The 7 best Adidas running shoes for men in 2024

Adidas is known for their famous three stripes, track suits, and of course their running shoes. But they aren’t a brand that puts all their engineering budget into just a couple of flagship products, meaning the choice of shoe can be a bit overwhelming. In this article, we look at what’s on offer at the Adidas store, both super fresh upstarts and lingering favorites, and pit them against one another for speed, comfort, and all of the other factors that make running shoes genuinely running shoes.

Why we’ll go more into detail about how we pick these best shoes at the bottom of the page, there are some things you should know now. For starters, Adidas offers over 100 types of men’s running shoes at the time of this writing. It’s one of the reasons we make such a list, to help you pare down the list to something manageable. However, you should also know that Adidas already subcategorizes their shoes into four categories should you want to pick your own; , , , and shoes. They also offer a to help you find a shoe or two you’ll likely like, should nothing on our list appeal to your interests.

The best Adidas running shoes in 2024

Buy the for a classic road running shoe at an incredibly affordable price.
Buy the for a cool road running shoe with an advanced 3D printed construction.
Buy the for a quality racing shoe from a line with a long history.
Buy the for short to medium length runs focused on speed.
Buy the as an overall great trail running shoe.
Buy the for Adidas’s best waterproof trail running shoe.
Buy the for a beautiful, cleated track and field shoe made in a sustainable way.

Adidas Solarglide 6

Best affordable road running shoe

Pros	Cons
Great grip and control	Basic tech
Affordable price

One of the biggest barriers to our personal fitness is the mental barriers that get in our way. Shoes that feel advanced or have advanced prices can play into that. In our guide to starting running, we described a ‘beginner-beginner’ that needs to just get a shoe and get on with it. It is our belief that this shoe will fulfill those needs and get you on your way.

But don’t let the simplicity fool you, this shoe is still engineered for the successful runner. Underfoot you’ll land into quality rubber, pushing you aside. You’ll also notice three grip zones running around the outside of the bottom of the shoe — the three grey segments on the bottom of the shoe, pictured above — that supply extra friction to your down step, no matter your gait’s pronation.

Adidas 4DFWD3

Best new tech in road running shoes

Pros	Cons
Specially formulated 3D printed sole	Unique feel might take getting used to
Incredibly cool look	Longevity concerns
Reduced weight and material

If you’ve heard the media hype around 3D printed consumer products and have been wondering where they are, this is it. The Adidas 4DFWD 3 are the latest in Adidas’s mathematically engineered 4DFWD line. Somewhere between the floor of the shoes and the where the rubber hits the road is a responsive lattice structure. While durable, this layer physically responds as you walk and run on the road, bending in shape. As a result, it pushes you forward and helps defy the usual perturbations of stray pebbles. Plus, the missing mass won’t be missed, these are naturally lightweight shoes.

The look is very cool, with the white lattice taking a boney skeleton’s appearance. And the knowledge that such a shoe is made with 20% or more recycled materials is all the more impressive. That being said, the unique factors of this shoe could possibly take some practice runs to get used to. You may also, if you’re the type that runs a shoe til it is beyond worn out, find that you need to replace the shoe sooner than others. Once the bottom goes out, the rest is sure to follow. Keep these shoes for your runs only.

Adidas Adizero Boston 12

Best for racing mid-long distances

Pros	Cons
Excellent combo of strength and speed	Slightly expensive
50+% recycled materials

For years and years, Adidas has released a Boston shoe in accordance with the Boston Marathon. The shoe is meant specifically for your mid-size and longer runs, specifically in a race-training manner. Specifically, the formulation of the shoe highlights a cross between long-term durability and speed. Runners like them for their consistency in races and training. Environmentalists will rejoice at their 50+% recycled materials makeup.

It is really quite hard to come up with a downside to this shoe. If you’re wanting to get into training for a marathon on the cheap, this might not be your favorite shoe due to the cost — it runs at over $150 MSRP at the time of this writing — but that isn’t a super hefty investment when it comes down to the hours and runs you should expect from these shoes. The Adidas Adizero Boston are still worthy of your consideration.

