Adidas Supernova Rise review

The Supernova Rise is a standout daily trainer that's perfect for:

• Heel strikers looking for a durable, stable, and reliable companion on their daily runs.
• Beginners to the sport seeking a versatile and fairly-priced shoe that's as good on the run as it is for daily wear.
• Supernova enthusiasts eager to experience the latest and greatest in the series, even with the lack of Continental rubber.

While the Supernova Rise from Adidas stands out as a competent daily trainer, we do not recommend it for every runner. Specifically, if you're in pursuit of a modern, maximalist running shoe, the Rise falls short on cushioning. In such cases, we found the ASICS Novablast 4, within a similar price range, or the ASICS Superblast, if budget allows, to be better options.

Moreover, we believe the Supernova Rise is not the best fit for midfoot and forefoot strikers due to its drop and cushioning. For these runners, we think a more balanced shoe like the Saucony Ride 17 might offer an improved experience, catering more effectively to their needs.

The Supernova Rise caught our attention with its abundant ventilation holes, leaving us eager to test their functionality beyond mere aesthetics.

Thankfully, our first test with the smoke-pumping machine confirmed that Adidas designed these holes with purpose—they effectively facilitate air and moisture evacuation, crucial for comfort during warm runs, earning a solid 4/5 from us.

Shining a light through the upper is a simple yet revealing test, showcasing a well-ventilated toebox and medial areas, contrasted by a denser, structured heel. Smart!

Delving deeper with our microscope, we got an up-close look at the ventilation holes, which impressed us despite the sandwiched mesh slightly obstructing airflow.

Yet, this isn't a drawback. In a daily trainer, a 4/5 ventilation score strikes a perfect balance, offering ample breathability for summer while retaining enough warmth for cooler runs.

Upon examining the sliced upper in detail, we were pleased to find exceptional padding in the tongue and heel, with quality that surpassed our expectations for a mid-tier, £150 shoe.

In our lab, we're often cautious about predicting durability scores for shoes with extensive ventilation holes. However, Adidas' reputation for creating long-lasting footwear gave us hope for a positive outcome here.

Putting the shoe to the test with our Dremel at 5K RPM and a force of 3.2N, we observed some damage, but it was less severe than anticipated. The result—a satisfactory 3/5—revealed the white layer beneath, previously shown in our microscopic analysis.

We then turned our attention to the heel padding of the shoe, maintaining the same Dremel settings.

Our findings awarded a robust 4/5 score, slightly outperforming the toebox and leaving us in the lab with no doubts—it would be a rare thing for a runner to wear through the heel of the Supernova Rise.

Turning our focus from the upper, we delved into the outsole's properties, starting with its hardness. A straightforward durometer test yielded a 76.1 HC reading, shedding light on the positive grip feedback we experienced with the shoe despite not being made by Continental.

Adidas has incorporated multiple cutouts to enhance flexibility and trim down the weight, adding to the shoe's overall efficiency.

This result, however, raises a question—might this affect the outsole's longevity?

Concerned that a softer rubber might wear out too quickly, we put it to the test with our third Dremel examination.

To our delight, the rubber Adidas developed, though not the renowned Continental, performed really well. We observed a minimal 0.7-mm indentation, which stands as a testament to its durability.

Adidas was confident in their choice, and it showed in our findings—the outsole featured a mere 2.1 mm of rubber, thinner than that of many racing shoes.

This decision not only underscores the quality of the material but also plays a crucial role in managing the shoe's weight, as you'll see next.

Remarkably, the Supernova Rise tips the scales at just 9.8 oz (278g), an nice figure for an Adidas daily trainer that comfortably keeps it under the 10-oz mark.

The secret to its lightness primarily lies in the midsole. Adidas transitioned from the once-revolutionary Boost—by 2013 a real game-changer but now dated and notably heavy—to Dreamstrike+, a featherlight PEBA foam. This shift is key to achieving a more nimble construction.

Yet, despite these advancements, it doesn't quite reach the featherweight status of some other daily trainers like the Hoka Clifton 9. The shoe just strikes a balance, not feeling overly heavy nor particularly light.

The Supernova series remains steadfast as a non-maximalist trainer, a trend it proudly continues despite most brands going higher and higher.

We measured the heel at 32.5 mm—ample cushioning for heel strikers, particularly since the foam isn't overly soft, a detail we'll delve into shortly.

In the forefoot, we measured a modest 22.8 mm of foam, which might not sound like much—and it feels just as lean.

From our experience, the Supernova Rise performs admirably for midfoot and forefoot strikers on anything less than 10 miles. However, we'd hesitate to recommend it for long runs if you're a forefoot striker. For such distances, a shoe with more cushioning, like the Brooks Ghost Max, might be a more suitable option.

Adidas has a reputation for creating daily trainers with a significant heel-to-toe drop, and the stated 10 mm drop of this model seemed to confirm that. Our own measurements revealed a real drop of 9.7 mm, remarkably close to the official figure.

This pronounced drop, especially when paired with the thin cushioning in the forefoot, unmistakably makes the shoe a choice for heel strikers above all.

The 5.0 mm insole of the Supernova Rise significantly enhances the shoe's overall comfort.

