Diadora Nucleo 2 Performance Review

Congratulations. You’ve arrived at WearTesters’ very first Diadora performance review. Diadora, an old-school, high-quality Italian footwear company, recently returned to performance running in a big way and offered us the chance to review one of its recent models. The Diadora Nucleo 2 is a high-cushion running shoe that throws in stability rails for good measure. Let’s find out what Diadora is bringing to the roads.

What is the Diadora Nucleo 2?

According to Diadora, the Nucleo 2 is “lightweight and fluid, the training tool for those who truly understand the journey. This version has been entirely re-engineered to significantly enhance overall support, while maintaining the very qualities that made it an essential neutral running shoe for fluid, long runs.”

All of that is interesting, but especially the part about turning a neutral shoe into a support shoe. That’s basically the opposite of what the industry as a whole is doing. Most brands are taking away stability models and making their neutral shoes more stable without guiderails or medial posts meant to correct pronation. So Diadora is zagging while the rest of the running shoe world zigs. That’s a bold strategy Cotton, let’s see if it pays off for ‘em.

Cushion

Drew: Right off the bat, I’m going to confess that the Diadora Nucleo 2 was a shoe that didn’t agree with my feet…at all. So that will likely color my analysis, but I’ll try to remain as neutral as possible with the pros and cons.

On the cushion side, the Diadora Nucleo 2 has an Anima (an EVA variant) midsole and a DDATTIVO insole. 

The DDATTIVO insole resembles a thick Ortholite insole but with reinforced areas at the heel and arch. It provides step-in comfort but very quickly loses the squish when on the run. It’s a solid insole for casual wear but doesn’t add much for running.

The Anima midsole is pretty ho hum EVA. There’s a bit of squish, but it largely feels like a big hunk of EVA – which makes sense because it is a big hunk of EVA. It’s a completely serviceable midsole but uninspiring at the $160 price point where a lot of fun can be had with the bouncier foams other brands are bringing to the table in the $150-160 range.

The cushion as a whole is good but just behind the times.

Annie: I get what Drew’s saying here with regard to the cushioning and the fact that EVA isn’t the most inspired choice these days. I felt similarly about the CMEVA in the Hoka Clifton 10, though I enjoyed that midsole well enough, too.

I was able to extract a bit more life from the midsole of the Diadora Nucleo 2, however. It had a pleasant, but-not-at-all-mushy hint of softness and a measured amount of bounce that aligned with the geometry pretty smoothly in my case.

I was able to take the Nucleo 2 down to around marathon and half-marathon paces more readily than the Clifton 10. I’m not saying either shoe would be my first (or even second or third) choice for speed work, but the Nucleo 2’s Anima had a greater feeling of resiliency and bounce for me.

The amount of cushioning was also sufficient for runs up around the 1.5 to 2-hour range, though I did find the midsole started to feel firmer deeper into those mid-distance and long-ish runs.

Support

Drew: This is where the Diadora Nucleo 2 lost me. 5mm drops typically agree very well with my feet, even when the foam is firmer. But in the Nucleo 2, the support rails made my foot – and specifically my heel – tired. The shoes were causing some motion that my feet just couldn’t handle.

Here’s how Diadora explains the support system: “Two external excavated areas and a flattened internal construction contribute to improved stability and rotation control, complemented by a less concave inner area from the heel to the medial side.”

So whatever the Diadora design team did there must have leaned into my foot’s darkest tendencies and thus created a painful experience. My feet had to work hard to keep the natural path they usually take and even easy runs made the tendons in my foot tender.

Hopefully Annie didn’t have quite the same experience.

Annie: This is a weird one. Because I indeed had a rather different experience in the Diadora Nucleo 2 – to the point that regular readers may be getting Twilight Zone vibes right about now.

Generally speaking, I don’t often get along super well with running shoes that prioritize support. As I’ve stated before, that is decidedly not because I’m some paragon of running mechanics (in fact, it’s just as likely that my natural movement pattern is so askew that stability elements simply cause too much of a fight with every stride).

Given my (at times) visceral aversion to support/motion control elements and perhaps also due to Drew’s more powerful stride typically being more equipped to bend shoes to his will, it’s rather rare for a shoe to feel less structured/controlling to me than it does to Drew. But that’s what happened here.

Seeing as the Nucleo 2 is categorized on Diadora’s website as a neutral model yet the product description proceeds to illuminate all the ways in which it has stability and “rotation control”, the identity of the Nucleo 2 is indeed a bit muddled.

In fairness, the line between neutral and stability continues to blur throughout the industry, but the Nucleo 2’s marketing language – particularly the written copy espousing the support system as Drew quoted above –  has me scratching my head a bit. It verges on word salad that says so much that it kind of says nothing in the end.

But a helpful video partway down the Nucleo 2’s product page better illustrates how the setup works. It further explains how the asymmetrical channels that are carved throughout the midsole foam aim to help prevent too much medial collapse, yadda, yadda.

For whatever reason, the methods Diadora has going on here in the Nucleo 2 didn’t overly impact my gait. I didn’t have a pronounced sensation of medial arch pressure or too much rigidity pressing at the sides of my feet as I’ve sometimes experienced in other shoes with higher sidewalls and/or guiderails. The Nucleo 2’s foam guiderails felt less rigid and less present in general when compared to a Brooks GTS model, for example.

The ride underfoot also didn’t feel quite as stiff as with other targeted support features, such as the J or H-Frames Hoka uses in its stability product lines.

The recently reviewed Topo Aura, which uses a Y-Frame at the base of the midsole (essentially a Hoka-esque, very dense portion of foam that extends around the heel portion and up through the medial arch) felt more structured to me than the Nucleo 2; whereas Drew clearly had a completely opposite experience.

