Glad there is a shoe out there with more of a firmer ride (for those who prefer it). I've got about 20 miles in these now and have done a few runs at my steady pace (4:25-4:40) and for my gait they roll along nicely. Nothing gimmicky about these and for me disappear on foot as I plod along. The lightstrike pro in the forefoot is in the right spot for me to notice the pop as I roll through and helps me with getting that footstrike spot on.
I still have no idea why Adidas doesn’t use the Repetitor foam instead of Lightstrike for a shoe like this. Repetitor is a bit softer and I feel would make this shoe much more enjoyable. I also feel this shoe fits in with the Nike Pegasus, Asics Cumulus, Saucony Ride type of shoes. More of your “do it all” daily trainer.
Got a nostalgic attachment to Adidas going back to the early 1970s when they were THE brand for serious runners (pre Nike). Still get teary eyed when remembering the SL72 and TRX10 as trainers and my favourite shoe of all time was the Tokyo spike. In today's world, I loved the original SL20, less impressed with the second version, but don't feel they have a bog standard daily, bang out the miles trainer. Never really got on with Boost.
Thank you as always for the review. It's interesting that most UK reviewers have been negative on this shoe when US reviewers have typically been positive. I bought a couple of pairs because I liked the look of them with the main colour way more of a light grey than white. I was going to keep them for summer but gave them a 5K runout on the treadmill during the UK week of snow and ice. No complaints at all, quiet fast and light by adidas standards. LightStrike is advertised as firm so no idea why this comes as a surprise. There's an adidas video explaining the shoe with it positioned as an entry level shoe for the AdiZero range for college kids and people with less dosh and making the assumption it could be used for other things. Personally I remember those days when I had a pair of Sambas and they got used for running,football and just about everything else as that's all I could afford. I had an adidas voucher to use so got them for £82. Keep the negative adidas reviews coming,that's how I got to stockpile my favourite shoe (Boston 10) at close to 50% discounts. Despite my loyalty to adidas, you are right about Start Fitness and their Puma bargains like the Nitro Velocity 2 which you can pick-up for £45. It's a good shoe I've been wearing, you won't get better value in the UK. Thank you again for the reviews throughout 2022.
I use Saucony but the grip is rubbish so picked up a discounted pair of these just in time for the frosts (it was still too slippery out there for me most of those days but I did get one or two days more outside than I would have done). They were firmer than I was expecting but that was also true for my other easy day shoe (Triumph 19). I actually quite like them - you can feel the better grip, the front half is nice and soft and hopefully the heel area will soften with a few more miles. Oh, and I just love the colour way …
Was hoping the extra Lightstrike would have made these alittle “softer”. So my Xmas treat is the original (what I call) Saucony Kinvara Pro aka Saucony Axon 2.
Have you reviewed the Adios 6/7? If not then definitely worth a look. In my opinion (based on the 6) this can be used as both a daily and a tempo shoe and it was one that definitely improved with more mileage. Only downside for me was the outsole, very grippy but noisy and picks up and embeds small stones very easily. You can also pick them up at the moment for less than £80.
If you are a heavy runner, firmer shoes like these are good. Boston 11 too. People think heavy people need max cushion/stack, nope, you will sink further, running has a quick sand effect and can potentially cause strains on your feet, you need a firm shoe that reacts well with your weight as it would a lighter person on standard shoes. As a person that's into bodybuilding, I like these as cheap beater/everyday runners. Just remember, running shoes are built for runners, and a lot of runners are built like twigs-skinnyfat, not muscle-fat.
Been running in the 3 stripes for over 30 years. This shoe reminds me of the original SL20 a bit. Ive got a pair just sitting here waiting for me to try them out. Going to wait until I need a replacement for my current tempo/speed day shoe Boston 10. I realize there arent any real bells and whistles to this shoe but I kind of like the fact that its just a stripped down basic runner. Time will tell.
