Awesome! Then you may like this channel overall. Lots of product design takes already in my design videos and reviews… and plenty more running product design oriented content coming! Stay tuned!

I’m glad it was interesting! 🤙🏻

Thank you. Thank you! 🙏🏻

Glad you found the content interesting. Stoked to have you here.

I appreciate the kind words and support. I have a "part 2" (sort of) on this video coming out Thursday morning EST. Adidas has made some big moves lately. Stay tuned.

Glad it was interesting!

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Glad it was a useful story. 👍🏻

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Thank you! 🙏🏻

I’ve done a lot or AF3 technical content and have talked about the plate configuration differences in my “Choosing the right Metaspeed for you” video. I’m not a fan of the “high plate” configuration, I much prefer the “low plate” configuration in the Vaporfly. I’m thinking I need to make a video, outside of the Metaspeed issue, to address this.

Thank you. Glad it was interesting! 🙏🏻

Definitely, once you get into it it’s fascinating. Someday I hope to have access to both Nike and Adidas there I can REALLY get into this topic with info directly from the sources.

@@SagasuRunning 👍

Thank you. Glad they are finding an audience. 🙏🏻

We seem to be of the same mind and biomechanics. I too prefer light flats for much of my running AND have a history of hallux limitus from years of stuffing my feet into 2-3 size too small snowboard boots and skateboarding. I work daily to keep what flexibility I do have in my big toes and don’t have an issue most of the time, even with flexible shoes. In fact if I run in rigid shoes too much, like The Takumi Sen 9 or Adios Pro 3 my toes make me aware of it. I guess they prefer Vaporfly flexibility (relatively speaking) after all these years. Same with the Adios 8 vs Streakfly for me, though to a lesser degree.

Awesome! I’m glad you found the content enjoyable! Plenty more like this coming on this channel over time.

Interesting ideas. Adidas couldn’t go near any type of air pocket or air unit in their midsole… Nike would end that quickly with a cease and desist…

Yes! Plated race shoes feel AMAZING after you’ve put in the work in “normal” trainers and built a strong foundation. Training plated shoes full time will just void that work overall. Not the end of the world but also missing one of the (many) pleasures of running… lacing up those extra fast race shoes.

LSP is just so much more dense, chemically speaking, that it last forever. I think Nike is going the route of recycling ZoomX... though it seems spotty. Thanks for the kind words and support!

​@@SagasuRunning Recycling ZoomX is just not the same as regular ZoomX. But maybe they will find a way to solve it🤞. I haven't seen all your videos. But I have to😀. Keep up your good work👍

@Treadmill Running I agree… it’s not… but that is there solution for now. We will see where they take it. I appreciate the support. 🙏🏻

I’m glad this was useful for you! 🙌🏻

Thank you for the kind words. I’m glad the content is interesting. Nike and Adidas are ALWAYS going to compete. Adidas was the leader until Nike dropped the Vaporfly and I’m sure Adidas is currently dying to be back on top. I think the Prime X 2 Strung is offering a glimpse of where Adidas is going. That I’ll be covering that shoe and will get more into it around that one. Interesting you bring up Asics. I will have a lot of Asics content coming out in August as I’m spending alot of time in their shoes lately and I think they have something very interesting going on that might be “the next big thing” in running, at least a new trend I think we will see all manufacturers try in the next 2-3 years. I’ll have a video on this point specifically in 2 weeks or so. As for foam… check my “Superfoam resiliency” video, I go into the foam thing fairly deeply and hit some of the other brands I don’t discuss much on this channel. I try to stay objective and open minded here but I do have my likes and dislikes for sure. Both as a runner but also as a product designer. I do try to remain fair and call out the bad when I see it, for all brands, and not hammer too hard on something I dislike when they really do something awful. It is a fine line for sure. 🤙🏻

@@SagasuRunning Ah, I need to eatch that video too then.

Your questions 1). While there are no studies specially saying running in plates or rods 100% of the time is bad… if you think about it you aren’t letting your foot and ankle flex naturally so by running in plated shoes 100% of the time you are loosing a big training stimulus. Training in plated shoes, even often, isn’t a problem… just make sure to mix in a non plated trainer for the alternative training stimulus. 2). Energy return isn’t exactly bounciness. It’s about how quickly the midsole rebounds to its neutral state once it’s under load. Carbon plates can aid this to a small degree…. But their real purpose is stabilization and/or creating a platform for the foot to effectively load the foam of the midsole. They can also aid in helping the foot roll over the toe, especially with very high stack shoes.

@@SagasuRunning thanks for the great response!

Thank you! I’ll credit you in the description. Do I use your KZfaq name? What’s your preference?

Thank you very much@@SagasuRunning ! My YT handle is fine. Just for reference, the photo appeared in Runlovers, an Italian website on running which I run with my co-founder. It's been great to see the photo in your video!

