The Adidas Adizero SL2 is a soft and cushioned workhorse that punches well above its class. Priced at $130, it offers the fun and refinement of training shoes $50 to $80 more expensive—and the same bounce and propulsion as race shoes double the price. If you like soft shoes, you'll likely find yourself pulling for this for nearly every run of the week. It has enough cushion for those 90 minute grind sessions while staying streamlined and peppy enough for top-end speed on the track. The only watchout here is stability: the heel can be wobbly and wild, especially in the first few miles out of the box. Once it's broken in, the SL2 is a smooth cruiser for anyone who likes soft (if you don't want squishy, check out the Asics Novablast 4, Adidas Boston 12 or Puma Velocity Nitro 3).

Category

Daily trainer

Release Date

June 2024

Plated?

No

Foam

Lightstrike 2.0, Lightstrike Pro

Foam Compound

EVA, Supercritical TPEE

Ride

Soft, Bouncy, Smooth

Heel Stack (mm)

35.0

Forefoot Stack (mm)

26.0

Drop (mm)

9

Weight (mens size 9)

9.4

Support

Neutral

Fit

True to size