The Diadora Nucleo 2 moved up into top favorite shoe honors, replacing the Mythos Blushield Volo 4 W 2030. Both are super comfortable, but the Nucleo 2 edged out the Mythos Blushield because it comes in black. And is even cushier. Both shoes are made of all vegan materials.
Comfy out of the box
Diadora kindly sent me a sample pair to review. They arrived just before I went on a trip to Cincinnati. Because I’d had such a good experience with the Mythos Blushield, I packed the new Diadora Nucleo 2 without even trying them on. That’s confidence in a brand! Sure enough, they needed no breaking in. I try to save my running shoes for running, but the cushy innards and good support were just too tempting. So I walked all over Cincinnati in these shoes.
Diadora Nucleo 2 specs
Each Diadora Nucleo 2 weighs 9.7 ounces (depending on your size) and has a drop of 5 mm. This is on the low side and is good for promoting midfoot and forefoot strike—something I aspire to. I like to think I’m improving, but judging from how I wear down my heels, I’m not there yet!
Diadora classifies the Nucleo 2 as a daily trainer designed for high mileage. Compared to the previous Nucleo, the new version has improved stability and a redesigned upper tongue to prevent twisting.
The Nucleo 2 also uses something called Anima technology. Here’s how Diadora describes it: “The Anima technology increases midsole reactivity by 30% compared to the EVA light compound, enabling a faster response by the shoe when hitting the ground. At the same time, the midsole weight is reduced by 20%, for lighter steps and longer runs. Overall, Anima is one of Diadora’s most efficient compounds, with a reactivity level around 65%.”
About Diadora
An Italian brand, Diadora started out in 1948 as an artisan hiking boot maker. It later expanded into sports and had made an international name for itself by the 1980s. Diadora’s global headquarters is in Caerano di San Marco in northern Italy. Its North American headquarters is in Philadelphia. Some of its shoes are vegan-friendly, reflecting the ethics of Bryan Poerner, CEO of Diadora USA.
