Adidas adiSTAR 4 Introduction

The OG Adistar was born in the early 2000’s and it was a stability shoe for overpronators. It was for marathon runners who needed durability and support. It was designed to compete with Nike’s Zoom Structure.

These days, the Adistar has been transformed into a neutral trainer. It’s an alternative neutral, daily training option to the more popular and more advertised Supernova Rise (also by Adidas). It uses Adidas’ Repetitor, EVA-based midsole foam instead of the Supernova’s Dreamstrike, PEBA-based foam.

I tested the original, revamped Adistar back in 2022 and I was really disappointed with how heavy, clunky and firm it felt. It was nothing like the Adistar Boost that I put over 1000 kilometres on back in 2012.

Version 4 is an upper only update. It has a new, adjustable internal fit panel that improves foot lockdown according to Adidas. It also has an updated heel design.

The Adistar 4 weighs 265 grams (9.3 oz) for a men’s UK 8.5. It’s 5 grams (0.2 oz) lighter than the Adistar 3. It has stack heights of 40 mm /35 mm, the same as v3. It costs $140 which makes it one of the cheaper midrange, neutral daily trainers.

Adidas adiSTAR 4 First Impressions

My first run was an easy 11 kilometre run on tired legs. I was shocked how fun and engaging the ride felt. There was plenty of bounce and energy return while its forefoot rocker made it feel peppy.

It felt nothing like the Adistar 1 that I tested 3 years ago. It had a much softer ride, a lighter build and more dynamic transitions. I was very impressed during that first run.

The shoe that it reminded me of was the original ASICS Novablast. It also had a really lively ride with a deep, decoupled groove under the heel. The Adistar 4 felt more stable and had deeper cushioning than the Novablast.

Adidas adiSTAR 4 Upper

The Adistar 4’s upper is plush and comfortable with my only complaint being that the eyelets are unnecessarily thick and built-up. They could have saved a lot of weight using thinner, more simplistic eyelets. There’s also padding on the outside of the heel counter which is unnecessary because it doesn’t affect the comfort.

The tongue, collar and heel tab are all lightly padded, and there’s a hard internal heel counter to lock your heel in. I find foot lockdown to be excellent when using a runner’s knot.

The mesh is soft and it conforms to your feet well; breathability is also decent. It has a spacious fit that’s true to size and it’s suitable for runners with wide feet.

Adidas adiSTAR 4 Sole Unit

The Repetitor midsole of the Adistar 4 feels great, especially considering it’s only made of EVA. It’s not too soft, not too firm and it provides a very balanced ride. It’s not far off from the Lightstrike Pro in the Adidas EVO SL in terms of energy return and cushioning to weight ratio.

The Adistar 4’s design with its thick midsole and 5 mm drop reminds me of a Hoka trainer like the Clifton. However the ride of the Adistar is far superior thanks to its softer and more lively midsole.

Apart from the midsole foam, the other main reason the Adistar 4 feels so engaging is the deep groove on its underside that runs from the heel into the midfoot. This allows a greater amount of compression and decompression under the rearfoot that results in a trampoline effect.

The Adistar 4 performs every type of run well. It has enough cushioning and softness for easy runs while it also has the engine for uptempo runs too. For me, the sweet spot is steady paced runs in the 5:00-6:00 mins per km (8:03-9:40 per mile) range.

There’s no plate or stiffening device in the midsole but the forefoot is relatively stiff, and this allows there to be a forefoot rocker. The forefoot rocker helps you save energy and this makes it a great long run trainer.

The only weakness of the Adistar 4 is that it doesn’t feel particularly stable at slow paces due to its tall midsole and relatively narrow base. On uneven surfaces, I notice the instability too; however, it should be fine for slight over pronators.

The Adistar 4 has the most durable outsole of all the shoes I’ve tested this year. I’ve done 100 kilometres in it and there’s barely any wear, even on the outer heel areas. It doesn’t have any Continental rubber but traction is still decent when it’s raining.

Adidas adiSTAR 4 Conclusions

The Adidas Adistar 4 is the best mid-range daily trainer I’ve tested all year and it’s a treat to run in. This was a big surprise to me considering how bland the first Adistar (2022) was. The 4th version has a really balanced, energetic ride that’s capable of a wide range of paces.

It also has deep cushioning and a forefoot rocker that makes it efficient and suitable for long runs. It has a comfortable upper and a durable outsole. My favourite feature is the deep central groove underneath it that gives it Novablast 1, trampoline-like transitions.

Compared to Adidas’ other mid-range, neutral daily trainer, the solid Supernova Rise, the Adistar 4 feels more modern: taller, bouncier and lighter. The Supernova Rise has a PEBA-based midsole but I’d still pick the Adistar 4. They are the same price.