Diadora Atomo Star Performance Review

Not many people in the United States have experience with Diadora. Well, unless they played soccer in the 1990s. Since that time, Diadora remained an Italian favorite and is now blazing its way back into running performance footwear with the Diadora Atomo Star.

In the (more and more) distant past, Diadora has done everything from soldiers’ mountain boots, to a range of soccer cleats, to basketball shoes worn by Toni Kukoč, and running shoes worn by gold medal-winning Olympians. Diadora has an impressive history and is one of the jewels of Italy’s Run Valley, which, in addition to being a hotbed of Prosecco production, is home to the headquarters of several Italian shoe companies and offices for other worldwide brands. Run Valley (about an hour north of Venice), is thus a cradle of shoe production knowledge and talent similar to Portland in the United States.

And in Run Valley, Diadora has a small production line where a team actually makes some of Diadora’s models, including the new Atomo Star. I think this is the first “Made in Italy” shoe I’ve ever tested. Let’s find out how the Italian craftsmanship stacks up to the rest of the world

What is the Diadora Atomo Star?

Diadora describes the Atomo Star as follows:

“Perfectly engineered for a balance of lightweight agility, cushioning, and energy return, this super trainer redefines performance for daily runs and long-distance races alike. Atomo Star is your gateway to a higher level of physical awareness.”

On the plus side, this description tells us point blank the Diadora Atomo Star is a super trainer with good cushioning and energy return built for any distance. On the negative side, any time a brand calls a shoe “your gateway to a higher level of physical awareness”, I’m immediately skeptical of the person who wrote that sentence. I would like a shoe that made me a master of the mystic arts or a medium, but that’s not how shoes work.

Cushion

The Diadora Atomo Star’s best and most interesting aspect is its cushion. Diadora’s Anima N2 foam is a supercritical EVA that blows away the standard Anima found in its other models. It packs great impact protection and bounce without being too soft and thus maintains solid stability. The Atomo Star can pick up speed but feels a little bulky at fast paces. I wouldn’t want to do a full track workout in it, but the Atomo Star can handle the occasional mid-run, marathon-pace pickup.

I found the rocker motion to be smooth and very natural and the whole experience of running in the Atomo Star to be protective and fun. But is it a good enough midsole to find a place on our list of Best Super Trainers? Probably not. The super trainers on that list are either plated or have an otherworldly bounce or value proposition. The Atomo Star is just below that level.

But it’s still a great step for Diadora. The Atomo Star is 100% modern in terms of midsole and features the stack height, plushness, and bounciness all shoes beyond daily trainers need to compete.

Support

The Diadora Atomo Star’s wide base and beefy heel counter do that work here. The Atomo Star locks the ankle back into the aforementioned heel counter and minimizes movement within the shoe. Quick corners and various uneven surfaces weren’t a problem, and the Atomo Star gamely kept my foot on the footbed (and me upright) in all running conditions.

Traction

The Diadora Atomo Star features a Duratec 5000 rubber outsole that covers the forefoot and heel in circular or blob-ular patterns [Editor’s Note: …“blob-ular” – you heard it here first, folks]. The rubber itself is grippy and durable; there’s just not enough of it. I got occasional slippage on dusty paths when landing on the midfoot or when pushing off.

While I like how flexible the outsole is, it’s a little too cutesy and ends up short on rubber coverage when it comes to important areas (depending on your push-off points); and you just can’t get enough grip from the supercritical EVA midsole itself.

It was hard to predict when it would happen, but inevitably I’d get one or two slips per run. It was nothing dangerous or super concerning, just more a small annoyance.

Upper

The upper on the Diadora Atomo Star is where the Italian craftsmanship shines through. We commented on this in our recent Diadora Nucleo 2 review. Every thread is in place, there aren’t any glue stains, and small touches show the care that went into creating it.

And while I wouldn’t say the materials are premium, they’re on the upper end of typical running shoes. They’re also pretty thick materials, so keep that in mind if you’re buying the Atomo Star… Summer running will likely be a sweaty experience.

Is the Diadora Atomo Star wide foot friendly?

While there is some width in the Diadora Atomo Star, wide-footers will need to go a half size up to feel completely comfortable.

As for sizing lengthwise, I recommend going with your Euro size. For example, my Euro size in most brands is a 46. That’s where my foot tends to be most comfortable. That typically translates to a 12 in US men’s. But Diadora’s US size 12 is a Euro 45.5. So I need to size up to 12.5 in men’s US sizing to get a Euro 46.

The problem is that through smaller sizes, true-to-size will work and lines up nicely with your Euro size…but at some point the sizing conversion gets a little off-kilter. So, choose your favorite Euro size (which you’ll find on the tag of all running shoes you own, though sometimes it’s named the UK or FR size), and you’ll be happy with the Atomo Star’s fit.

Is the Diadora Atomo Star worth $240?

In terms of performance versus other shoes on the market, the Diadora Atomo Star is not worth $240. In terms of handmade Italian running shoes from a smaller, privately owned brand, your mileage may vary. In fact, the price is so out of whack that it’s up there with the best marathon race-day shoes.

Especially given the current state of the economy, it’s going to be hard to get people in the United States to pay that price. In Europe, where it costs €190 (roughly $205 USD), it’s a little closer to the price I’d expect.

What price would I expect for a shoe of this nature…? Around $180…maybe with a small upcharge for the “Made in Italy” moniker (like New Balance with its Made in USA stuff). Diadora has some work to do in order to figure out international-friendly pricing.

How to use the Diadora Atomo Star

The Diadora Atomo Star is best used for a range of training runs from quicker easy runs all the way up to double-digit long runs.

Diadora Atomo Star Summary

The Diadora Atomo Star is too expensive, but it performs well and portends great things for the small Italian brand. Diadora has the technology and knowledge to put together high-level performance running shoes in a pristine package – and a desire to bring new stuff to market. 

If money isn’t an obstacle, and you want to try a 100% made-in-Italy shoe with modern bounce and fun factor, go for it. Everyone else should exercise patience and wait until Diadora creates something more accessible.

How does the Author Run?

Drew Whitcomb (age 43, 6’6″ 200lbs): Runs daily with a once a week rest day. Runs a lot of miles due to testing needs and a growing affinity for long-distance races. Regularly competes in marathons, half-marathons, 10k, and 5k races.

Disclosure

While Diadora did provide a pair of the Atomo Star to facilitate this review, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence it.