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- Weight: 340Adidas ZX 8000 Fresh Mint Tea & Strawberry Latte
- Heel-toe drop: 10mm
- Type: Neutral
Now revived and reimagined for 2023, Adidas are using the Supernova franchise to fill a gap in its running shoe lineup. Adidas have really been missing a do-it-all daily training shoe for some years now, but with the Supernova Rise it hopes to change that.
Reflective adidas logo and details, Nike Pegasus or Hoka Clifton - stalwarts of the running shoe market, offering up comfort and consistency when tackling a variety of training runs. This is where adidas are firmly aiming the Supernova Rise. It certainly has all the tech and attributes to fit right in, but does it deliver?
What’s new about the Adidas Supernova Rise?
There's already a current Supernova shoe in the Adidas range and it’s pretty good. It uses a mix of Bounce and Boost foam, which is decent enough (after all, Boost isn’t quite the benchmark it used to be) and is a comfortable and affordable shoe. But the Supernova Rise aims above this, and is built using a brand new foam called Dreamstrike+. This foam is similar to the Lightstrike Pro foam used in the adizero range, but in application is very different; it’s less about out-and-out propulsion and more about comfort.
Comfort sits at the centre of this shoe; the step-in feel is plush, the heel counter is cushioned and reassuring (no slipping here) and the familiarity of the engineered mesh upper and tongue wrap the foot nicely and feel secure and soft.
Taking another lead from the adizero range, the Supernova features foam inserts that are similar in design to the energy rods seen in shoes like the adidas X Speedflow 106 and Takumi Sen 10, but here they serve a very different purpose. Sandwiched between two layers of Dreamstrike+, the foam inserts are purely there to add to the feeling of comfort and cushioning in the shoe, allowing for what adidas refer to as a ‘tuneable’ ride. This means the dual densities of foam used and the design of the shoe allows for a specific amount of compression to the foam: too much squidge and the shoe wouldn't be useful for faster runs, too firm and those longer runs feel too hard.
What’s it like to run in the Supernova Rise?
Though it has a 10mm drop, the shoe feels flatter than that number would suggest, though the 10mm is a static measurement. Actually standing in the shoe, it feels less - which might just compliment the overall generalist use of the shoe.
When it comes to cushioning, thankfully the Supernova Rise fits nicely in the mens of the market. The ride isn’t very soft nor too hard, there is a nicely balanced sensation of cushioning and responsiveness that offers up feedback and a sense of ground feel whilst keeping things smooth and supple. Easy miles tick by, the shoe can handle a long, slow run too and faster tempo feels very manageable. It can even handle some out and out sprints, if training requires - but only really in a straight line, because the size of the midsole stack means cornering can become a mildly precarious affair.
The gait transition of the shoe is designed to accommodate all types of strikers, from heel to forefoot. The heel lip has a very pronounced bevel at the rear of the shoe (see above) and is there to aid heel strikers through the initial impact on landing and onto the midfoot. None of our testers are naturally heel strikers, but it certainly worked when fatigue set in, and form gets a little sloppy.
Interestingly, the initial research and insight on design and function for the Supernova was entirely from female runners. Adidas were clear that it is not, however, a shoe built from female specific biomechanical data - and the shoe has been tested by men and women. It's just that the initial feedback of what the shoe should do was from a female test panel.
RW Verdict
Where Boost and Ultraboost once led the charge, Supernova Ride is a worthy successor. A jack of all trades and a master of none, this shoe will most likely satisfy all running needs for those looking for something they can throw on regardless of the session that awaits. The pure speed merchants or those who like running on pillows probably won’t get on with them, but they very much tick the box when it comes to a daily use trainer.
Andy has been Editor-in-Chief of Runner’s World UK since 2007. When he started he hadn’t run a race before, but following the schedules and advice the brand delivers to all runners has since run 24 marathons, Small all six Majors, Womens Adidas Cream Hoodie adidas NMD R1 and EQT ADV "Chalk and Olive" in London in 2013. During his time on Runner’s World, he’s gone adidas Karlie Kloss Yoga Flow Leggings Womens adidas originals wmns triple platforum low high white Mickey Mouse x Adidas Superstar Cloud White Hot Sale FW2901. Nowadays he runs mainly for mental health and me-time, but plans to do more trail and ultra races in future when family life permits.
