We’re back with another Adidas review and this time we’re looking at a more entry-level shoe in the Adidas Powerlift 4.
From Adipower to Power Perfect to Leistung, Adidas is pretty well versed in the Weightlifting Shoe game and the Powerlift 4s are yet another solid option to consider from the German giants.
The Adidas Powerlift 4 is a great Weightlifting Shoe on a budget. The overall fit and feel is very comfortable with the canvas upper material providing plentiful cushioning with minimal resistance against the foot.
Performance-wise, the Powerlift does a stellar job for a Weightlifting Shoe in its price bracket and can keep up with shoes that are much more expensive.
Adidas Powerlift 4 General Review
Quick Stats
The measurements below are based on a US size 9.5.
- Weight 385mm
- Length 275mm
- Max Width 105mm
- Heel Width 75mm
- Heel Height* 28mm
*This is the height that the heel sits off the ground and not the effective heel height which also accounts for the toe height.
Looks
The Powerlift 4s are one of the prettier Weightlifting Shoes out there, in my opinion, I’ve always liked simple designs and it doesn’t get much simpler than the design here. The upper is made from a canvas material and comes in a range of colors with the grey or the white being my personal favorites, although you can choose from some more striking colors if that is your preference, such as a bright blue or red variant.
Overall, a very good looking shoe.
Rating – 8/10
Fit
In general, I found these to be particularly good for a Weightlifting Shoe although I was only able to get them in a half size smaller than my usual. I think this is largely down to the flexibility of the canvas material.
The Powerlift 4s are pretty flexible and lightweight (for a Weightlifting Shoe) and this lends itself to some pretty great maneuverability. Whether this is a good or bad thing will depend on what you’re looking for in a Weightlifting Shoe though.
For me, I like my shoes to be more towards the rigid side as I almost exclusively wear them for Squats and Bench Presses, but if you’re someone who partakes in more dynamic lifts, such as Olympics lifts or WODs, then you may find this shoe is a good fit for you.
The toe box did feel a touch cramped, however, this is more likely because the shoe was half a size too small. I didn’t however, feel constricted through the mid-foot or the heel, again the flexible canvas material really helped here.
The construction around the heel is very good and provided a nice cup, which made for very minimal heel lift. The loop on the back was also a nice feature for getting the shoe on and off.
For sizing, I would stick true to your normal shoe size, the flexibility of this shoe should make it pretty easy to adapt to your foot shape pretty quickly, so I expect most won’t run into too many issues in this regard.
The shoe was a little tight for me overall, however, I’ve tried to account for this in my review as I expect my normal size would have been fine. Aside from this, the fit was great.
Rating – 6/10
Comfort
The canvas material is very comfortable overall, and provides a good amount of cushioning and support and feels generally well made. The canvas’s breathability isn’t bad either but there are certainly more breathable options out there. if you’re someone who’s feet get particularly warm and sweaty during a workout, you may find this more noticeable in the Powerlift 4s.
The heel is a bit lower than some of the other options out there at 0.6″ and equally there’s a bit more material under the toe, which gives the shoe a flatter profile overall, equally there’s not a huge amount of arch support, so if you have particularly high arches, this could prove to be uncomfortable over time.
Rating – 7/10
Straps & Lacing
The straps and lacing on the Adidas Powerlift 4 is nothing new. One single strap supports the midfoot and laces are well constructed and feel robust enough to survive a lot of abuse.
One slightly odd feature was at the bottom of the lacing system, which tapers down to a kind of V. I wouldn’t say I’m guilty of tightening my laces to the extreme but what I found once I had laced up was that this V shape caused the material to fold inwards above the toe. This is really only a visual thing though, as I couldn’t really feel it affecting my feet in any way, but perhaps if you like to tighten up your laces this might pose some problems.
Rating – 7/10
Grip/Traction
Grip was not an issue for the Powerlift 4, in fact, of all the shoes tested in the Powerlifting Perfection Grip Test, the Powerlifts were one of the highest scorers.
It’s a surprising result when compared to the more expensive Adipower 2s, which you would expect to have the better performance, given the large price difference, yet the Adipowers have less traction. The numbers don’t lie though.
Rating – 9/10
Performance
The sole of the Adidas Powerlift 4 is made from EVA or ethylene-vinyl acetate, basically a kind of plastic. This isn’t as stiff as the TPU you’ll find in some of the more expensive Weightlifting Shoes, but unless you consider yourself to be in the elite category of lifters, I highly doubt you will notice the difference.
Adidas Powerlift 4 for Squats
The Powerlift 4 is a solid choice for the Squat, especially for the newer lifter to whom it is marketed. The overall construction made me feel locked in suitably well and there was no real movement or shifting of my foot to speak of, whilst still allowing me to spread my toes and grip in. The outsole felt very strong and stable and provided a solid base to push from.
Depending on your ankle mobility, the flatter designed outsole and lower heel height may not be what you’re looking for. For me, it did the job fine but I definitely miss the higher heel from the likes of an Adipower or Romaleo shoe, of course, these are in a completely different price bracket so its not a fair comparison.
Overall though, a very good performer, and I would especially recommend it to someone who is looking to move to a Weightlifting Shoe but perhaps doesn’t want to jump straight to a 0.75″ heel. The Powerlift 4 will be a much easier transition.
Adidas Powerlift 4 for the Bench Press
The Powerlift 4 did perfectly well on the Bench Press. No stand out features, but certainly no bad features either. Again, the raised heel could have benefited from being a touch higher but this is only a minor complaint.
Not much more to say here really, it does everything it needs to in this department, but there was nothing about it that particularly caught my attention.
Adidas Powerlift 4 for Olympic Lifts
Finally, looking at the Olympic Lifts, the Powerlift 4 did a very good job overall. For a budget Weightlifting Shoe, the Powerlift 4 manages to tick every box, its not a stand out performer, but it quietly yet confidently gets on with the job at hand, and at no point do you feel that the shoe is hindering your performance.
My only critique is, of course, the lower heel, but in truth, did I actually notice a difference, not really. Knowing its smaller than other Weightlifting Shoes out there does have a mental impact though, regardless of whether it translates to performance or not.
Rating – 6/10
Adidas Powerlift 4 Price
And lastly, price. The Powerlift 4 could be considered more of an entry-level shoe and the price reflects that. This is absolutely one to consider if you’re on a budget or want to dip your toe into the world of Weightlifting Shoes. so absolutely no complaints from me in this regard!
You can check out the latest price for the Adidas Powerlift 4 at Amazon.
Rating – 9/10
Final Thoughts on the Adidas Powerlift 4
I would consider the Powerlift 4 to be a good, no thrills Weightlifting Shoe. Like a mid-range car, it does everything that it needs to perfectly well but it just doesn’t have that wow factor that you get from a sports car, for example.
I would definitely recommend this shoe to someone who is looking to invest in their first pair of Weightlifting Shoes, its cheap price point and overall comfort and flexibility make it a great choice with minimal risks.
Alternatively, I would also recommend checking out the Adidas Power Perfect 3, which is another entry-level Weightlifting Shoe, which I hold in very high regard.
