Adidas SL20.3: Simplicity
By Content Manager Bach Pham
The SL20 has had an interesting history in its short life. Version 1
provided a low profile, versatile trainer that could pick up the pace
for workouts and do a bit of daily training. It was light on the feet
and for some reason always on sale from day one, making it an absolute
bargain for runners. Version 2 came as a surprise as Adidas amped up the
amount of Lightstrike in the midsole, moving it away from a performance
trainer and more into the daily training realm. Version 3 arrived this
year, retaining much of last year's formula with a new upper made with
recycled materials. In this review, we'll be digging into the new upper
change and going indepth on what exactly this shoe's role is in the
Adidas line-up.
Price: $74.88 (sale) at Running Warehouse
Weight: 8 oz, 226 g (men's size 9), 6.6 oz, 187 g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 30 mm heel, 22 mm forefoot
Drop: 8 mm
Classification: Lightweight daily trainer
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Adidas SL20.3 is a
lightweight daily trainer with a decent amount of versatility for
everyday runs. It features a slightly firmer, but protective ride and
durable outsole. The upper is the only change this year, now made with
over 50% recycled materials as part of their program to end plastic
waste. While priced at $110 US, it remains a shoe that goes on sale
regularly, providing a super affordable option for runners of every
level looking for a basic trainer that can handle a multitude of tasks
quietly.
SIMILAR SHOES: New Balance 880v12, Puma Velocity Nitro 2
FIT
Last year's SL20.2 ran a bit short for me when I tested a Men's 9.5. I tested a Men's size 10 this year and found the half size up to be perfect and would recommend doing it.
The shoe does have a straight and fairly standard to slightly narrow
fit. The toebox is just a touch shallow, but didn't cause any issues
with my toes and nails. The upper is very structured and has stayed very
steady. I did not have to lace lock these at all. The midfoot is a
touch snug, but ultimately it not an issue for me. There is room to
loosen laces and alleviate some of that snugness as needed. There's a
pretty rigid heel counter the bottom fourth of the heel and a flexible,
moderately padded heel counter the rest of the 3/4ths. I found it did a
great job of locking the foot down. The new recycled upper overall
brought solid security, but does come in a more classic Adidas fit being
fairly snug. The shoe is built best for standard to narrow feet. There
is a hint of arch support in the medial side that mostly goes away on
the run, but is going to be noticeable for some folks slipping the shoe
on for the first time. I have found that feeling to be present on
occasion, but it's never bothered me on the run. Finally, the insole is
removable for those who like to use their own.
PERFORMANCE
Though it features a big stack of Lightstrike foam, the shoe leans on
the firmer side. As a smaller runner who tends to run with a shorter stride, the
midsole felt protective on all of my runs and not at all harsh. Those
who strike the ground with a lot of force though may find the
Lightstrike foam a bit firmer and get less enjoyment out of the midsole.
If you are looking for a soft, squishy ride like a Nike Invincible or
Fresh Foam/FuelCell kind of material, this is not the shoe. Some folks
may want to even take a look at the Adidas Adios 7 instead. For
those, however, who really enjoyed running footwear like the Adidas
Boston of years past or is in the market for a no-frills shoe that can
just log really clean miles, this is where the SL20.3 shines. A big
reason why is the SL20.3's smooth ride. There's some light flexibility
in the forefoot that does a nice job of rolling forward quickly and
allowing for a fast and easy turnover at all paces.
The Continental
rubber outsole features two designs: on the lateral forefoot and medial
heel there is a diamond-shaped lug pattern that does a nice job of
lightly gripping the road. The inner forefoot and outer lateral side
features a smooth outsole design. Rolling off the medial side provides a
smooth transition that's very clean and comfortable. At 8.0 oz for
men's size 9 (6.6 oz for women), it's also a fairly light shoe on foot
as well and contributes towards helping make transitions feel swift and
nimble. While it's not springy like a super shoe, it is responsive and
can do some light workouts. If you are on a minimal shoe rotation, this
could be a good fit for it's ability to do a bit of everything if you
are okay with a firmer cushion.
I will add this feels absolutely
best with a forefoot or midfoot strike. The heel bevel could be sharper
as the heel feels a touch clunky. Heel strikers may want to try the shoe
first and see how it feels. I could feel the heel being a little sloppy
on my long run when my form was declining.
The SL20 is a very
consistent ride altogether. Whether you are logging some easy miles, or
on the road for 2+ hours, the ride holds up well and just keeps you
rolling along as far as you are able to go. Additionally, the durability has been fine so far with no signs of wear after 30 miles.
STABILITY
The
SL20.3 is ultimately still very much a neutral shoe. It has a fairly
standard, straight last. There are some elements that help make it more
stable than many current trainers though. The firmer midsole provides
some good rigidity throughout the shoe and provides the main form of
stability here. The forefoot has mild flexibility along with a bit of a
guidance line in the forefoot inbetween the two outsole materials.
