Adidas Supernova Rise Review: Mostly Ghostly

What You Need To Know

Introduction to the Adidas Supernova Rise

CHAD: I think I can safely say that as a line of shoes, Adidas’ Adizero series is arguably the most dominant in elite running right now. You’d be hard-pressed not to find several pairs of the Adios Pro 3 or the new Evo Pro 1 on a marathon podium right now — just take a look at the Tokyo results from earlier this year. The Takumi Sen is an elite shorter-distance racing shoe and speedwork training companion to the marathon offerings, and the Boston 12 has become one of my favorite daily trainers on the market. Oh, and you can’t forget about one of my favorite easy day and long run shoes, the Prime X 2 Strung.

But what about runners not necessarily looking for a performance running shoe? Those seeking a shoe without a super foam, plate, or rods and with a nice cushy upper versus a thin, aggressive mesh. Truth be told, I really didn’t think Adidas had anything in its toolbox that fit the mold for runners. That’s all changed with the revamped Supernova line, including the shoe we’re talking about in this review, the Supernova Rise.

The Rise features Adidas’ new Dreamstrike Plus midsole foam, a cushioned mesh upper and tongue, and rods of EVA foam underfoot to provide support through the transition. Unlike the Adizero line, the Supernova series skips the beloved Continental rubber outsole and instead uses Adidas’ in-house Adiwear compound. It has a 10 mm drop, with 36 mm of foam in the heel and 26 mm in the forefoot.

CARYN: Beyond seeing its shoes on the podium of nearly every major marathon around the world, I don’t have much experience with Adidas. Actually, on second thought, that’s not entirely true. I could wax poetic about the Samba or the Handball Spezial, but sadly, that’s not why we’re here.

My first exposure to Adidas’ performance running shoes was thanks to a free pair of Adios Pro 3 that arrived on my doorstep courtesy of the Boston Marathon. Thanks to some unique sizing, they were nearly a full size too big, but I really enjoyed the feel of the Pro 3. While this pair ended up with a larger-footed friend, my interest was piqued.

And yet, despite living deep within the realm of the running shoe world, I haven’t heard or read much about Adidas when it comes to a classic daily trainer. I assumed they had one, but it wasn’t getting nearly the street cred of their premium Adizero line. Enter the Supernova Rise.

WIDE-FOOT JARRETT: Adidas is making me happy with its continued support of us wide-footers, this time with an offering of the Supernova Rise in wide. In the past, at least with the Boston and Adizero SL (previously the only two options in wide), it’s taken a few weeks to months for the wide version to be available. Either the supply chain has been figured out, or Adidas loves us because the wide version is now available for your purchasing pleasure from day one.

What we like about the Adidas Supernova Rise

CHAD: The fit and feel of this shoe are exactly what you’d expect when looking at it. The upper is cushioned and comfortable, and the feel of the Dreamstrike Plus foam is nice. Like most Adidas offerings, the fit is on the narrow side, but the upper provides enough stretch to avoid problems on the run. The ride is smooth, and while certainly not the fastest shoe out there, it didn’t feel heavy on the run.

Just walking around in the shoe and even during my easy runs in it, the Supernova Rise feels like a shoe that was designed for the masses, something that most runners will put on their feet and feel comfortable in. Truth be told, if you asked me to liken this shoe to another shoe out on the market, I compare it to the Brooks Ghost 16. The upper feels similar on foot, the Dreamstrike Plus foam is similar to the nitrogen-infused DNA Loft v3, and the ride of the Supernova Rise is reminiscent of what you get from the Ghost, too. That’s a testament to how good this shoe performed because, in my eyes, Brooks is synonymous with quality.

CARYN: There is something to be said for a well-made, simple daily trainer. In a world of flashy foams, plates, and rockers, sometimes you just want a basic running shoe. In that regard, the Supernova Rise delivers. The shoe feels very comfortable on step-in with a traditional upper, 9 mm drop, and easy lock-down. On the run, it’s actually pretty stable and secure — I really didn’t notice the shoe at all or have to make any adjustments to the fit (which is a win in my book).

