Adidas Adizero SL Review: Versatile and Affordable Daily Trainer
The Adidas Adizero SL is the newest daily trainer from the three stripes. Here's how it stacks up.
For a long time, Adidas was wandering in the wilderness when it came to daily trainers. They had the cherished Ultraboost series in the early 2010s, but that slowly evolved into a casual wear shoe as newer, lighter, more responsive foams from competitor brands edged it out. And the Boston has transformed into a souped-up, dual-foam, carbon-rodded high mileage shoe. That left a gap in the Adidas lineup, which they're now filling with the new Adizero SL. Here's how it runs and who should buy it (spoiler alert: everyone).
Adidas Adizero SL Overview & Specs
The Adidas Adizero SL is a lightweight daily trainer with a firm and cushioned ride. It uses Adidas' EVA-based Lightstrike foam in the midsole, which is a durable compound that takes 40 to 50 miles to break-in and soften up. There's also a puck of Lightstrike Pro foam in the forefoot to provide a responsive platform for toe-off.
The Adizero SL has a moderate stack of 35mm of foam in the heel and 26mm of foam in the forefoot for a 9mm drop. On foot, the shoe feels lower drop due to the lack of a pronounced rocker. The flatter platform combined with firm foam provides a more natural feel underfoot than soft, bouncy and rockered competitors.
The Adizero SL was released in December 2022 and has an MSRP of $120. However, it's often on sale for $65—and some colorways are discounted as of August 2023 to $35, which is an incredible deal for a daily trainer that's as versatile and comfortable as the SL. Even at the MSRP of $120, the shoe is priced lower than competitors like the Nike Pegasus 40 ($130) and Saucony Ride 16 ($140).
Adidas Adizero SL
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Adidas Adizero SL Midsole: Lightstrike & Lightstrike Pro
The Adizero SL has a dual-foam midsole construction. The primary foam is Lightstrike, an EVA-based foam that has a traditional feel. While on the firmer side, EVA is a durable and resilient foam that will last for hundreds of miles and give consistent performance.
The forefoot of the Adizero SL has a disc of Adidas' premier Lightstrike Pro racing foam. This is the same compound used in other shoes in the Adizero series like the Adios Pro 3, Takumi Sen 9 and Boston 12. Lightstrike Pro is a denser and firmer racing foam that has great energy return and is highly bouncy. In the SL, the Lightstrike Pro is more muted at slower paces but can be felt when running with a more aggressive, on-the-toes form.
Adidas Adizero SL Ride: Cushioned, Firm, Responsive
The Adidas Adizero SL has a non-plated, dual-foam midsole that provides a highly balanced ride. At slower paces, the Lightstrike EVA foam feels cushioned and structured. The Lightstrike Pro feels dense despite the SL's lightweight construction—which isn't a bad thing—giving it a supportive but not overly firm feel.
At everyday aerobic running paces, the SL feels comfortable and cushioned. It's not as soft as the Asics Novablast or as springy as the Nike Pegasus, but it still has a cushioned, mildly responsive feel. When picking up the pace, the Lightstrike Pro puck in the forefoot can be felt adding propulsion and more energy return.
Due to the flat non-rockered platform and firmer foam, the Adizero SL promotes a natural stride that rewards a midfoot to forefoot strike. It doesn't have any prescriptive elements. If you're used to running in soft, max-cushioned shoes or highly-rockered platforms, there may be an adjustment period with SL since it has a firmer, flatter ride.
Adidas Adizero SL Upper & Fit: Comfortable & Breathable
The Adidas Adizero SL's upper is comfortable and breathable with great ventilation for warm weather running. The upper uses an engineered mesh material that's soft and slightly stretchy, while the heel collar is padded and holds the back of the foot in place. The tongue is padded enough to prevent lace bite when the upper is cinched down.
The fit of the SL is snug, with a slightly narrow midfoot. The toe-box is decently wide—moreso than fits from brands Saucony and Hoka. The volume of the toe-box is shorter than normal, however, which means it's not the best option for hige-volume feet. Overall, the lockdown is snug, secure and comfortable, if a touch on the narrow side in the midfoot.
Adidas Adizero SL Outsole & Durability
The Adidas Adizero SL has a nearly full-contact rubber outsole with minimal cut-outs placed strategically to save weight. In the front bottom section of the shoe, there's a slit cutout in the Lightstrike EVA to expose the Lightstrike Pro. It's likely for aesthetics but it also shaves some weight.
The rubber used in the Adizero SL is not the same Continental rubber used in shoes like the Takumi Sen and Adios Pro 3, but it is decently grippy and highly protective. In wet weather runs, we found traction to be above average and had no real issues with slipping.
Who The Adidas Adizero SL Is Best For
The Adizero SL is a great shoe for runners of all levels looking to build strength. It doesn't have a rocker, a super bouncy foam or a carbon fiber plate, so it's not going to do the work of running for you. It rewards you for running efficiently with good form, and it encourages a mid to forefoot strike.
The balanced ride of the Adizero SL makes it a great everyday training option for runners who want a simple, no-frills shoe that has a decent amount of cushioning. It's light weight and the foam is responsive at faster paces, making it a do-it-all option that can serve as the only shoe in your rotation. The Adizero SL is stable for a neutral shoe but it doesn't have any guiderails or prescriptive stability elements. If you're a pronator who has serious stability needs, you may want to consider a traditional stability shoe rather than the neutral SL.
Final Thoughts
The Adizero SL is a highly versatile, affordable running shoe. With sales prices as low as $35, it's a "buy now" type of shoe for any runner looking to build strength. Responsive enough for workouts and cushioned enough for easy runs, it'll slot into your lineup to fill whatever role you need it to play.
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