Adidas Adizero SL

Best for shorter, fast runs and races

Pros	Cons
Extra traction on outsole	Less emphasis on long-term durability
Cushioned heel for hard steps
Built around speed

It your races are in the short (and possibly mid) ranges, the Adizero SL might be more your speed. This shoe falls in the typical price range for modern shoes, is made of lightweight materials, and has a responsive bottom with back-slanting grooves intended to add to your forward friction. You’ll also find that you don’t need an entirely calculated step as the Adidas Adizero SL have a relatively padded heel cushion. You’re hard steps and foot pounds, while still bad form to a degree, will be at least somewhat accounted for. There is less emphasis on the long-term durability of this pair of shoes when compared to other Adidas trainers, however, so be sure to reserve them for running time specifically.

Terrex Speed Ultra

Best Adidas Trail Running Shoes

Pros	Cons
Stable steps	Limited water protection
Mechanism to keep out twigs and debris
Breathability

Ultimately, the Adidas Terrex Speed Ultra Trail Running Shoes are made for long distance running over trail conditions. However, you’ll find their solid construction will be worthwhile on shorter and exploratory runs as well. These shoes use an internal mechanism for stabilized support, meaning no one part of your foot has to take 100% of the brunt and hit of each stride. You’ll appreciate the way the shoes’ tongues fit around your lower leg. This fit, which is more fitting than typical running shoes, keeps out bits of the trail (small rocks, twigs, and other debris) that get kicked up from one shoe landing in the other.

Another thing to note with this shoe is that it has quite good breathability. If you get wet or damp through your running, their will be enough porosity on the upper part of the shoe to give you a chance to dry out over the course of your run. Should you go with the long runs the Terrex Speed Ultra is capable of, this will also increase your sweat resistance throughout the run. What this shoe doesn’t have is out and out water resistance, which some Adidas shoes do possess.

Adidas Terrex Soulstride RAIN.RDY

Best Adidas waterproof trail running shoes

Pros	Cons
Good for morning and rainy day trail jogs	Waterproofing keeps water out and in
Great for cold months
50+% recycled materials

If you want to keep water out, the Adidas Terrex Soulstride RAIN.RDY are your shoes. They are made to deal with mud and light streams. One issue with waterproof trail running shoes, and why some might avoid them altogether, is that they are just as good at keeping water in as they are at keeping it out. As a result, it becomes quite imperative that you keep water out of these shoes. Counterintuitively, breathable trail shoes are better suited for trail runs that require a short walk through a tall stream. What waterproof shoes like the Terrex Soulstride are great for is keeping out morning dew and dealing with light rains, especially during winter months where wetness and dampness equal a painful bite of cold.

Adidas Adizero Finesse

Best Adidas track and field shoes

Pros	Cons
Strong cleats	Only one color variation
Gorgeous shoes
50+% recycled materials

For track and field running, you’ll want a comfortable fit that is lightweight and hooks to the track well. These Adidas shoes, the Adidas Adizero Finesse, fit the bill perfectly with their light weight and track spikes. Plus, they have a gorgeous coloration and style to them that will shimmer as you glide down the track in summertime events.

This is another one of those shoes that is hard to find something negative about. But, if you’re looking, you could theoretically criticize the lack of color variations. There are, however, other track and field shoes offered by Adidas at the moment. They’re not extraordinarily different from the Adizero Finesse, but they exist. Be sure to browse around the shop by tapping the “Find Alternatives” button under “Add to bag” to see some other track shoes from Adidas if you want something a touch less flashy.

How we chose these Adidas running shoes for men

In the same way that we picked the best Nike running shoes for men, there is a combination of technical prowess and fashion sense that combine to create a quality Adidas shoe. Each shoe above has the reasons for it being picked quite clearly labelled. However, the general trend shouldn’t be ignored — we examined each pair of shoes in Adidas’ self-produced categories (those outlined at the beginning of the article) and chose the ones with the best technical features and prowess of the bunch. Then, when applicable, we found an alternative pick that highlighted something the main pick didn’t. In fact, without being your podiatrist and personal trainer, picking the perfect shoe for your running experience is impossible. Using our collected knowledge of product analysis, research into consumer sentiment, fashion sense, and logical assessment of prices does, however, make the ability to pick an attention-worthy list quite possible.