Adidas Stabil Is A Pretty Shoe To Look At
Adidas is one of the well known volleyball shoe brands, although a large portion of its range is in the high-end of price-buckets. The adidas adipower Stabil is what I like to call a “Monet”. It looks great from a distance, but then loses a bit of its appeal when you get up close and see the details. In my opinion, the primary culprit is the adidas trademark set of 3 stripes on the side.
You can’t really tell from most online images you’ll find for this shoe, but the stripes are plastic and very shiny. Besides that, it’s a good choice if you prefer a lower profile and a design that could pass for a generic tennis shoe as much as a volleyball shoe. And there’s a reason for this—it’s not specifically designed as a volleyball shoe alone.
It’s a multipurpose indoor court shoe, meaning it doubles as footwear for sports such as squash, racquetball, badminton and handball. I don’t personally have a need for that, but you might? In terms of color, provided it doesn’t clash with your volleyball uniforms, the silver version of this shoe possesses a funky-without-being-outlandish vibe that may appeal to you.
How does the Adidas Stabil Fit?
This shoe is a great fit. It’s snug in all the right places without feeling as if it’s too tight in any one particular spot. It also has an extra amount of cushioning in the midsole I’m not accustomed to that makes it feel very stable.
Hence the branding of this shoe as the adipower “Stabil”, perhaps? I also feel slightly taller than I do in most other volleyball shoes. But there’s a downside to this for the volleyball player. While extra stability makes sense in racquetball or handball for balance and lateral movements, as a volleyball player I view it as extra weight when I want to go vertical. Even if not heavier in reality, it’s now my mental perception.
And not only that, it doesn’t feel as bouncy—I’m not quite maximizing the height of my jump because this midsole cushioning is absorbing some of the kinetic energy. Being only 6 feet tall, even a half-inch difference in how high I jump is a big deal. I’m willing to bet it’s important to you as well.
What About Traction?
The adipower Stabil has a very unique traction style I don’t typically see on a pair of volleyball-specific sneakers. It’s a relatively flat surface, meaning minimal deep groove patterns, which at first glance could be quite concerning.
However, the rubber features both inverse and convex “notches” at the forefoot as well as the heel. The notches that stick out really grab at the surface of the court. And interestingly, the edges of these convex notches are shaped and sized such that they provide significantly improved lateral traction compared to most other alternatives.
The inverse notches provide a secondary level of traction with the edges of the gaps serving as another point of contact with the court. I like the stickiness of the rubber. It projects to last a long while. My only complaint is the lack of as many notches in the heel as there are in the forefoot. But if I had to choose, I’d always pick better traction at the front of the shoe than in the back, so it’s a minor issue.
Available Color(s): Halo Silver/Yellow/Ink
Weight: 12.4 oz (size 8-1/2)
Standard Price: $110
The white/blue/yellow color scheme was available at a deep discount direct from the adidas online store, but in limited sizes. If that deal goes away, you may want to check out the pricing available at Amazon and compare.
