Diadora Nucleo 2 GR Review | Firmly In the Road To Trail Line Up

 The brand new Diadora Nucleo 2 GR is an evolution of a popular daily trainer, the Nucleo 2, designed for mixed-terrain runs (GR is for gravel, get it?).

Diadora is an Italian sportswear company that’s emerged as a solid contender in the running industry in recent years. Really they’ve been around awhile, but are just finally seeing some growth in the US with new marketing.

Emphasizing stability and comfort with their patented Anima midsole foam, this shoe is geared towards runners who don’t want to limit their training to the roads.

As a mostly-trail runner who doesn’t always want to drive to my runs, I am always on the lookout for a good hybrid trainer that can do it all. The balance of comfort and versatility on this model make it a solid option.

Don’t need a hybrid shoe, checkout our Diadora Nucleo 2 review for the all road version!

Diadira Nucleo 2 GR Overview

Why reinvent the wheel when you’ve got a good thing? Diadora lives by this and took their existing light stability road shoe, added some grip and few other little tweaks to give us this new road to trail option.

This was my first time trying a Diadora model, and I was looking forward to it. When I first tried them on, I immediately noticed the cushioning; While I wouldn’t call them bouncy, like the New Balance SC Trainer series, these were solid and comfortable.

The treads on these are light and mild, making them a great mixed terrain shoe as advertised.

The Nucleo series is also designed with stability features, which at first had me wary. I shy away from over-correcting one’s natural form. That said, after taking these out for a spin, I found these did not interfere with my stride. This is the least obtrusive control element I’ve encountered in a shoe.

I took these out on a lot of different runs, including tempo workouts, a long run and recovery efforts on varied of terrain. These really shine for your workhorse easy miles and recovery efforts.

I’m deep in an ultramarathon training cycle right now, and strapped these on for a mixed terrain 7 miler the day after a long 17 mile trail effort. My body was aching, but the supportive slightly firm Anima midsole was exactly what my feet needed and cemented these as a shoe that’s going to stay in my line up.

I was less enthusiastic after testing these out for a tough 8 mile tempo workout. While my warmup and cooldown felt great, the shoe doesn’t have that snappy responsiveness I like when I’m picking up the pace. While this shoe feels great underfoot, it doesn’t exactly work with you to fight the clock.

As advertised, the tread offers supportive grip for mixed terrain runs, but not so deep that they interfere when you’re sticking to the roads. They performed great on mild fire road trails, but I found the stack height and cushioning didn’t allow me to feel the ground under my feet enough to feel confident on a more technical trail.

I have the ultramarine color of the shoe, which honestly isn’t my favorite; it’s extremely blue! I prefer the neutral white colorway, but would love to see more options if this model stays in their lineup.

Diadora Nucleo 2 GR Fit

The Diadora Nucleo 2 GR fit me well in my standard sizing. I had no issues with rubbing or pinching. From the last version of the Nucleo, the design team widened the shoe overall in the toebox, midfoot and heel which felt like positive developments.

I felt there was good heel-lock in this model and didn’t notice any slipping on the run. The tongue of the shoe is a little thick, but I didn’t have any issues with chafing (though, I mostly wear ankle socks).

Breathability was fine as well, and I didn’t notice any extra discomfort on these hot summer days.

Diadora Nucleo 2 GR Feel

As you’ve probably noticed, I found this model extremely comfortable. The Anima foam midsole felt supportive and squishy, without overwhelming or feeling heavy.

The stability and rotation control features are not obtrusive, and my ankles weren’t doing any extra work. For those that are logging miles in stacked carbon plated trainers, the Diadora Nucleo GR 2 could be a great companion on recovery days to give your ankles a break.

I found the fit most mimicked my experience with the Asics Gel Nimbus, a favorite, as a shoe you reach for when your feet are aching and you want that extra support. I think they also work great as a walking/hiking shoe.

Who Tried it?

Kim got into running after deciding to run her first half marathon because it landed on her birthday. Afterwards, she said those famous last words: “I’ll never run a marathon!” Since then, she’s tackled many marathons and ultramarathons up to 50 miles. She loves ultra distance trail running the best and is always on the hunt for the next challenge. Her preferred trail-fuel is potatoes and Coca-Cola, and her favorite way to recover is on the couch with her two dogs.

What to read next?

• Checkout all of our trail running shoe reviews
• Our best road to trail running shoes (we do love a good hybrid)
• Tips for Your First 50K