The adidas supernova plus is a great budget-friendly running shoe. These shoes might be less suitable for racing or record pushing, they are very solid basic daily trainers.
I have run around 100 miles (160km) in these shoes, so it felt like the right time to write an in-depth review about the shoes.
Important to note, this review will relate to the Adidas Supernova+, not the supernova 2.0. The 2.0 is a newer model of the shoe, I will cover the differences later in the article.
The quick summary
I understand that lots of people are mainly interested in the quick summary, so let’s start with that.
The Adidas supernova+ is a very budget friendly running shoe. They are perfect for beginners.
They are also good for more experienced runners, but mainly for recovery or easier runs. If you want to push yourself or try to set a new record, these are not going to be the best shoes for that day.
These shoes are durable, provide a good amount of protection to the underfoot and are made from recycled materials.
They have a decent amount of cushioning in the heel, but they are not heavily cushioned. If you are looking for a very well cushioned shoe, the Asics Gel-Nimbus or the HOKA ONE ONE Bondi will be better for you, but there is also a different price tag.
One tradeoff that you have to make is weight, these shoes are a bit heavier than most running shoes. This is also one of the reasons why these shoes are mainly suitable for daily training and not for races. They weigh 318g, whereas similar shoes like the Saucony ride 15 and Nike Air Zoom Pegasus are clearly lighter (255g and 261g). It’s not great, but considering all the positive points of the shoe, I personally find it very acceptable.
I guess most beginners wouldn’t even notice that these shoes are on the heavier side.
It’s also worth noting that the supernova 2.0 solves most of the “minor flaws” of the supernova+, but does tend to be a bit more expensive.
Adidas supernova+ Performance review
Now that we have covered the quick summary, let me provide a more in-depth explanation.
Comfort
The initial feeling when putting on the shoe was a pretty good one. The shoe feels stable and comfortable, there were no unpleasant feelings. The back of the shoe makes it so that it’s easy to slide your foot into the shoe.
When running or even walking with these shoes, you don’t get that “walking on clouds” feeling and they do feel a bit heavier than what would be ideal.
I also have to say that I have not used these in hot temperatures. I have heard from other runners that these shoes tend to be a bit too hot during the warmer months.
All in all, I would say that the adidas supernova+ are comfortable shoes.
Ride
The Supernova+ provides a firm ride rather than a soft ride. They don’t feel very cushy, but the boost material will give you that “bounce feeling” right after impact. This results in a good energy return, especially for a budget daily trainer.
Grip
These shoes are not meant to be used on anything else than roads or easy trails. The grip is solid on paved roads, but they will not hold up well in muddy conditions.
Some runners even claimed that these shoes are a bit slippery on paved roads in wet conditions. However, I have not found that to be the case. Of course, pace and exact conditions can be different.
Let’s conclude that the grip is alright, but not great. If you are looking for more traction, you can take a look at our budget-friendly trail running shoe recommendations.
Durability
I’m actually pretty impressed with the durability of the shoe. Sure, I will still need to run quite a bit longer before I can fully review the shoe’s durability.
However, after 100 miles, the shoe has no indication of wear and tear whatsoever. Very impressive for a budget-friendly daily trainer.
Support
The Adidas supernova+ is a neutral shoe provides a decent amount of support. A bit what you can expect from a standard running shoe.
The supernova vs supernova+ vs supernova 2.0
By now, you might be thinking, what does the + stand for. Well, the + indicates that boost technology was included in the forefoot as well. The basic model does not have any boost in the forefoot. Most of the boost is concentrated in the heel section of the foot, which is also by far the most padded section.
If you are anything but a heel striker, you would absolutely have to prefer the supernova+ over the supernova. However, even for heel strikers, I feel like it’s worth it to go for the + version for a more pleasant run. It only makes the shoe 4 grams heavier and is usually not more expensive.
The supernova 2.0 seems to be a great improvement on the supernova+, but it tends to be a bit more expensive. However, prices are constantly changing, especially with promotions, etc. I recommend taking a look for yourself: Shop adidas supernova.
The 2.0 improves on weight, breathability and grip. With this, it basically fixes the minor flaws that the first version had. However, it’s still meant as a basic trainer, so it should not be used on race days. If you can find the supernova 2.0 on a discount, it might make more sense to go with these shoes.
Conclusion
I’m really happy with the adidas supernova+ as a daily trainer. They might not really exceed at anything, but at the same time they don’t have any major flaws either.
For the price, these shoes perform really well for the average runner on a daily training. These shoes are especially recommendable for beginners who are still trying to figure out what type of running shoe fits them best.
These shoes are not meant for breaking records, as long as you keep that in mind you will be pleased with the shoe.