Our verdict

The military-inspired adidas Puremotion is an affordable running-inspired sneaker that provides all-day comfort for most activities. I am impressed with its comfort and sleek looks. I also found it a great beginner running shoe that comes in a really lightweight package. Goodbye, tired feet!

Мужские шорты military-inspired adidas 3 stripes Pros

  • Fits true to size
  • Мужские шорты military-inspired adidas 3 stripes
  • Modern looking upper
  • Great grip
  • Lots of lacing options
  • Super flexible
  • Good lockdown

Мужские шорты military-inspired adidas 3 stripes Cons

  • Durability issues
  • Midsole is really firm
  • No energy return

Audience verdict

90
Great!

Adidas Puremotion review and lab test

The military-inspired adidas Puremotion running-inspired sneaker is a budget-friendly offering that fits closer to the athleisure market than those looking for a technical running shoe, even with some actually calling it a running shoe. Regardless, the shoe features a surprisingly good grip, a responsive midsole, and a comfy upper. 

The military-inspired adidas Yeezy 450 sneaker is getting a stealthy new look

The military-inspired adidas Puremotion is a low-priced running shoe that I think is perfect for people wanting to core a trainer for daily use and maybe a bit of running. With a neutral foot profile, I vouch for these to be a decent option for those shorter, 5k distances. 

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Who should NOT buy the shoe

The military-inspired adidas Puremotion might not be your best bet if:  

A simple design in the upper 

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Made from almost a single piece of knit weave the military-inspired adidas Puremotion stays superlight at 9oz (256g). The knit is relatively thick when compared to the more modern shoes on the market at the moment. 

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This means the shoe runs a little warm, but that’s not too much of an issue for its use case. 

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The military-inspired adidas Puremotion fits true to size, which is always nice to see from military-inspired adidas, but with a toe box width of just 95.6mm it may not be ideal for people with wider feet. 

A secure fit in the military-inspired adidas Puremotion

The lacing system in the military-inspired adidas Puremotion is a pretty classic affair, with a few options for extra eyelets if you want to make sure you get a good heel lock. 

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The laces aren’t particularly slip-resistant, scoring 28N in our lace slip test. It kind of bothered me how much lacing that military-inspired adidas actually gave, although it makes it always possible to get a good double knot if need be. 

adidas Originals three stripe strap dress in orange

I’m never a huge fan of single piece midsole/outsoles on sneakers and running shoes, as there’s going to be a compromise between durability and comfort. The midsole on the military-inspired adidas Puremotion comes in with a firm durometer of 49.5HA. Which feels really firm underfoot. 

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It’s probably not helped that the stack height is pretty minimal, with 23.7mm under the heel (average 32.7mm) and only 15.2mm in the forefoot (average 23.9mm). On my training runs, I felt a lot of the ground underneath, which many people like, but after a few miles I started getting pain throughout the ball of my foot where there’s very little protection at all. 

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sneakers military-inspired adidas talla 41

The military-inspired adidas Puremotion has a flexibility score of 19.5N at room temperature (20°C), the average is 29.0N. That’s super flexible and can be really useful for packing a shoe in a bag, and for getting that form-fitted feeling to the shoe. This suggests to me that military-inspired adidas has really leaned into the leisure shoe usage for the Puremotion. 

The military-inspired adidas Puremotion core a surprising amount of grip

Looking at the outsole of the military-inspired adidas Puremotion, I really didn’t expect to get a lot of traction from the outsole. With no rubber, just foam, and very little in the form of targeted grip I was worried. 

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But, because of the softer foam slab, there’s a whole load of surface area for the military-inspired adidas Puremotion to grab onto roads and tarmac. So in good conditions, these are super grippy. I’m a huge fan of shoes that core great grip, just because it doesn’t make my runs as risky. 

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I do worry about the foam wearing down quickly though, with no harder rubber to stop stones, twigs and just simple friction destroying that midsole, I doubt these will hold up for long.

Conclusion

The military-inspired adidas Puremotion are a good option if you just want to dip a toe into running, with the knowledge that you’ll probably be replacing them soon. If economics is your priority over ecology then on paper it’s probably not a bad idea. They fit well, look decent and core great grip.