Do the Adidas SL72 and the Adidas SL80 mean anything to you? Neither for me for a long time. The SL72 was launched for the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich and the SL80 for the Games eight years later in Moscow by the sportswear manufacturer from Herzogenaurach. Forty years after the last SL running shoe, Adidas has now released the SL20, which fits perfectly between the fast Adidas competition shoes and the slower shoes worn primarily for training.

After gradually switching its running shoe range to Boost cushioning technology at the beginning of the last decade and relying on it almost without exception ever since, Adidas has now reacted to numerous innovations from its main competitor Nike, which seems to have gone full speed ahead in recent years in the development of shoes aimed particularly at fast runners. With the new Lightstrike cushioning material, Adidas has now succeeded in developing a cushioning material that is on the one hand lighter than the Boost material, but at the same time provides comparably good cushioning. Since the Adidas Boston Boost has been my favourite shoe for marathon distances and long training runs, I was curious whether the lighter Adidas SL20 AeroReady could be an alternative for me. So I tested it extensively.

In addition to the feather-light Lightstrike cushioning, which is more stable than the Boost material and softer than the classic As the shoe is made of EVA material, the first thing I noticed was the Torsion System, which Adidas has been using since 1989. This gives the runner the feeling that the Adidas SL20 AeroReady is a running shoe with a carbon plate, which is not the case. Instead, the torsion of the foot is simply controlled. As proven, the Adidas SL20 AeroReady also uses a Continental outsole. This should also ensure good durability in this shoe.

I also like the upper material, which is almost completely without seams. It is breathable, thin, stable and adapts to the foot in a comfortable way. Unlike models such as the Adidas Ultra Boost 20, the SL20 AeroReady uses a fine-grained lacing that gives you plenty of room to manoeuvre and should therefore be suitable for all runners and provide a very stable fit on the foot. In my opinion, the SL20 AeroReady is particularly suitable for faster runners for marathon and half marathon competitions. Slightly slower runners will certainly have a lot of fun with the shoe on the 10-kilometre distance as well. Ideally, the race should take place on asphalt. In training, I can recommend the shoe especially for long tempo runs.

In conclusion, the Adidas SL20 AeroReady is a very good compromise between the comfort-focused Adidas training shoes and the minimalist competition shoes such as the Adidas adizero adios 5, which you can review here. The new Lightstrike cushioning material provides a light yet springy ride, which appealed to me right from the start. For me, the Adidas SL20 AeroReady is therefore a very good alternative to my previous preferred shoes for longer runs and competitions.

For more information on the Adidas SL20 AeroReady, visit Running Warehouse Europe. There you can also get the shoe directly in several colours.
Go to the Adidas SL20

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