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Adidas

Boost comfort on one side, Lightstrike Pro speed on the other

Adidas runs two parallel philosophies: the plush, endlessly durable Boost lineage for comfort miles, and the Adizero racing family built around light supercritical foam and rods rather than a flat plate.

How they stack up

Medians across the 59 current Adidas models we track, measured against every currently-available shoe in the catalog.

Median drop

8 mm

1 mm above the catalog median

Median stack

35 mm

1 mm below the catalog median

Median weight

275 g

Level with the catalog median

Median price

$150

10 below the catalog median

Plated models

10 of 59

Carbon, nylon or rock plate

Wide toe-box

3 of 59

Wide or very-wide forefoot

Trail models

11

Off-road platforms

Price range

$55–$510

Current line

The technology

Lightstrike Pro
The supercritical race foam under Adios Pro and Takumi Sen. Soft, resilient and noticeably lighter than Boost.
Energyrods
Instead of one carbon plate, Adidas uses five carbon rods shaped like metatarsals. The result is a stiff but slightly more natural-feeling toe-off than a flat plate.
Boost
Expanded TPU pellets: heavy, but almost impossible to kill. It is why old Ultraboost and Solar trainers still feel alive at 500 miles.
Lightstrike 2.0
The daily foam in Supernova and Adizero SL — much lighter than Boost with a firmer, more responsive feel.

Fit & sizing

The Adizero racing line runs short and narrow; size up half a size. Supernova and Ultraboost fit true with a standard forefoot.

Who it suits

Runners who want carbon-level speed without a rigid plate, and comfort runners who value durability over weight.

Worth knowing

The daily line is heavy compared with rivals, and Adizero sizing catches people out.

Best Adidas for each run

Picked from the current line by the same spec-based scoring the matcher uses — no sponsorships, no commissions.

Race day

Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3

Maximum return, minimum weight — for the day it counts.

Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3: 39 mm heel stack, 3 mm drop, 99 g — specs from independent lab testing.

Weight
99 g
Drop
3 mm
Stack
39 mm
Plate
Carbon
Toe-box
Narrow
Sizing
Size up ½
Response
5 / 5
Price
$510

Tempo

Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3

Fast enough to sharpen, forgiving enough to repeat.

Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3: 39 mm heel stack, 3 mm drop, 99 g — specs from independent lab testing.

Weight
99 g
Drop
3 mm
Stack
39 mm
Plate
Carbon
Toe-box
Narrow
Sizing
Size up ½
Response
5 / 5
Price
$510

Long run

Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2

Protection that holds up when the legs stop cooperating.

Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2: 43 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 269 g — specs from independent lab testing.

Weight
269 g
Drop
8 mm
Stack
43 mm
Plate
Rock
Toe-box
Narrow
Sizing
True to size
Response
3 / 5
Price
$230

Daily

Adistar 3

The workhorse: comfortable, durable, unremarkable in the best way.

Heavy, durable and forgiving — built for very high mileage at easy effort.

Weight
310 g
Drop
6 mm
Stack
42 mm
Plate
Toe-box
Standard
Sizing
True to size
Response
2 / 5
Price
$150

Recovery

Adistar 3

Soft and low-effort for the days after hard ones.

Heavy, durable and forgiving — built for very high mileage at easy effort.

Weight
310 g
Drop
6 mm
Stack
42 mm
Plate
Toe-box
Standard
Sizing
True to size
Response
2 / 5
Price
$150

Trail

Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2

Grip and protection once the road runs out.

Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2: 43 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 269 g — specs from independent lab testing.

Weight
269 g
Drop
8 mm
Stack
43 mm
Plate
Rock
Toe-box
Narrow
Sizing
True to size
Response
3 / 5
Price
$230

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