Diadora Cellula 2 ($185)
Introduction
The Cellula 2 is a steady impartial every day street coaching shoe with for 2025 a reasonable mini max stack top of 38mm heel / 33mm forefoot. It updates the Cellula 1, one among my favourite trainers of 2024, with a brand new N2 supercritical foam entrance insert embedded within the at all times wonderful DD Anima EVA mix important midsole and even provides with a supercritical TPU insole .
Whereas DD Anima shouldn’t be a lightweight foam, and the Cellula 2 shouldn’t be a lightweight shoe (and even positive aspects some weight), I discovered the experience of v1 deeply protecting and energetic and amongst, if not one of the best, of EVA sort foams so including some supercritical entrance “kick” and with a really respectable claimed power return of 65% had me paying consideration!
Engineered in Italy beneath the supervision of Gelindo Bordin, 1988 Olympic marathon champion in addition to 1990 Boston champion, I anticipated (as at all times with Diadora) cautious consideration to element, a high quality construct and dependable experience.
In my opinion Diadora needs to be thought-about a high tier run shoe model with not solely enjoyable dependable trainers however their equally wonderful Gara Carbon race shoe (RTR Evaluation), a best choice at RTR for a steady constant driving racer/tempo coach with no overly “sharp” edges is what one seeks.
Execs:
Not boring or lumbering for a heavier shoe: extremely protecting, steady and effectively cushioned with a gentle noticeable rubbery bounce and good mildly reactive toe off
Notably rear steady with out overdoing midsole or rubber firmness
New entrance supercritical foam insert offers extra toe off rebound and a better roll ahead to toe off
Snug and extremely supportive higher with a contact of discreet excessive model
Good for: lengthy sluggish runs, restoration runs,reasonable tempo every day runs, gentle stability, anticipated sturdiness, heavier runners, excellent strolling shoe
Cons:
Dear for heavier non 100% supercritical foam coach
Heavy and received heavier: 28g enhance in weight in my US8.5 is troublesome to clarify given unchanged stack top
Stats
Approx. Weight: males’s 10.85 oz / 307 g US9
Pattern Weights:
males’s 10.6 oz / 302 g US US8.5 v1: 9.56 oz / 271g US8.5
Stack Top:
V2: 38 mm heel / 35 mm forefoot
V1: 33 mm heel / 28 mm forefoot
Platform Width:
V2 90 mm heel / 75 mm midfoot / 110 mm forefoot
V1 90 mm heel / 75 mm midfoot / 110 mm forefoot
Most comparable footwear
Nike Vomero Plus
Topo Atmos
Brooks Ghost Max
First Impressions, Match and Higher
The higher follows type for Diadora with excellent help and luxury however right here fortuitously they’ve streamlined down their typical intensive overlays and gone with a softer extra pliable foot conforming air mesh. This development results in a extra versatile and simpler becoming shoe than their typical.
Their customary very stout heel counter actually locks the foot down and is effectively padded. To avoid wasting weight, it is likely to be trimmed down however there isn’t any query it contributes to the excellent rear stability of the shoe.
The tongue is a mixture of a thick leatherette and mesh and is unpadded and in a change from v1 has a stout however not broad gusset strap.
The toe field is reasonably broad and straightforward becoming with respectable top with the micro fiber entrance overlay not urgent down on my dodgy massive toe.
My pair is within the marked US sizing my typical 8.5 however the EU sizing is 41, shorter than the same old 41.5 and even 42 for many manufacturers. As such, they’re a bit brief, lower than a thumb and if size is a priority (I used to be simply OK) I would think about sizing up half a measurement.
Midsole & Platform
The stack top is, for 2025-2026, a “reasonable” 38mm heel / 33mm forefoot on an additionally reasonably broad 90 mm heel / 75 mm midfoot / 110 mm forefoot platform. I like that Diadora stored the midfoot comparatively slender for such a steady impartial shoe as this noticeably helps with transitions particularly at slower paces. Each stack top and platform width are unchanged from v1.
The principle midsole is Diadora DD Anima foam, an EVA with a rubbery compound within the combine. With EVA rightly totally fading from the scene for lighter extra reactive supercritical foams, apart from weight right here at a comparatively excessive 10.85 oz / 307 g US9, it stays one among my favourite simpler paces coaching foam as it is extremely very vibration absorbing, delivers plenty of cushion, and has a effectively tuned rubbery sit back.