The midsole introduces a significant update with the new Dreamstrike+ foam. While crafted from PEBA, we found it doesn't match the energy return seen in other PEBA-based foams like Nike's ZoomX or Saucony's PWRRUN HG. 

Think of it as a low-tier PEBA variant in terms of bounce, offering a medium level of softness—we recorded 20.1 HA on the durometer. This results in a ride that's both balanced and comfortable, though not overly plush.

Additionally, the shoe incorporates what Adidas dubs "Support Rods," akin to the Energy Rods in their premium racers like the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3.

These rods, made from an EVA carrier foam, enhance both stability and durability, safeguarding the PEBA foam.

Opting for a PEBA-based foam brings a notable side benefit—enhanced performance in cold conditions, a clear leap over the standard EVA foam used in many daily trainers.

The Supernova Rise excelled in our 20-minute freezer test, hardening by just 12.4%, showcasing its superior cold-weather adaptability.

We didn't anticipate Adidas introducing a pronounced rocker design in the Supernova series, yet they have in the Rise. It appears to us that a significant number of runners today prefer a nice rocker in their running shoes, prompting Adidas to adopt this trend even in their everyday trainers.

Compared to previous models, the ride features a mild rocker in the forefoot, yet marking it for us as a notably rockered Supernova. This design enhances transitions for heel strikers, offering a considerable advantage to those who often find themselves restricted by flatter geometries.

Regarding stability, although designed as a neutral shoe, this shoe impressed us with exceptional support during our test runs.

This stability likely stems from a harmonious blend of balanced foam, a significant heel bevel, and the Support Rods.

That's a massive heel bevel!

Yet, there seems to be more contributing to its solid performance—let's delve deeper to uncover the reasons.

The Supernova series is known for its exceptional torsional flexibility, rendering this shoe perfectly suitable for a wide range of activities—from walking the dog to attending gym classes.

This versatility remains evident in our hands-on evaluation, where it achieved a solid 2/5 rating.

Adidas truly focused on stability, as previously mentioned, by engineering an exceptionally rigid heel counter, which we awarded a max 5/5 rating.

The rationale behind this design choice is straightforward—the shoe is tailored for heel strikers, aiming to enhance their running experience with superior stability despite being a neutral shoe.

Thus, it seems that the guys from Herzo deemed it worthwhile to slightly compromise heel comfort, particularly for those with Achilles issues, in exchange for significant gains in stability.

Upon measuring the actual dimensions of the shoe, we were taken aback—the shoe presents and feels larger than our measurements suggest, especially given its stability.

In the forefoot, it measures just 112.8 mm, which is fairly standard.

In the heel, our surprise deepened when we discovered a width of merely 86.4 mm—quite narrow indeed.

We believe that Adidas could enhance even more the shoe's stability in future iterations by modestly widening the heel, while still maintaining its agility by not overdoing it.

We've already established that the torsional rigidity of the Supernova Rise is quite minimal. So, how does it fare in terms of torsional stiffness?

In our bending test, where we flexed the shoe to 90 degrees, it demonstrated remarkable flexibility, requiring only 14.9N of force. This is fantastic for those who value a natural feel underfoot, and for everyday wear. And given its design, we'd say it's definitely airport-approved!

The foam's performance post the initial freezer test was impressive, but the outcome of the second test didn't quite meet our expectations.

Upon re-evaluating the stiffness, we observed a 26.7% increase—a significant uptick for a PEBA foam. While this isn't necessarily poor performance, it fell short of our hopes.

From the get-go, the shoe felt spacious, sparking our curiosity. Despite initial impressions suggesting a narrower fit, our measurements told a different story. Eager for clarity, we embarked on a series of tests.

Our calipers confirmed a generously roomy upper at 101.3 mm, making it an excellent choice for those with slightly wider feet.

The big toe area truly reveals the essence of this wide toebox, highlighting why taking two measurements instead of just one is crucial. We found it to be a spacious 83.3 mm, which is remarkably roomy.

For those with square-shaped feet, this shoe is a godsend. The toebox offers ample space up front, ensuring that no matter the heat or how much your feet might swell, there will always be enough room to accommodate them comfortably.

The tongue isn't gusseted, leaving it free to move around, which is particularly troublesome in a shoe with a wide upper.

This tendency for the tongue to shift, especially at higher speeds, is quite disappointing in an otherwise solid shoe. It's a straightforward issue to address, so perhaps we'll see it gusseted in version 2?

While the tongue's lack of gusseting was a letdown, its generous thickness—measuring at 9.9 mm with layers of foam—offers a redeeming quality.

The laces are good, but considering this is an Adidas shoe, they're quite impressive!

This design ensures there's no discomfort, making it one of the most luxuriously plush and comfortable tongues we've encountered in our recent tests.

We noticed the absence of a heel tab, consistent with Adidas' recent trends in their training line designs. Conversely, the Adizero line typically includes a pull tab.

The insole is not glued, and with its standard dimensions and thickness, we anticipate that swapping in custom orthotics or sockliners from other shoes should be hassle-free for everyone.

It would have been disappointing for the Supernova Rise, excelling in areas like value and stability, to lack reflective details. Fortunately, we're pleased to report that it includes them, enhancing visibility and safety at night.