Adidas Campus 00S review

Based on our lab tests and actual experience while wearing the sneaker, we conclude that the Adidas Campus 00S is suitable for the following:

• wearers who appreciate insanely thick tongues
• sneakerheads who have medium-sized feet
• people who do not mind wearing footwear that is made from genuine leather

This Adidas sneaker is definitely on the firmer side. It is more for ground feel than impact protection. This was a non-issue for us, but there might be others who would want their shoes to be softer. They are better off with sneakers like the PUMA RS-X and the Adidas Alphaboost V1.

Though the Adidas Campus 00S is definitely not the heaviest sneaker out there, there are other options that are lighter and more comfortable than it is. One of such sneakers is the ASICS Gel Lyte III.

We were so thankful that the Adidas Campus 00S was not as toasty as the Reebok Classic Leather. On the contrary, we could even say that this Adidas sneaker is among the most breathable that we have ever tried.

As seen in the video above, smoke easily escaped through the tongue and the strategically placed ventilation holes in the upper.

The video above also shows the ventilation holes completely working as they should: to allow air (and light) to pass through.

Under the microscope, it became clear to us that leather is indeed not the best material when it comes to ventilation. Our microscope shots do not show any pore where air could pass through. Fortunately, the Adidas Campus 00S features strategically placed ventilation holes, effectively saving us from any form of uncomfortable toastiness.

To see whether or not the Adidas Campus 00S is indeed made of real leather, we subjected various parts of the upper to our fire test. The video below shows the tongue area quickly melting the moment our flame touched it. This result indicates that the tongue is made of synthetic materials.

The larger part of the upper, on the other hand, is made of genuine leather. After torching a small part of the heel area for a few seconds, we probed the burnt area with our awl. As the video below shows, the material isn't easy to burn: an indicator of its being genuine.

Being made of leather, we had very little doubt about the durability of the upper. The moment we put it on, we already felt its overall resistance to many forms of abrasion.

Still, we subjected the toebox to our standard Dremel test. We were happy with how resistant the material was, and we gave it a solid 4 out of 5 for durability.

Just by looking at it, we were already so sure that the heel area was made of fabric. Upon wearing it, we were so pleased with its softness and overall comfort.

The heel area is expected to constantly rub against the rearfoot. Hence, it is right to expect it to at least be resistant to rubbing. True enough, this part of the shoe showed moderate resistance during our Dremel test, garnering a score of 3 out of 5. 

The outsole of the Adidas Campus 00S was just as hard as any other sneaker that we tested before. True enough, our HC durometer pegged its hardness at 85.4, a figure that does not deviate much from the average.

Given that the hardness rating of the outsole was just around the average, we also expected this part of the shoe to be just as durable as the average as well. Though outdoor use is OK with this one, using this shoe on rough surfaces shouldn't be done frequently.

True enough, our high-pressure Dremel test resulted in a dent that was 1.2 mm deep.

Through our caliper measurements, we learned that the outsole was just as thick as the typical sneaker outsole. It's 5.3 mm thick.

Admittedly, we felt a little bit more weight than usual when we wore the Adidas Campus 00S. True enough, our weighing scale pegged this sneaker at 14.9 ounces or 422 grams.

Don't get us wrong, though; the additional weight was not and will never be a deal breaker. The difference from the average is not that great, anyway.

It's not difficult to see that the midsole of this Adidas sneaker is on the thinner side. 

True enough, the heel's thickness is only 24.6 mm, a figure that is significantly lower than average.

Just like the heel, the forefoot is also thinner at only 14.5 mm. 

Now, is this a reason to complain? For us, it isn't. The thinness of the midsole allowed us to feel the ground more and gain more control over our movements. The lower profile also contributed to the stability that we enjoyed during our walks.

Even with the reduction in the thickness of the midsole, the drop of this Adidas sneaker remained similar to the average. 

Based on our calculations, the heel-to-toe drop is 10.1 mm. Based on the video above, this resulted in a relatively smooth heel-to-toe transition.

Aside from its lower profile, the shoe's firm midsole was also good news when it came to stability. We did not even have second thoughts about running as fast as we could while wearing the Campus 00S!

In the video above, it can be seen just how resistant the midsole is even when purposely pressed against a hard surface. Our HA durometer in the lab measured the midsole's firmness to be 37.1, which is way higher (therefore firmer) than average.

We understand that some people may want sneakers that offer more cushioning. They are going to be happier with shoes like the Alphaboost V1, which is still from Adidas.

Just like the midsole, the insole is also thinner at only 3.1 mm. Still, this removable part still delivered comfort as it should.

Lateral stability was a bit of a challenge, especially on the medial side. The sidewalls weren't as stiff as expected. It's just a good thing that the midsole wasn't that high and was not at all wobbly.

When we were wear-testing the Adidas Campus 00S, we noticed just how resistant it was to twisting. Even when we accidentally stepped on debris, the base never gave in.

We brought the shoe to the lab, gave it a good twist, and we were so impressed that we gave it a 4 out of 5 for torsional rigidity. We had to exert so much effort before we could twist the sneaker!

We had reservations with the sidewalls, but the heel counter was definitely fire! The back of our feet just felt so secure. 

The heel counter showed so much resistance even when we were manually squeezing it inside the lab. It held its own so well that we had to give it a 4 over 5 for stiffness.

The platform was a little narrower than average in the forefoot area. Our caliper measured it to be only 106.3 mm wide. 

We have to take note, though, that this slight reduction in width fortunately did not result in a significant decrease in stability. We were still able to walk or even run with confidence when the situation called for such actions.

In the heel area, the platform was just as wide as average. Based on our caliper measurements, this part of the shoe is 82.6 mm wide.

During our walks around town, we noticed that the Adidas Campus 00S offered a moderate amount of flexibility. In the lab, we learned that this Adidas sneaker needed 19.9N of force to bend at 90 degrees. A typical sneaker would need just about the same amount of force.

Just as long as we didn't use these shoes for aggressive moves, its outsole performance was just great. The pattern engraved in it just worked as it should, and we were covered in multiple directions.

When it comes to size, the Adidas Campus 00S was just like any other shoe that we tried. The widest part of its toebox was 98.2 mm wide.

At the big toe, the toebox is 73.6 mm wide based on the readings made by our in-lab caliper.

The Campus 00S has a non-gusseted design just like many shoes that are structured the more traditional way.

The padding was just a bomb! It was thicker than anything that we tried. At 23.0 mm thick, the tongue of this Adidas sneaker was almost three times thicker than average!

How did it feel, you ask? C.O.M.F.O.R.T.A.B.L.E. The top of our feet felt like royalty!

This Adidas sneaker does not have a heel tab. Not that it needed it though since this shoe's opening was wide enough for our feet to easily slide in.

The insole was removable, and it was quite easy to take it out when there was a need to use inserts.