Adidas Adistar Solution Review
While most runners don’t consider Adidas a staple of the running world, you may find that your own opinion changes after a spin in the Adistar Solution. Adidas didn’t seek to change the fit of the upper and last, choosing to stay with a fit that most runners find very comfortable. What they did do was add their new ForMotion technology, which is designed to guide (rather than prevent) your own pronation movement. While most shoes seek to add weight and materials in order to keep the pronation from occurring, Adidas seeks to adapt and shape the movement into a smooth transitional stride. The results are great for those seeking a neutral shoe with only slight motion control. Interestingly enough, Adidas decided to utilize a “decoupled” heel design, which essentially means that the large part of the heel pad on the outsole is separate from the rest of the shoe. This enhances the glide of the shoe, making for a much smoother heel to toe transition. Couple this with a strong torsional flex system and Adidas’ adiprene blown outsole, and you have a durable yet supple feeling long-distance trainer. Read more at adidas.com.
I have put in several long runs now in the Solution, and am impressed with its ability to cushion without soaking up energy or sapping speed. The fit and comfort of the upper is good, but I was definitely aware of the overlays and reinforcing pieces in the forefoot, and think this shoe could benefit from a bit ‘less’ construction in the forefoot. On long runs, I did enjoy the cushioning properties of the midsole system, which felt firm at first but great after a few miles. At 12.4 ounces, its not a super-featherweight, but is comparable in weight to other models in its class. I do think that the Solution is a good choice for the high-mileage runner seeking mild pronation control and good cushioning properties.