However Diadora doesn’t ignore the longer term because the Cellula 2 now features a forefoot insert of their N2 supercritical EVAl foam. Throughout my check runs, I seen this insert did two issues. First, it appeared to permit my foot to plunge ahead into the entrance foam permitting the interior a part of the shoe to flex extra and thus easing toe offs. Second, it offered a pleasant reactive pop on toe off. Nothing dramatic however N2’s power return is round 70%, so approaching the return of supercritical foams and 5% higher than the principle Anima midsole which at 65% is excellent for a non supercritical foam.
All in all, whereas a heavy coach, the mix of foams and geometry ship a dependable, steady really feel with some effectively measured smiles within the combine!
Outsole
The outsole is Diadora’s at all times high-quality Dura5000 compound. Grip is superb on sand over pavement with moist street testing to come back.There’s loads of it effectively positioned so sturdiness needs to be wonderful. I additionally word that heel landings are effectively balanced in really feel. No over agency rubber really feel regardless of the protection proven under and a really decently clean transition off the heel.
The outsole can have an effect on the experience for good or unhealthy. Right here the rubber and sample ship a quiet experience for a comparatively stiff shoe (some flex is creating).
The deep entrance grooves helping in retaining the “quantity” down but in addition enable the shoe to successfully flex effectively on toe off assisted by the N2 insert and it is a stiff steady shoe.
Trip, Conclusions and Suggestions
Runners typically search the lightest doable weight for a shoe’s stack top of froth. I do too for a lot of runs however we additionally want a dependable, form of enjoyable, however deeply cushioned and steady coach such because the Cellula for these extra mellow days, massive mileage weeks or when the legs are drained.
The Cellula 2 is for positive not mild, and I want it may very well be lighter to extend its tempo vary however on the run discovered its weight shouldn’t be as seen because it is likely to be in any other case as a result of its wonderful foams mixture, geometry and outsole.
As at all times fantastically styled, if a bit extra conservatively than in Diadora’s typical vibrant cheery colours, it not solely runs effectively however is a extremely high-quality strolling and on a regular basis shoe. It’s a notably acceptable alternative in case you are in your ft all day on onerous surfaces. All of those components assist enhance its worth which at $185 is in the direction of the higher finish of unplated coaching footwear.
To summarize, I see the Cellula 2 as a stable alternative for lengthy slower runs, restoration runs, reasonable tempo every day runs, gentle stability wants, anticipated sturdiness, heavier runners, and as an excellent strolling shoe
Sam’s Rating: 8.88 / 10
Trip (50%): 8.7 in any other case wonderful experience is held again by weight (and elevated weight over v1)
Match (30%): 9.2 Simply high-quality if a bit overbuilt on the heel and warning on size sizing US to EU conversion has them a bit brief
Worth (15%): 8.7 relies on use. Mellower runs, mild stability, strolling nice for pace much less so
Fashion (5%): 9.3 traditional and chic
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3 Comparisons
Nike Vomero Plus (RTR Evaluation)
Significantly larger stack top and 1 oz lighter the Vomero has an all Zoom X supercritical midsole and it exhibits in weight and a extra reactive faster driving shoe with a wider tempo vary. It’s priced $5 lower than the Cellula. The Diadora is extra steady, I believe classier in styling and has a smoother becoming higher. If in case you have some gentle stability wants it is usually a more sensible choice
Topo Atmos (RTR Evaluation)
At precisely the identical stack top (and drop) because the Cellula the Atmos is greater than an oz lighter and $15 much less. In case you want a broader extra anatomical toe field it’s a better option. The Diadora has a denser extra steady platform and midsole as with the Nike is much less pace targeted than the Topo
Brooks Ghost Max (RTR Evaluation)
The Ghost Max weighs about the identical and has virtually the identical stack top and drop. It has an identical driving if a bit mushier all supercritical foam midsole with its higher high-quality however not almost as polished. It’s priced $25 much less.
All RTR critiques: HERE
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Tester Profiles
Sam is the Editor and Founding father of Highway Path Run. He’s in his 60’s with 2025 Sam’s 54th yr of operating roads and trails. He has a a long time previous 2:28 marathon PR. Nowadays he runs halves within the simply sub 1:43 vary. if he will get very, very fortunate. Sam trains 30-40 miles per week largely at reasonable paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Park Metropolis, Utah be it on the run, climbing or on nordic skis. He’s 5’9” tall and weighs about 160 lbs, if he’s not having fun with too many high-quality New England IPA’s.
Samples have been offered at no cost for evaluation functions. No compensation was offered by manufacturers for writing this text. RoadTrail Run does have affiliate partnerships and will earn fee on merchandise bought by way of buying hyperlinks on this article. These partnerships don’t affect our editorial content material. The opinions herein are totally the authors’.
