adidas Supernova
Who is it for?
This shoe is for someone who wears a neutral running shoe. If you are someone who rotates their trainers, this is the ideal shoe for steadier, longer mileage if you wear a lightweight/racer-trainer for your faster running. Also, anyone just getting into running who wants a high-cushioned technical trainer at a very good price should consider the adidas Supernova. So if you’re local and ready to buy your next pair of trainers, you can pop into The Lincolnshire Runner now to try them.
Midsole.
The Supernova is the latest running shoe to come from adidas featuring the boost midsole cushioning. As the replacement shoe for the previous Supernova Glide Boost, this now has a higher percentage of boost, with a wider heel and what seems like a greater depth of cushioning under the foot, still on a 10mm offset. The major change is the full depth of boost cushioning under the heel, with the EVA top layer starting from the midfoot (green in the images).
Outsole.
The outsole of the adidas Supernova is another shoe that features continental rubber for extra grip in wet and dry conditions. The stretchweb design, as with the Ultraboost, provides a smoother, more flexible ride. This combined with the grip of the continental makes for a versatile outsole, adapting to each foot strike.
Upper.
The Supernova has an engineered mesh upper with seamless panels designed to be comfortable, supportive, and breathable. I personally prefer this to the Primeknit upper. The adidas Fitcounter heel makes it fairly stable but with a soft heel designed to apply little pressure onto areas such as the achilles tendon.
My opinions.
For me, the intended use of this running shoe is primarily for easy mileage and recovery runs. But to get a better idea on the all-round performance of the shoe for most runners, I have worn it for one of my more pacy, longer progression runs.
When I first tried on the Adidas Supernova in The Lincolnshire Runner I immediately noticed the soft feel under my heel. As a recovery run shoe, I like this as I know I am getting plenty of impact protection when running miles on heavy legs, and in need of recovery to adapt to training. The concern with this soft ‘spongy’ feel is that you still want that responsive feel rather than the shoe sapping all of your natural energy. Fortunately, the energy return of the boost midsole, combined with the firmer feel provided under mid to forefoot, provided me with that responsive feel from the trainer and, as someone who mildly over-pronates in neutral shoes, offered a stable-feeling foot strike during my longer, recovery runs.
The fit of the upper when I first tried on the adidas Supernova did not impress me. The heel seemed to fit loose and the fit across the front of the foot too tight. When I actually got a proper run done in them, the heel did not move at all, and was extremely comfortable (even after 10 miles off-road – not what the trainers are designed for!). After some adjustment of the laces, the irritation across the front of my foot subsided and was fine.
I have had absolutely no issues with the grip with the Supernova. In fact, I never have had with an adidas outsole featuring Continental rubbers. This week has been a particularly good test for this, as the frost has navigated its way to our more vacant running paths, and I’ve not been drifting around corners with heavy legs!
Run 1 – Warm up and cool down.
The first day I had the Supernovas. I wore them for my warm up and cool down jog. Had some trouble with the fit around the front of my ankles and at the heel. Not much of a tester, but it’s always good to see how the trainers fit for something short and insignificant rather than have issues on a 75 minute run.
Run 2 – 10mi recovery run (head-torch off-road)
We were on and off road constantly for this run so perhaps it was not the most accurate account of the performance of the Supernova. (I also forgot my head-torch – relying on Tom’s guidance resulted in me briefly floundering through a ploughed field – at least the trainers stayed on my feet!)
Run 3 – 12mi Progressive run – 5/5/2 with 2mi either side as a jog. 16mi total for this session.
I was actually very impressed with the Supernova. I usually find wearing trainers intended for recovery mileage heavy and bulky during these runs, when I am trying to maintain a better running running gait. The Supernova is quite light for a mileage shoe (313g for my cute size UK8s, maybe with some mud added) and, as mentioned, the midsole feels quite responsive. I finished the run with no toe rubs, no blisters, no blood, and no sore feet whatsoever. I now have confidence that I can use this shoe again for runs of this ilk.
Run 4 – Recovery run 8.7 miles.
Nice and easy for this run after yesterday’s progressive run. These are the runs where I find having a well cushioned running shoe important – to counter the heavy legs. Another good test for the intended use of the Supernova. It passed the test. Again, no irritations and no conscious feelings of the shoes on my feet. My legs were feeling much better by the end of the run.
Run 5 – 10 mile easy run.
The final ‘test run’ (please pardon the pun) for the Supernovas. More easy mileage, this time with more fresh-feeling legs. The Supernovas are still feeling good on my feet, and doing the perfect job for aiding the active recovery of my legs.
This is as much running as I need to test out a good running trainer, clocking up nearly 49 miles. As I write this now, I have also ran a further 30-40 miles in the trainers. You can see my Strava here.
Summary
Overall I have been quite impressed with the adidas Supernova. It seems to be following the current running shoe market trends of having a large sole which I actually quite like, and the weight, nor the responsive feel of the shoe, has been compromised as a result. It feels responsive enough to train in over longer distances to avoid going into racing trainers and, apart from the initial issues I had, the fit and feel of the shoe feels much more premium than the £100 price tag!
Check out the men’s Supernova here, and the women’s Supernova here.
About Me
Shane Robinson
I am a middle distance runner competing for local club Lincoln Wellington AC, and spend most of my spare time running, and thinking about running! I have ran competitively now for 11 years.
Studying and training at Birmingham University, I have spent most of my life in elite sport. With a degree in Sport Science, I have spent my professional life helping a vast range of people improve their performance in their sport. Since graduating in 2012, I have worked at The Lincolnshire Runner working closely with the biomechanics of the running gait, footwear technologies, and utilising my knowledge to offer extensive advice to many. So I know a bit about running shoes! I am also a qualified sports massage practitioner, and will soon be pursuing with my sports therapy business full-time. So over the next couple of years, I have ambitions to get the most out of my running ability to competing internationally, and expand my own knowledge in the sports performance industry. You can see my Strava here and my Po10 profile here.
Current best performances:
5k road PB: 14:20
5000m track PB: 14:22
10000m track PB: 30:32
5k cross country: 15:20 (National Cross Country Relays 2015)
32nd at Senior National Cross Country Champs 2016
Northern Senior 3000mSC Champion 2014