The Topo Ultrafly 5 may still have the lightest touch with regard to the stability-focused shoes I’ve tested. But the Diadora Nucleo 2 honestly felt pretty darn nice to my typically neutral-shoe-preferring feet. In my case, plenty of other models technically categorized as neutral – the Hoka Skyflow being a prime example – have felt more controlling to me than the Nucleo 2.

Traction

Drew: The DURATECH 5000 outsole has durability on lock as I can hardly see any wear on the outsole after the testing period. I didn’t have any issues on dry ground, and the Diadora Nucleo 2 seemed to handle wet conditions without any issue.

Annie: I was similarly impressed with the outsole’s grip and durability on pavement and other road surfaces as well as how the outsole flexed.

I experienced a strange quirk, however. There is a tiny slick spot near the tip of the forefoot that showed itself on mossy or mildewy surfaces. And, since the Diadora Nucleo 2 has plenty of casual appeal, it’s worth noting that the same minor slip occurred on smooth, indoor surfaces like polished concrete or tile.

Upper

Drew: The upper on the Diadora Nucleo 2 is nicely breathable and very well-constructed. Similar to On, the craftsmanship is top notch. There wasn’t a thread out of place on my pair.

That said, I found the heel collar and tongue to be way too padded…more like a casual shoe than a performance running shoe. That’s something I hope Diadora tweaks in the future.

But apart from too much padding, the gusseted tongue is nicely designed, and the fit (as long as you get the right size) is comfortable throughout.

Annie: Like Drew said, the Diadora Nucleo 2 really is a beautiful shoe from the standpoint of craftsmanship and design. All of the mixed materials and overlays are well-finished and both visually and tactilely pleasing.

The fit around the heel collar could be a bit more dialed-in; but I never experienced any problematic rubbing, and a simple runner’s knot mostly did the trick. I agree that the amount of padding in the tongue could be reduced and in fact think its puffiness might be partly responsible for not getting quite as secure of a lockdown around the heel as I’d like.

Is the Diadora Nucleo 2 wide foot friendly?

Drew: While you may need to order a half size up to get the right length, the Diadora Nucleo 2 is fairly accommodating throughout the midfoot and heel. There’s less room in the forefoot, so if you’re widest there, grab the wide version available on the Diadora website.

Annie: I agree that the Diadora Nucleo 2 seems to run a quarter-to-a-half-size short in length, at least for runners who usually sit squarely within their US shoe size. As someone who often straddles the line of needing a women’s 6 or a women’s 6.5, my “larger” size 6.5 ended up giving me about three quarters of a thumb’s width of room.

I found the width throughout the women’s version (which Diadora’s website states was “developed on a last which reflects the ergonomics of the female foot”) to be similar to what Drew described in his men’s pair. The midfoot and heel have an average-to-above-average amount of room, and the shoe narrows a tad through the ball of the foot.

I was comfortable in the standard width up to about 75 minutes of running. Beyond that, my (wider) right foot started to want more wiggle room through the forefoot.

Is the Diadora Nucleo 2 worth $160?

Drew: No, the cushion isn’t plush enough by modern standards to justify the $160 price point. There are multiple $150-160 models I’d choose over the Diadora Nucleo 2. It’s the hardest price band to compete in within the entire running shoe industry. If Diadora can improve the midsole, they’ll have a truly competitive offering at this price.

Annie: The only features that make me think $160 could be reasonable are the quality of the build and the amount of cushioning – not necessarily the type of cushioning.

Personally, I’d love to see the Diadora Nucleo 2 priced at $140-$150 when considering the whole package. At $10-$20 less, the Nucleo 2 competes better. For example, I’d prefer it over another “inherently stable” shoe, the $150 Brooks Ghost Max 2 (not to be confused with the original Ghost Max, which I thoroughly enjoyed). And I’d likewise opt for the Nucleo 2 before two true-stability models, the $145 Hoka Arahi and the $140 Brooks Adrenaline GTS.

Part of its pricing may be due to the conversion from the European to the US market (on the flipside, New Balance shoes sometimes cost an arm and a leg in the UK, for instance). But given the fact that much of the US is just now awakening to Diadora as a running brand, it might behoove decision-makers to entice new consumers with slightly more winsome pricing (much as German-owned Puma did when re-entering the running space a few years ago).

How to use the Diadora Nucleo 2

The Diadora Nucleo 2 is best for recreational runners who need some stability features and want a shoe that looks great casually in addition to on the run.

Diadora Nucleo 2 Summary

Drew: The Diadora Nucleo 2 didn’t work for me, but I can tell Diadora has a top-notch build process. I’m looking forward to seeing what Diadora can do on a neutral cushioned shoe with a more modern foam.

Annie: To be wholly transparent, I was legitimately surprised that I got along okay with the Diadora Nucleo 2 after reading about all that “improved stability and rotation control” in the product description.

That said, it’s still a shoe that’s going to best serve those who readily seek out additional support rather than a more flexible, purely neutral ride. But if the guidance features don’t spook your stride, and you don’t mind a touch of firmness as the miles tick by, the Diadora Nucleo 2 has a lot going for it – especially given its combination of runnability and a well-finessed aesthetic. It just might be best to find the Nucleo 2 at a bit of a discount in order to truly get the best bang for your buck.

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.

Annie Keris (age 39, 5’0” 117lbs): Typically follows a “two days on, one day off” running routine. “On” days include daily miles, speed work, and long runs. An “off” day usually involves yoga and mobility/recovery work. Enjoys occasional racing but perhaps enjoys the training process even more. Gravitates most toward the half marathon distance, but ventures into the 10k and 5k as well. The marathon is thus far uncharted territory…

Disclosure

While Diadora did provide a pair of the Nucleo 2 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.