In production · road · Daily / Long run · $55
Adidas Racer TR21: 34 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 318 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Built for daily, long run, at a target pace of 7:30–10:00 /mi on road.
The midsole is Boost, tuned balanced (3/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 34 mm of heel stack is the modern daily-trainer sweet spot — enough foam for long miles without losing contact with the road. Combined, the ride reads as calm at 2/5 responsiveness.
There is no plate here. The midsole does all the work, so the shoe flexes naturally and stays versatile across paces — easier on the feet day to day, but without the snap of a plated shoe when you want to roll.
A 8 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. It is a neutral platform with no built-in correction.
The toe-box is standard width — comfortable for most feet without swimming. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 400 miles from the outsole, about $0.14 per mile at $55.
For the foams and plates Adidas uses across its line, read the Adidas brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
318 g / 11.2 oz
43 g heavier than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
34 mm
2 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
8 mm
2 mm higher than the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$55
105 cheaper than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
2 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
3 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~400 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Adidas line it is heavier than the brand's median (278 g / 9.8 oz) and sits lower than its median stack (35 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Nike Run Swift 2
291 g / 10.3 oz · 34 mm · 8 mm drop · — · $75
Nike Run Swift 2: 34 mm heel stack, 8 mm drop, 291 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Nike Downshifter 14
315 g / 11.1 oz · 34 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $70
Nike Downshifter 14: 34 mm heel stack, 10 mm drop, 315 g — specs from independent lab testing.
On Cloudpulse
319 g / 11.3 oz · 33 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $140
Training-first shoe tuned for gym work and short cardio.
Adidas Ultrarun 5
323 g / 11.4 oz · 35 mm · 10 mm drop · — · $80
Adidas Ultrarun 5: 35 mm heel stack, 10 mm drop, 295 g — specs from independent lab testing.