Adidas Adizero SL2 Review: A Daily Trainer That Gets It Right

Introduction

The original Adizero SL was a tough shoe to love: firm, tight, and uninspiring. With the Adizero SL2, Adidas has turned that around almost completely. This is a comfortable, versatile, well-built daily trainer that punches well above its price, and it now sits among the best value options in its class.

A Complete Redesign Where It Counts

The headline change is underfoot. The SL2 combines Light Strike and Light Strike Pro foam, with the top-tier foam wrapped in a cage of the softer, more flexible standard material. The Light Strike here feels noticeably softer than the version used in the previous shoe, closer to the newer Light Strike found in the Boston 12 and Adios 8. Measured hardness comes in around Shore A 30 for the Light Strike Pro and roughly 35 to 38 for the surrounding Light Strike.

The stack is 38 mm in the heel and 29 mm at the forefoot, a 9 mm drop, and sample measurements matched the official specs almost exactly. Weight is 272 g (9.6 oz) in a UK 11 / US 11.5, about 13 g lighter than the original SL.

Upper: Comfortable, Conforming, Narrow

The upper borrows DNA from the Adios Pro line: a conforming, reasonably breathable mesh with decent padding through the tongue and extra cushioning where the laces create pressure. That padding negates lace tension nicely, so it stays comfortable on foot even with a solid lockdown. Think of it as a slightly plusher version of a racing-style upper, lighter and less padded than shoes like the Velocity Nitro.

There are trade-offs. The laces are on the thinner, cheaper side and slightly awkward in length, so swapping them out may be the first modification worth making. The toe box tapers noticeably and lacks depth and width, so runners with wide feet should look elsewhere, and no wide version has appeared yet. If you have a normal or narrow foot and enjoy a snug, foot-hugging European fit, though, the lockdown is excellent and required no re-tightening on test runs.

Midsole: The Real Triumph

This is where the SL2 earns its keep. The dual-foam setup delivers a cushioned, fun, genuinely versatile ride that handles a wide range of paces without feeling unstable or mushy. It responds when you push the pace, and it protects the legs on heel-heavy landings. It is best described as a slightly nimbler Boston 12 without the energy rods or any carbon elements, which will appeal to runners who prefer a straightforward, traditional midsole.

As a daily trainer it is easy to just throw on and see how the legs feel. Over the test miles it has broken in beautifully, and it works equally well as a training partner for a faster Adios Pro-style shoe or even as a light race-day option. For the money, it is one of the best daily shoes in this price bracket in a long time.

Outsole: Stripy, Grippy, Unproven

The outsole features playful striped rubber slats with a small heel cut-out that gives a slight trampoline feel at landing. The rubber is softer and more malleable than the typical firm Adidas compounds, since it is not the Continental or Adiwear stuff, measuring around Shore A 70. In practice it feels grippy and amplifies the cushioning underfoot.

The main concern is durability, since there is no official word on a hard-wearing compound, and only time will tell how it holds up around the 100-mile mark. The slat spacing is well judged though, with no rocks or debris trapped so far. Outsole width could have been trimmed further to save weight, but that is a small nitpick.

Value and Buying Advice

At £110 retail in the UK, and frequently discounted with extras thrown in, this is close to a no-brainer. The SL2 goes toe to toe with the Pegasus 41, outperforms the Reebok Energy range, and compares favourably in weight to the Puma Velocity Nitro 3 with a similar stack but roughly 40 g less to carry. Build quality out of the box is excellent too: no glue marks, no misaligned parts, and a finish that shames shoes costing two or three times as much.

If you are a beginner looking for a do-everything daily trainer, or a more experienced runner wanting a versatile cushioned option without plates or rods, this is a very easy recommendation.

Conclusion

The Adizero SL2 is a rare sequel that fixes its predecessor’s flaws across the board: softer dual foam, a comfortable padded upper, and excellent build quality at a budget-friendly price. Its only real caveats are the narrow taper, basic laces, and an unproven outsole compound. For most daily runners, it is one of the strongest value picks available right now.