THOMAS: Over the last year, Adidas has made a concerted effort to move into the future. As legendary as it was, Boost midsole technology needed a, well… boost. Enter Lightstrike and Lightstrike Pro, the future of cushioning for Adidas, for better or for worse. In pretty much every shoe we’ve tried, Lighstrike has been a dud; however, we’ve been huge fans of the super-bouncy and soft Lightstrike Pro, especially in winners like the Takumi Sen 8.
All that to say, things have changed a bit around here. The Boston 10 was enjoyed by some but reviled by many. Faithful Boston fans had more than a feeling about the changes and were looking for peace of mind with the Adios 6. Could this be the shoe that the Boston was meant to be?
In the past, the Adios was the marathon performance shoe, and though it’s only six versions in, the new family of racers has it looking like Lightning McQueen in the shadow of Jackson Storm.
No longer the premier racer, what distance or training suits the shoe? Quite simply — where does it fit in?
THOMAS: In pure black and white terms, the Adidas Adizero Adios 6 resembles a race shoe from five years ago. Which, hear me out — isn’t a bad thing. It is sleek, closer to the ground, and shaped like a slim rocket. But, while the “look” will take you back, the tech in the shoes brings it right up to speed for 2022.
Starting with the airy, partially recycled material upper, you’ll notice the thin gusseted tongue and seamless underlays that keep the upper misleadingly simple. The fit is slim, like a wool seersucker suit that took a nap in a high heat cycle. My size 10.5 fits true to size, but my foot floats between 10 and 10.5. If you are an actual 10.5, you may want to try a size up. The upper of the Adios breathes exceptionally well.
Foams are where the magic is these days. The Adios 6 uses two compounds to provide a stable ride with some toe-off pop — Lightstrike in the heel and Lightstrike Pro in the forefoot. The sensation feels similar to the propulsion you get from the Air Zoom Unit in the Nike Pegasus.
The Torsion plate adds to the stability and acts as a spine to increase rigidity in the toe spring. The midsole drop is 8 mm (27 mm heel / 19 mm forefoot), which seems low compared to many trainers out there, but is a considerably higher stack than the Adios of old.
Continental Rubber finishes off the outsole, furnishing the adios with exceptional grip as usual. My size 10.5 weighs 9 oz./257 grams.
By the way, at $120, this shoe is pretty amazing. I think that’s where a lot of the value comes in here. While it’s not going to provide that jaw-dropping experience you’ll find in some of those shoes priced 50% higher, it is rare to find a do-it-all shoe with solid tech at this price point. In fact, the only shoe that I’d put in this category at this price point would be the aforementioned Pegasus 38 and the Puma Velocity Nitro.
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THOMAS: When people say you need to break a shoe in, I roll my eyes. If it takes 50 miles to break in a shoe that has a lifespan of 300 miles, you’re talking about one-sixth of the shoe’s utility wasted on trying to make the shoe feel good underfoot. But sometimes, it’s just the way it is.
In this case, after about 30 miles, I started liking the shoe more. Out of the box, this shoe lacks personality. You have to coax it out. I guess the Lightstrike works, but it seems like a placeholder for a better foam. I have yet to find anyone that enjoys Lightstrike. At least anyone who’s experienced much better moderately priced foams ranging from Skechers Hyper Burst to New Balance FuelCell. Basically, the more Lightstrike the shoe has, the less I like it. But if we’re talking Lightstrike Pro, consider me a card-carrying member of the LP fan club.
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THOMAS: I enjoy the sensation from the Adios 6. It is light and feels fast. The softness with bounce under the toes gives the shoe some energy through the toe-off phase. The character of the shoe is a late bloomer, but as you add up the miles the shoe starts to shine. If you’re on the fence about it, I can’t think of any reason not to add this shoe to your collection.
So, where does the Adios fit into the adidas lineup? It does take the place of the previous models of Bostons. The way the shoe fits and rides will make the faithful Boston fans happy. The adidas Takumi Sen 8 is my favorite adidas shoe at the moment, retailing at $180, and features a full Lightstrike Pro midsole. The Lightstrike Pro feels fantastic underfoot but– full disclosure– it isn’t stable. If I was going to rank the current adidas lineup it would go: Takumi Sen 8, Adios Pro (the first one), and Adios 6, with the Adistar and Boston 10 neck and neck for the last-place spots. Prime X is another story, but I can’t really run in it. We have a video review of the entire line on YouTube, you should check it out.
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