Together, these elements help encourage some forward motion. The upper
is very structured and helps keep the foot feeling fairly dialed in as
well. The main instability comes with the regular width of the shoe. If
you have a lot of motion medially in particular it's still fairly easy
to become sloppy, even with some rigidity helping alleviate that.
In
general, there are some decent stability elements in play that help make
this daily trainer a bit more stable than other neutral shoes in the
market today, but those with moderate to high stability needs may want
to consider a Hoka Arahi or On Cloudrunner first.
WHERE DOES THE SL20 FIT IN IN THE ADIDAS LINE?
2021
featured a total revamp of the Adizero line for Adidas, leading to a bit
of shift in where different shoes are placed. While some of the changes
were controversial (see Boston 10), these changes did help actually
work to simplify the line somewhat. In previous years, the Adidas line
looked somewhat like this:
Pre-2021
Adizero Adios - Non-plated racer, workout trainer
Adizero Pro - Lower profile racing shoe
Adizero Adios Pro - Super shoe
Adizero Boston - Daily trainer/workout trainer
Ultraboost - Max cushioned trainer
RC - Lightweight workout trainer
SL20 - Workout trainer
What
you ended up with was a lot of snappy shoes that almost overlapped in
what they were doing. Effectively, several of the shoes were subtle
variations of the other,. 2021 helped realign the brand to focus on more
"pairings" which we have started seeing with other companies.
Post-2021
Adizero Adios 6/7 - Workout trainer
Adizero Boston 10/11 - Training companion to the Adios Pro
Adizero Adios Pro 2/3 - Super shoe for half marathon to marathon distance
Takumi Sen 8 - 5k/10k racer
Ultraboost 22 - Max cushioned trainer
SL20.3 - Basic daily trainer
RC3 - Lightweight workout trainer
Adistar - Max cushioned trainer with a high stable heel
Solarglide 5 - Similar realm to Ultraboost
Adidas Supernova+ - A cushioned trainer in-between SL20 and Ultraboost
The
biggest difference between the recent years is that the pairings in the
Adidas line for 2021 makes a lot more sense down the line regarding the
role of each shoe and where it slots among one another. The one loss in
the changes may be for those who enjoyed the low profile Boston of
yesteryears, but as far as creating more distinctions and less overlap
in their line, Adidas did a nice job of moving in a more focused
direction for 2021 and has carried that into 2022 with the addition of
new models.
RECOMMENDATIONS
I
personally enjoyed the SL20.3 for it's pure simplicity. My
recommendation is unique today. I feel Lightstrike ultimately shares
much with most EVA-based shoes. I think to fit in with Adidas' goal to
end plastic waste and become a sustainable company, the SL20.3 provides a
great opportunity to swap to a sugarcane, castor bean, or recycled
hybrid midsole. All of these should provide a very similar 1-to-1 swap
with the current midsole, and in some cases may even be softer thanks to
how fast the field has moved. Shoes like Zen Running's ZR-01, Reebok's
Floatride Energy Grow, and others have shown a lot of promise with their
blends, and I think adidas could make a really simple transition with
this base model.
For technical recommendations, some
resizing to help be more true to size with the market would be a good
first step. The midfoot could also use a bit more width as the laces
lockdown well. Though aesthetically pleasing, the lug pattern in the
heel could also be smoothened out to help further clean the ride. A
little more bevel would also help smoothen the rearfoot ride and negate some of the clunkiness that exists there now.
WHO THIS SHOE IS FOR
The Adidas SL20.3 is a neutral daily trainer with some uptempo
capacity if you want to tackle some strides or a few progression miles.
The shoe does feature a firmer ride than most daily trainers, but a
protective one rather than harsh. It feels really great to run in a
controlled pace and log daily to middle distance runs. Within the Adidas
line-up, this is a great shoe to pair with either a Takumi Sen or Adios
Pro if you plan on preparing for race day, or the Adios 7 if you are
just looking to pair it with a fun workout companion.
GRADING
Bach
Fit: B+ (Locks down well, but does need a half size up likely for most people and is more standard/narrow width)
Performance: B+ (Really fluid ride through the forefoot, but a little clunky in the heel)
Stability: B+ ]Neutral] (The firmer foam and some guidance through forefoot helps make it an above average neutral daily trainer)
DPT/Footwear Science: B (Recycled upper is nice, but not a major change this go-around)
Personal: B+ (Personally really enjoy no-frills running footwear, and the SL20.3 is the definition of it)
Overall: B+
SHOP | SUPPORT DOR
Price: $74.88 at Running Warehouse
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Ultimate Guide to Hydration Products for Runners
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Adidas Boston 11 - Featuring a new recycled upper
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