@martinopietropoli I’m always careful using images from sources I’m not fully clear on… but finding a 3/4 shot of the Adidas Energy rods is very difficult. This shot was perfect! Credit added and thank you!

Only the Prime X 2 Strung has a plate, in fact the PX2S has two plates in it. Additionally, the geometry of those plate(s) is nothing remotely like the Vaporfly.

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I'm not a fan of it... But I'm also not a fan of doing all of your training in one type of shoe. Shoes are tools and having the right tool for the purpose is important. Training effect, injury prevention, etc... all key. Doing the SAME thing all of the time is more the issue. Training in plated shoes is fine by me, I do it often (In fact I had a great session in the VF3 today). But tomorrow I'll be in another shoe. Specific to rods... I'm not PT, BUT...from a product designer's POV... rods could be better as they allow for more lateral flex while providing longitudinal stiffnes. BUT... not all carbon plates are the same. I'm actually testing this out now for an upcoming video, which is why I was in the VF3 today. Nike's plates are very unique as they have the pop and propulsion we all want from a plated shoe...but they are much less stiff laterally. I think Nike's plates are much thiner CF material than most other brands Carbon Plates. Asics, for example, has VERY rigid plates that feel like blunt instruments compare to Nike. The last thing I'll say is that so much depends on your own gait, foot strike, toe flexibility, foot strength. It becomes very subjective. I'm currently working on some videos are this subject. Stay tuned. Thanks for the kind words. 🙏🏻

@@SagasuRunning Thanks for your considered reply

@@craigtsmith6957 As I said… I’m writing a video on this. In fact your comment got me to reopen that file. So expect it in the next few weeks. 🤙🏻

One of the design flaws (or challenges) of the rods is they are less structurally resilient than a full plate. So they can break. Adidas has engineered around this with the denser/firmer Lightstrike Pro foam, but due to the cutouts in the midsole and prolonged use they do break occasionally. I've never personally broken one, but it's only a matter of time. As Adidas moves to softer foams, like Lightstrike Pro Evo, breaking rods is going to be a larger issue. I've made a few deeper-dive videos on it; Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 Revisited kzfaq.info/get/bejne/b5mdaqZl3Z6-Zqc.html Where does Adidas Adizero go from here? kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qMWEfs2CmtGtfWw.html Is the Adidas Prime X 2 Strung the future of Adidas Running? kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ip1_Z9R4np7FlnU.html Hopefully those videos are as interesting to you. 🤙🏻

@@SagasuRunning thank you will definitely check these videos! Awesome vid content, more power to your channel! 👍

@wmgonzalbo 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Nike’s research and development of the Vaporfly 4% is well documented, much better than Adidas’s. All brands looked at “the blade runner” and asked “what-if. I remember some Adidas prototype shoes that had literal blades on them. Nike and Adidas do take different approaches to development… though I agree Nike has more flops, at least at the consumer level (Shox, Joyride, etc)

I think the rods are a great solve by Adidas for LSP. But yes, rods are fragile. I’ve had a few friends also crack Asics CF plates… they are just so rigid. I’ve never known anyone who cracked a Nike CF plate though… at least form normal use. Thanks for the support and kind words! 🙏🏻

I’ve never felt that in the AP3. I did feel it occasionally in the Takumi Sen 9 though. I agree, it’s annoying when you do feel it.

@@SagasuRunning Endorphin elite has these carbon finger extensions in a flat form....a much better solution

@@user-qx2yd7rs1q Not sure I agree there. The rods are a much more dynamic and tunable solution. They offer more options for Adidas that a CF plate with fingers.

@@SagasuRunning

can't confirm or deny...I really like Elite, fast, stable, wide. 21 km run was the same in my shoe all the time, which I can't say about Adios pro 3. Adidas became after 15-16 km less responsive.

Carbon plated/rods have alot of uses in running but only really if you race or need to train for long distance speed. Other that haha a non-plated shoe will be your best be 90% of the time.

That is a drawback of the rods. I’m sure they tested them and they have an acceptable failure rate. Though they do break occasionally.

Partly. The plate does aid in helping the foot up and over toe off, especially with higher stack or stiffer foams (like Lightstrike Pro). So yes, rods do this, while allowing for more lateral flex in the shoe. A plate also stabilizes the shoe or foot in the shoe, depending on where the plate is located in the midsole in relation to the foot. Rods don’t do a good job of this. Rods are really a unique Adidas solution thwt really only works with the much more dense and firm LIghtstirke Pro.

The Adizero Pro was their first carbon plated shoe in the current super shoe era… that is what is relevant to this video.

Well snowboards are generally much heavier than a running shoe… which allows for the use of more carbon fiber and resin material to strategically target flex and torsional twist. That requires something much thicker and heavier than would work in the midsole of a running shoe.