Doesn't make any sense to have this priced around the same as the Adios 7 which is terrific and has a proper wedge of lightstrike Pro in the forefoot along with continental rubber on the outsole 🤷♂️ Looking at other brands for this type of shoe the Puma Velocity Nitro 2 for £50 is an absolute steal 👌
I finally found great Adidas shoe, namely Pro 3. No chance in the world to buy from Adidas anything that doesn't have this full pro midsole. For instance, for me Adios Adizero 6 was such a piece of junk, I couldn't believe. And it is such a beautiful shoe. I guess this SL, when you mentioned firm, it is probably understatement, same as it was with Adizero 6. I wouldn't touch this shoe with a 3 m pole. Nor the new Adizero 7. Despite their awesome looks. I will probably be waiting for a more reasonably priced Prime X. Or if something else comes up with a pro midsole that doesn't cost arm and leg.
I just don't see the point of this shoe with the Adios 6/7 in the lineup. Perhaps if there was a larger difference in price, but it's only 10 beaver bucks difference. And the Adios 6/7 is 2oz lighter. The only significant difference is the drop 6mm vs 10mm. But given the target distance range for this shoe, that probably isn't significant either. Just seems like a miss by Adidas. I put 450km on my Adios6 and loved that shoe...till I got the Takumi Sen8. Which I could never justify for retail price, but at 25% off....done deal.
Adidas missed the boat again. They need a Takumi Sen 8 based design with better outsole (more durable) and slightly better heel counter for their daily shoe.
Watch more of our videos 👉 youtube.com/@FordyRuns
Glad there is a shoe out there with more of a firmer ride (for those who prefer it). I've got about 20 miles in these now and have done a few runs at my steady pace (4:25-4:40) and for my gait they roll along nicely. Nothing gimmicky about these and for me disappear on foot as I plod along. The lightstrike pro in the forefoot is in the right spot for me to notice the pop as I roll through and helps me with getting that footstrike spot on.
I still have no idea why Adidas doesn’t use the Repetitor foam instead of Lightstrike for a shoe like this. Repetitor is a bit softer and I feel would make this shoe much more enjoyable. I also feel this shoe fits in with the Nike Pegasus, Asics Cumulus, Saucony Ride type of shoes. More of your “do it all” daily trainer.
Got a nostalgic attachment to Adidas going back to the early 1970s when they were THE brand for serious runners (pre Nike). Still get teary eyed when remembering the SL72 and TRX10 as trainers and my favourite shoe of all time was the Tokyo spike. In today's world, I loved the original SL20, less impressed with the second version, but don't feel they have a bog standard daily, bang out the miles trainer. Never really got on with Boost.
Yep I’m with you I’m hoping the Boston 12 is lighter and better
I believe the first energy Boost and Boston 6 were terrific shoes. They allowed you to run both a marathon and do an easy run.
Thank you as always for the review. It's interesting that most UK reviewers have been negative on this shoe when US reviewers have typically been positive. I bought a couple of pairs because I liked the look of them with the main colour way more of a light grey than white. I was going to keep them for summer but gave them a 5K runout on the treadmill during the UK week of snow and ice. No complaints at all, quiet fast and light by adidas standards.
LightStrike is advertised as firm so no idea why this comes as a surprise. There's an adidas video explaining the shoe with it positioned as an entry level shoe for the AdiZero range for college kids and people with less dosh and making the assumption it could be used for other things. Personally I remember those days when I had a pair of Sambas and they got used for running,football and just about everything else as that's all I could afford.
I had an adidas voucher to use so got them for £82.
Keep the negative adidas reviews coming,that's how I got to stockpile my favourite shoe (Boston 10) at close to 50% discounts.
Despite my loyalty to adidas, you are right about Start Fitness and their Puma bargains like the Nitro Velocity 2 which you can pick-up for £45. It's a good shoe I've been wearing, you won't get better value in the UK.
Thank you again for the reviews throughout 2022.
