Adidas Dropset 4 review: A safer bet than it looks

Adidas’ Dropset workout shoe line has always lived in an awkward middle ground. Too stable for runners, too flexible for purists, and not quite loud enough to dominate the CrossFit conversation the way Nike’s Metcon series has done for a decade.

With the Dropset 4, adidas isn’t trying to reinvent that identity. Instead, it’s trying to make peace with it.

At first glance, the Dropset 4 feels almost identical to its predecessor, the highly-rated Adidas Dropset 3. The profile is flat, the base is wide, and the shoe immediately communicates stability rather than speed. But the brand has quietly shifted its messaging this time around.

The Dropset 4 is no longer framed purely as a strength shoe. Now, it’s pitched as a functional training all-rounder that can take you from heavy deadlifts to box jumps and even short runs of up to 800 metres. Do the new features help the shoes achieve their goals?

The comfort of a wide foundation

The first thing I noticed when stepping into the Dropset 4 was the platform. The midsole feels reassuringly flat, and the base is wide enough to make you forget about balance when you’re under a barbell. For deadlifts, squats and other compound lifts, the shoe behaves grounded, predictable and confidence-inspiring.

It doesn’t clamp your foot down as tightly as the Nike Metcon 10, but I never felt insecure either. It strikes a more forgiving balance, which makes it easier to move between exercises without feeling like you’re wearing specialist lifting shoes.

The roomy toe box deserves special mention. I’ve learned to size up in adidas trainers, and in my case, a UK11 finally delivered that elusive Goldilocks fit: not too long, not too tight, and with enough space for my wide feet to breathe. (For reference, I’m a UK10 in Nike, 10.5 in New Balance, and 11 in adidas and Hoka.)

Repetitor, rods and reality

Adidas’ full-length Repetitor foam is the backbone of the Dropset 4. It provides consistent firmness underfoot without feeling dead, which is exactly what you want in a training shoe. There’s no squishy compression under heavy load, but enough forgiveness to keep impact work comfortable.

Running is technically possible, and Adidas isn’t lying about that. The foam, combined with the internal Energyrods, gives you a controlled, slightly propulsive ride. Those rods add stiffness through the midfoot and forefoot, helping with transitions and stabilising each step.

That said, I wouldn’t choose the Dropset 4 for any meaningful distance. Short sprints at the end of a session are fine. A quick 400–800m warm-up jog is just about tolerable. Anything longer starts to feel taxing on the calves, and you quickly realise this is still a training shoe pretending to be a runner, not the other way around.

Foot bumps and muscle memory

Adidas doesn’t call this a Hyrox shoe, and it’s right not to. Hyrox athletes gravitate toward bouncier, more energetic platforms like the Puma Deviate Nitro 3 for a reason. When cardio dominates the session, you want rebound, not restraint.

One of the more interesting features is the FOOTADAPT sockliner. Adidas says it improves foot awareness and balance control. Visually, it looks like something akin to those massaging clogs that were everywhere in the 80s and 90s.

I’m sure barefoot purists would argue about its effectiveness, but subjectively, I enjoyed the sensation. It adds a subtle layer of feedback underfoot, which makes the shoe feel more connected to your movement. Whether that translates into measurable performance gains is up for debate, but in daily training, it simply feels good.

A better generalist than it admits

Compared to the On Cloudpulse Pro, the Dropset 4 feels more open, more adaptable and more relaxed. On’s shoe is narrower and more locked-in, with an elevated heel that’s excellent for squatting. The Adidas, by contrast, feels like a better generalist: not quite as specialised, but far more versatile.

That versatility is exactly what adidas is selling with its “All You Need” campaign, and for once, the slogan doesn’t feel entirely hollow.

At £110 / $145 / €130, the Dropset 4 is keenly priced. In a world where running shoes regularly flirt with £200, it’s refreshing to see a genuinely versatile training shoe remain grounded in reality.

Verdict

The Adidas Dropset 4 is not the most exciting training shoe you can buy, and that’s exactly why it works. It’s stable without being rigid, versatile without being vague, and comfortable without being soft.

It doesn’t try to be revolutionary. It doesn’t pretend to replace three different pairs of shoes. What it does offer is a stable, comfortable, durable and surprisingly enjoyable platform for the kind of workouts most people actually do.

If your training lives somewhere between heavy lifts, circuits and the occasional sprint, the Dropset 4 makes a strong case for being exactly what adidas claims: all you really need.

The Dropset 4 is available now at Adidas UK, Adidas US and Adidas EU for the recommended retail price of £110 / $145 / €130 (~AU$226).