Adidas notes that the Supernova Rise includes a new Dreamstrike Plus “superfoam,” inspired by its very popular Lightstrike Pro. It isn’t immediately clear if Dreamstrike Plus is Peba-based (it is), but it definitely doesn’t feel nearly as responsive as the Lightstrike Pro in my Adios Pro 3. Adidas also notes that the Supernova Rise includes dense foam support rods for added stability, which I didn’t feel underfoot in any way but definitely made the shoe feel more grounded on the run.

WIDE-FOOT JARRETT: The sandwich mesh upper feels like your typical daily trainer upper. It’s soft and keeps your foot from sliding around, but there isn’t much stretch to it. The best part of the upper is the comfortable heel fit, which is basically a padded collar that is silky smooth and molds to the heel nicely. I was able to try on both the standard width and wide version of the Supernova Rise, and the wide version definitely feels better. I wish it were slightly wider in the midfoot, but I don’t find it to hurt or cause any pain while running.

Adidas also touts the midsole, which is a combination of Dreamstrike Plus foam with Support Rods. It’s not necessary to explain what these are for a third time, so I will skip right to the ride. The Supernova Rise is easily the softest Adidas shoe I’ve run in (easily softer than the Boston 12, Prime X 2 Strung, and Adios Pro 3). It’s not super soft, but it has a nice amount of cushion without feeling like a max-stack shoe. I actually get more ground feel while running in it, which is a nice feeling compared to the Prime X, which would have come in handy when I was younger and trying to get on to the rollercoasters at Six Flags before I hit my growth spurt.

What we don’t like about the Adidas Supernova Rise

CHAD: As I said previously, Adidas shoes run narrow and the Supernova Rise is no exception. However, unlike the performance shoes that have almost no stretch to them, the Rise loosened up and adapted to my foot while on the run. Also, I wish this shoe had Continental rubber on the outsole — it’s just so much better in all regards. The grip wasn’t awful in the Rise, but I noticed a difference.

CARYN: I don’t necessarily have much to complain about here — just nothing thrilling. This shoe isn’t especially exciting, responsive, or fun to run in. It isn’t especially light or heavy, the fit is fine (albeit a bit long), and the materials are pretty standard. We’re looking at the Toyota Camry of the shoe world (sorry to my Camry fans out there). My first thought with this shoe was that it reminded me of a Brooks Ghost — a shoe I appreciate for its reliability, but I wouldn’t pick for anything outside of easy mileage. The 9 mm drop is definitely noticeable, as a word of warning to those who typically prefer a lower-drop shoe.

WIDE-FOOT JARRETT: Every time I put the shoe on, I have to fix the tongue as it’s not gusseted and weirdly folds over near the middle of the laces. Once fixed, it’s not a problem, but it’s a tad annoying when I try to get ready for my run in the morning.

Final thoughts on the Adidas Supernova Rise

CHAD: If you’re a fan of Adidas shoes and are looking for a high-mileage daily cruiser, the Supernova Rise might be right up your alley. It’s nice to see Adidas branching out from the Adizero line to try to reach more runners.

CARYN: If you’re looking for a predictable, neutral daily trainer, the Supernova Rise is for you. I can appreciate some tried-and-true reliability, which is what Adidas is delivering here. While a Camry isn’t going to spice up your life, it’s certainly going to run for miles, and the Supernova Rise is no different.

WIDE-FOOT JARRETT: I see the Supernova Rise as a really solid shoe for the casual runner who wants to rock the three stripes. The upper is extremely comfortable and the Dreamstrike Plus foam gives a nice amount of cushion to make the pavement a little easier on the knees. Keep up the good work with the wide shoes, Adidas. We appreciate it!

PS: I think Caryn is just jealous of us Camry drivers. *Puts on sunglasses, downshifts to first gear in manual mode, and hits the gas to make the four-cylinder engine sound louder as the stop light turns green.*

You can pick up the Adidas Supernova Rise for $140 at Adidas using the buttons below.