Thank you
I use Saucony but the grip is rubbish so picked up a discounted pair of these just in time for the frosts (it was still too slippery out there for me most of those days but I did get one or two days more outside than I would have done). They were firmer than I was expecting but that was also true for my other easy day shoe (Triumph 19). I actually quite like them - you can feel the better grip, the front half is nice and soft and hopefully the heel area will soften with a few more miles. Oh, and I just love the colour way …
I have switched to Adidas last year and am converted. Boston 11’s for easy runs and Pro 3’s for longer and faster runs 👍
Was hoping the extra Lightstrike would have made these alittle “softer”. So my Xmas treat is the original (what I call) Saucony Kinvara Pro aka Saucony Axon 2.
Have you reviewed the Adios 6/7? If not then definitely worth a look. In my opinion (based on the 6) this can be used as both a daily and a tempo shoe and it was one that definitely improved with more mileage. Only downside for me was the outsole, very grippy but noisy and picks up and embeds small stones very easily. You can also pick them up at the moment for less than £80.
I’ve not
I love the adios 6 as a tempo shoe. Lightweight, snappy and very cost effective.
If you are a heavy runner, firmer shoes like these are good. Boston 11 too. People think heavy people need max cushion/stack, nope, you will sink further, running has a quick sand effect and can potentially cause strains on your feet, you need a firm shoe that reacts well with your weight as it would a lighter person on standard shoes. As a person that's into bodybuilding, I like these as cheap beater/everyday runners.
Just remember, running shoes are built for runners, and a lot of runners are built like twigs-skinnyfat, not muscle-fat.
How does this compare to the original SL20? The SL20 seems to be a decent pair at very good pricing too.
The SL20 better
Been running in the 3 stripes for over 30 years. This shoe reminds me of the original SL20 a bit. Ive got a pair just sitting here waiting for me to try them out. Going to wait until I need a replacement for my current tempo/speed day shoe Boston 10. I realize there arent any real bells and whistles to this shoe but I kind of like the fact that its just a stripped down basic runner. Time will tell.
How does this compare to the Deviate Nitro 2
Try the Adidas adios 7 can get real cheap and it has the pro foam in it
Will do thanks
Doesn't make any sense to have this priced around the same as the Adios 7 which is terrific and has a proper wedge of lightstrike Pro in the forefoot along with continental rubber on the outsole 🤷♂️
Looking at other brands for this type of shoe the Puma Velocity Nitro 2 for £50 is an absolute steal 👌
I finally found great Adidas shoe, namely Pro 3.
No chance in the world to buy from Adidas anything that doesn't have this full pro midsole. For instance, for me Adios Adizero 6 was such a piece of junk, I couldn't believe.
And it is such a beautiful shoe. I guess this SL, when you mentioned firm, it is probably understatement, same as it was with Adizero 6. I wouldn't touch this shoe with a 3 m pole. Nor the new Adizero 7. Despite their awesome looks. I will probably be waiting for a more reasonably priced Prime X. Or if something else comes up with a pro midsole that doesn't cost arm and leg.
Boston 12
We (adidas fans) just need a rodless takumi (maybe torsion system) ... Or this sl but 100% lightstrike pro
Lightstrike pro is amazing
Can’t wait for regular Lightstrike to go away.
As much as i like the Takumi Sen 8 and Pro 3, this one just doesnt do it for me.
Nah better out there
I just don't see the point of this shoe with the Adios 6/7 in the lineup. Perhaps if there was a larger difference in price, but it's only 10 beaver bucks difference. And the Adios 6/7 is 2oz lighter. The only significant difference is the drop 6mm vs 10mm. But given the target distance range for this shoe, that probably isn't significant either. Just seems like a miss by Adidas.
I put 450km on my Adios6 and loved that shoe...till I got the Takumi Sen8. Which I could never justify for retail price, but at 25% off....done deal.
Adidas missed the boat again. They need a Takumi Sen 8 based design with better outsole (more durable) and slightly better heel counter for their daily shoe.
Not one positive review on these shoes there was no need for them shop around and get the Adios 7
They aren’t a bad shoe just a bit pointless
You need to break in the foam
Yep that’s what I said
@@FordyRuns Yeah I watched your video. Merry Christmas
why adidas cut the midsole like that. its not good.
To reduce weight and give the shoe more flexibility in the areas where foam is not needed.
Don't review a firm shoe. Waste of your time.