Diadora Mythos Blushield Volo

• Posted on 30 April 2021
• By Running Lab Staff
• Posted in Diadora, mid cushion, neutral
• 0

Looking for a shoe that's truly hip? Look no further than the Diadora Mythos Blushield Volo HIP. Complete with a breathable nylon air mesh upper with transparent TPU transfer and 3M iridescent details, it's fit to walk a runway in Milan. This shoe proves it's more than just a fashionable choice with more than 25mm of EVA cushion right out of a mileage hog's dream. 

Still stylish, the Diadora Mythos Blushield Volo (no HIP) uses the same the springy Blueshield technology  – just a bit less iridescent. Both shoes boost a significant 11mm drop, aggressive compared to other daily trainers. 

The roomy toe box in both shoes allows for a more generous fit, though our testers had to size down at least a half size for a comfortable fit. Marketed as a stable neutral shoe, it is perfect for runners who have a foot or two that like to slightly pronate without moving into a more traditional stability shoe.  

This Italian designed shoe is one of the new offerings in Running Lab's expanding shoe selections. 

SUPPORT: Neutral
HEEL TO TOE OFFSET:  10mm women's, 11mm men's
WEIGHT: 8.6 oz women's, 10.5 oz men's
USE: Everyday trainer, road running
SURFACE: Road, track, urban

FIT

Ryan: I have no complaints with the fit of the Mythos toe box. I like a little more room, and it offers that.
It holds my midfoot really well. Sometimes I feel like my heel is slipping, the Mythos does not feel as secure as my other shoes. I have to go down from a 9.5 to 8.5, so with that dramatic drop, I would expect the heel to fit. Once I dropped a size, besides the heel slippage, fits well. However, once I started running, it felt a little clunky. In my opinion, the tongue is too think. There is a lot of fabric that does not necessarily need to be there. I have the same complaint about the upper that I do with the tongue, too much fabric. Laces are a traditional cotton, and it feel like this upper causes some overheating. 

While there is cushioning, and it doesn't hurt me knees, I feel like it gets very little return in energy. There's not really a bounce, like a Brooks Hyperion Tempo or On Cloudswift would have. It makes me feel like I have to put that much more effort in to achieve the same effect that I would of a different shoe.

It does not fit true to size. I would recommend moving down one whole size.

Kimberly: Even though I had to size down lengthwise in the Mythos, the toe box still felt roomy enough. The heel fit was good; no issues with slipping. The only issue with the fit was with the upper. My foot didn't have enough volume to fill in the entire upper so I had to lace the shoes closer together and then there was wrinkling in the upper.

The cushion has a firmer feel but there is a lot of cushion to protect the foot from the impact. 

I definitely had to size down a 1/2 size in these shoes.

STABILITY

Ryan: This is definitely the most positive aspect of the Diadora Mythos. I am a neutral runner that slightly pronates, and it has a wider last to correct this movement. 

Kimberly: Even though I have a neutral gait and these shoes are neutral support, they feel very supportive around the arch and ankle.

SPEED

Ryan: These shoes are kind of a fun shoe to bring out to customers. They look cool, and they offer a little different experience than the traditional shoe. I would recommend this show for either recovery or shorter runs, to kind of spice up your run. 

COMPARISON

Ryan: This feels like a wider Air Pegasus with a less responsive midsole, with more fabric. I would almost put it in the same category as the New Balance 1080.

Kimberly: I would compare the amount of cushioning to shoes like the Brooks Ghost, the New Balance 880 and the Saucony Ride. I'd say there is maybe just a little less cushioning in the forefoot in the Diadora.

PREVIOUS VERSIONS

This is a new shoe in the Diadora lineup.

WHAT WE THINK

Ryan: I had this shoe for about a week when a large snow storm hit Michigan, and I hate running on a treadmill, so elected to go out in blizzard conditions. My go-to shoe is the On Cloudswift, for its light and neutral feel, however, my feet regularly get cold in those, in sub-zero temperatures, so I pulled out the Mythos Volo by Diadora. These had more fabric and a little more traction to allow to run in those conditions, keeping my feet warm, and my entire running experience stable. I ran with these in non-blizzard conditions, and it was not as enjoyable. The softness of the snow offered a return on energy that the shoe would not normally give.

I would recommend this shoe for a neutral runner, with a little pronation, for someone that is looking to train for maybe a 5k. This would also be a pretty good gym shoe. It keeps a person stable.

Kimberly: I ran in these shoes a few times about 3-4 miles each time. I am a midfoot runner, and what I noticed is that they don't really offer a smooth transition from heel to toe, like some of its competitors do that have been doing it for a long time. It tends to slap the ground a little bit. However, the initial foot strike felt good and I didn't notice the surface I was running on.

I would recommend the Diadora Mythos for anyone looking for a medium to higher stack height (30MM in the heel and 19MM in the forefoot) and a traditional heel to toe offset (11MM).

MEET YOUR REVIEWERS

Ryan

18 year old
Wears men's size 10 
When home, I run on dirt roads or the surrounding metro-parks. When I am at school, it is strictly city running. I have been running since 6th grade, so probably around 8 years. I am a sales associate at Running Lab. My favorite thing about running is both the time I have with myself during it, and the community that forms around it, as a result. 

Kimberly

52 year old
Wears women's size 9.5
I have been running most of my life, but it wasn't until I was stationed in Monterey CA while I was in the Air Force that I really learned to love hills and longer distance running on the Pacific coast. I would go out for a short quick shake out run every day around the wharf in the dark hours of the morning to get my blood moving and then I would go for a long 10-12 mile run on the coast about 4-5 days per week. Currently, I mainly run for fitness as I enjoy all forms of exercise. My graduate academic training as an Exercise Physiologist makes me kind of a geek when it comes to helping others achieve their goals in fitness.