Adidas Adizero SL

After the boom of carbon plate shoes, I feel that this 2023 is going to be the year of fast shoes without carbon plate. It's just an intuition, but seeing especially the releases of the last 3 months of 2022 we can see a change of trend. And is that as we have spoken many times in RUNNEA we have been seeing how the industry first directed the shoes with plate to the highest profile of the pyramid of popular runners. The fastest, and mainly racing shoes. Then came training shoes with plate but also for the same type of profile. Advanced runners in search of their best performance.

The next step was to reach runners with a medium profile. Looking for a balance between cushioning, comfort and the spark that the plate gives you to motivate those popular runners of intermediate profile to get a shoe that could help them improve their performance while minimizing the loss of good feelings.

And now we are in a new stage. One thing has not changed, the search for good sensations, but other things have changed, and that is that the carbon plate is not for everyone.

We talked about it with our podiatrists Rut Delgado and Toni Fernandez Sierra, be careful with carbon plates. But the sector, let's not forget, always goes ahead, and surprises us in recent months with shoes like the ones we present today the Adidas Adizero SL or others like the ASICS Superblast. Speed without carbon plate.

For what type of user do we recommend these Adidas Adizero SL?

After this context setting, I consider necessary to intuit what may be 2023 in terms of running shoe releases, we focus on what is going to be undoubtedly one of the positive surprises of the year for adidas. These Adizero SL fill a gap that the German brand had lost to other brands such as Nike, Hoka, ASICS, New Balance and others. The gap of fast running shoe without carbon plate and at reasonable prices.

And it is that these Adidas Adizero SL are presented as a fast training model, a mixed that was said in the past, you can use for those quality workouts such as series or changes of pace, those more lively or even in competition. Up to half marathon mainly.

• Shoes for quality training: Series, changes of pace or lively runs.
• For competitions up to half marathon
• Runners up to 80 kg
• Neutral stride

What did we like most about the Adidas Adizero SL?

The Adidas Adizero SL start at a very attractive price for these times. Its RRP is 130€, although as we always say you can compare its price in RUNNEA among dozens of stores to find the best price. But the price is not only its main attraction. These shoes have a firm feel when running. That is to say, don't expect a soft and comfortable foam. We're talking about running fast and that requires not to prioritize comfort over dynamism. It is therefore a cushioning that feels firm, but taking into account that it is a training shoe, and that also requires elements that make the whole a pleasant product, in terms of sensations, lightness. And it is also a fairly light shoe, just 250 grams in a size 9.5 US (43 EU) for men and 220 grams in a 7 US for women.

We like its midsole. We are going to find a more than reasonable resemblance to the Adidas Adios Pro 3. If we look at the midsole structure of the Adizero SL it is very similar to its carbon plate sister. The difference is that the adidas Adizero SL uses Lightstrike EVA foam as the main compound while the Adios Pro 3 has Lightstrike Pro throughout its midsole. Although the Adizero SL hides a Lightstrike Pro foam capsule in the area below the metatarsals to provide extra reactivity in the impulse and toe-off phase.

We also liked the design. A classic style but with a range and combination of colors that make it a very attractive shoe.

Possible points of improvement for future editions

This is a model that I truly believe is here to stay. And that by polishing small details it will become a reference in its segment, that of fast training shoes. One of the possible improvements applicable to future editions is its tongue. When tightening the laces firmly , certain folds are reproduced in the tongue that should be avoided.

A second request for the Adidas product designers, this is a shoe that could improve the overall concept of the model with a little improvement in terms of comfort.

The rivals of the Adidas Adizero SL

The concept of the mixed shoe has fallen into disuse, but this does not mean that it is still very competitive. Fast shoes, without plate, light, versatile. And here we find great bets of the main brands with which these Adidas Adizero SL will try to compete:

Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 40

New Balance Fuelcell Revel v3

ASICS Dynablast 3

Hoka Rincon 3

Conclusions

We loved the idea of the adidas Adizero SL. It was hard to find a reference model from the German brand that could compete head to head with a Nike Pegasus 40 or an ASICS Dynablast or New Balance Fuelcell Revel v3. And these Adizero SL compete and very well. They're fast, they're light and they're inexpensive. 3 ingredients that work perfectly in a market that has realized that the carbon plate is not for everything and everyone.