shoe which makes putting it on a lot easier and less likely to wear away the material over time, it’s a small addition but it really makes a difference.
Finally, looking at the toe box, I definitely preferred the Adipower 2. The Romaleos 4 has a very narrow toe and I felt it really restricted my ability to spread my toes how I like. Looking at the shoes from the outside, it doesn’t appear overly narrow by comparison, but I suspect the thicker padding that provides that extra rigidity is where this issue stems from. Naturally, the Adipower 2, although still relatively tight, had no such issues here, what with its extreme flexibility.
This was a tough one to call, the Adipower 2 was super comfortable (for a Weightlifting Shoe), however, the Romaleos 4 allowed more control over the fit with the double strap. In the end, I went with the Adipower 2, I feel like it will be much more suitable for the majority of lifters and that heel slip in the Romaleos 4 is just unforgivable for its price.
1st Adidas Adipower 2
2nd Nike Romaleos 4
Performance
So, performance is going to be largely dictated by your preference and the type of lifts you do. For the Olympic Weightlifters out there, bear in mind that this review is written from the perspective of a Powerlifter first and foremost, but I will offer my insight with regards to the Olympic lifts, for what its worth.
As mentioned in Fit & Feel, there’s a big difference in flexibility between both shoes and this carries over into their performance, as you would expect. As someone who predominantly uses Weightlifting Shoes for Squats and Bench Press, I don’t need the flexibility, in fact, I prefer not to have it, so the added support the Romaleos 4 provides made it the clear winner.
That said though, the tight toebox of the Romaleos was a problem for me in the Squat as it didn’t allow me to spread my toes as I normally would. This was not a problem with the Adipowers.
Of course, the story changes for the Olympic lifts, which for most will require a bit more flexibility. The issues with heel slip also come into play a lot more with the Olympic lifts for the Romaleos. In the split jerk particularly, I noticed the heel of my rear foot popping out of the shoe regularly and this was really quite off-putting, to say the least.
Heel height is pretty much the same on both shoes and with both made from the same TPU material, there were no issues with support. I did like that the TPU came up a bit higher around the heel on the Romaleos 4, overall it provided a lot more stability, so just edges this one.
Again, I would have to declare the Adipowers the winner here. There were some aspects where the Romaleos were noticeably better, namely stability and support, however, there were just too many glaring mistakes with their performance to ignore, whereas the Adipower, although not as stable, is a much more well-rounded shoe overall.
1st Adidas Adipower 2
2nd Nike Romaleos 4
Price
Both shoes are right up there in price. In fact, I paid the same for both, and to date, they are the two most expensive Weightlifting Shoes I’ve tried.
So, deciding between them purely on price is not going to work. Instead, my decision will be based on value for money.
I’ve mentioned that the Romaleos have a lot of massive issues, issues that I just don’t think should be present in a shoe of its price. When you consider that there are Weightlifting Shoes for half the price of the Romaleos, which have these issues solved, it’s hard to justify.
It’s hard to say whether the Adipower 2s are good value for money though, it really does depend on what you’re looking for. If you’re someone who hates how heavy and stiff Weightlifting Shoes tend to be then the Adipower has that issue 100% fixed and is worth its weight in gold.
If you’re like me, however, and like your Weightlifting Shoes to be built like a tank, then the Adipower 2 represents pretty poor value for money, unfortunately.
In the end, its only fair to give it to the Adipower 2. As much as I’m not a fan of the heightened flexibility, it’s still a better overall shoe than the Romaleos 4 and for that reason, represents much better value for money.
1st Adidas Adipower 2
2nd Nike Romaleos 4
You can check out the latest prices of both weightlifting shoes at Amazon below:
Final Thoughts
In the end, its a pretty clear cut victory for the Adidas Adipower 2, and its no surprise really, as the Nike Romaleos 4 are perhaps one of my least favorite Weightlifting Shoes ever!
The Romaleos do manage to score some points though. As mentioned, I much prefer their outsole design as it provides so much more stability than the Adipower’s, in fact, there are very few Weightlifting Shoes that rival the Romaleos in this department.
Its weight is also unmatched and for me, really helps it feel incredibly grounded overall for the Powerlifting movements.
Sadly, that’s about as good as it gets for the Romaleos 4 and in every other way, shape, and form, the Adipower 2 is just better.
