Article by Michael Ellenberger
adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 10 ($180)
Introduction
The Takumi Sen is the adidas shorter distance (5K-10K) racer. For its tenth version it contains a increased resilience and extra power returning Lightstrike Professional midsole foam, an all new “pretzel” formed full size considerably stiffer fiberglass Vitality Rods 2.0 propulsion system of the same design to the Adios Professional 3, a brand new outsole, and tighter woven engineered mesh higher. Its stack peak stays at 33mm heel / 27mm forefoot.
Michael: I ran the Takumi Sen 8 for overview again in January 2022 (howdy, first overview of 2024! That’s two years in the past!), the Takmu Sen 7 earlier than that (pre-major replace), and Sam despatched alongside his Takumi Sen 8 for my comparability. I’ve additionally worn all 3 variations of the Adios Professional, although not (but?!) the uncommon Adizero Adios Professional Evo 1 (mega shoe? giga shoe? What goes past “tremendous”?! It’s the $500 shoe, after all!).
Thus, I’m fairly nicely versed within the “fashionable” Takumi Sen variants and adidas’s racing lineup as a complete, and am very happy that this line continues to be being improved upon. A high-end, non-marathon racer is a helpful (and funky) shoe to have for exercise and race efforts. Let’s run.
Professionals:
Decrease stack (33mm), however no scarcity of cushion
Vitality Rods stay an elite propulsion system
Higher materials and outsole are precisely what they must be
Cons:
Match stays difficult to lock-down, particularly vis-a-vis the tongue
Lack of firmness from Lightstrike Professional might dissuade some runners
Stats
Approx. weight: males’s 6.8 oz / 193g (US9)
Samples: males’s 6.6 oz / 187g US 8.5 (Takumi Sen 8: 6.5 oz / 184g US8.5)
Stack Top: 33 mm heel / 27 mm forefoot ( 6mm drop spec)
$180. Accessible Jan 1, 2024
First Impressions, Match and Higher
Michael: The Takumi Sen 10 is sort of a good-looking shoe; on this white/yellow/purple shade scheme, it undoubtedly borrows from its predecessors however presents extra fashionable. Aesthetically, it is a massive win – and it shouldn’t come as a shock that the development right here is nice. Adidas has an engineered mesh higher that’s very ethereal (I wore them on a “delicate” winter day – mid 30s – with skinny socks and when operating into the wind, might really feel the air and sleet go by means of the shoe!) however matches nicely and is comfy.
There are some well-placed cushions inside, and I’ve to acknowledge that this shoe was fairly light on my dodgy Achilles. Up to now, so good!
My lone concern right here – and this has been an issue with a number of Adidas racers within the latest previous – is the lacing/lockdown.
One thing in regards to the form of the laces or (extra doubtless) the form of the tongue signifies that I needed to cease greater than as soon as to yank the tongue extra middle, or in any other case alter the maintain I had on my foot. As with most of those kind of issues, the shoe does “break in” as you put on it (that’s, the lacing shifts into place over a number of miles) however that doesn’t imply the Takumi Sen isn’t simply barely extra annoying to placed on than, say, a gusseted tongue-laden racer.
Measurement-wise, I discovered these true-to-size or simply on the brief facet (i.e. my 8.5 was very barely cosy, which is my choice, however should you’re already slicing it shut, you could have to dimension up 0.5).
Midsole & Platform
Michael: We’ve seen Adidas’s superior Lightstrike Professional foam earlier than (together with earlier iterations of the Takumi Sen, and naturally the marathon racer, the Adios Professional) and, nicely, it’s largely the identical right here with adidas telling us that whereas of the identical firmness as earlier than the froth is extra resilient and extra power returning. My fundamental grievance about Lightstrike Professional – and “grievance” ought to be taken calmly, since I actually love Adidas’s fashionable lineup – is its wobbliness. There’s mainly no agency place within the midsole, and so each step (and exacerbated round corners) comes with a little bit of lateral movement.
However! adidas has made an replace right here to the Vitality Rods which does lend some midfoot stiffness (and, for my part, an general enchancment to the propulsion). The Vitality Rods 2.0 right here at the moment are a full size “pretzel” formed fiberglass unit. They aren’t fairly as noticeable, maybe – I sort of appreciated how, within the TS8/9, you might really feel the rods when operating strides or laborious intervals in your toes (which, to be honest, I don’t do very a lot). Within the TS10, for higher or worse, it does really feel as if the Vitality Rods are extra “blended” or “hidden” within the midsole. That mentioned, there’s little question they’re there – it is a quick shoe, and once you begin to flip over, the shoe will push you. This present era of Adidas racing sneakers have uniformly been chic at quicker paces, and the TS10 is not any exception.
There’s nonetheless one thing to be mentioned about stack peak right here. I’ve to watch out for what I want for right here, a bit – the Adios Professional is only a hair too wobbly and unstable to actually be excellent, owing largely to its excessive stack and slender rear platform – so now we’ve largely the identical, with decrease stack… shouldn’t that be excellent? If solely there was a straightforward reply; there’s nonetheless a tradeoff right here from the decrease stack, in that, if I’m going to hammer 18 or 20 miles, I’ll most likely take the tradeoff of the wobbly-but-cushioned Adios Professional over the barely-more-stable-but-lower-stacked Takumi Sen 10. After all, that isn’t what the shoe is for, I simply imply to say – neither is a completely flawless shoe.
Outsole
Michael: The outsole right here is admittedly good. Like, no complaints. Adidas has lengthy licensed Continental rubber – I do not know if that makes the grip right here higher, or if that’s purely a advertising and marketing transfer, however the outsole right here is admittedly cheesy and enjoyable, even on slick roads (as famous above, on my “delicate” winter run).
Equally, I had no points on a pair treadmill runs. I’d race the TS10 within the winter, which is unquestionably not one thing I really feel comfy saying about all racing flats lately.
Journey, Conclusions and Suggestions
Michael: First, a observe – in case you are a fan of the Takumi Sen 8 or 9 and are in want of an improve, there’s actually not a lot to assume over right here. That is an enchancment in mainly each means over these variations. Sure, the TS10 technically features a bit weight (15g?!) over its rapid predecessor however… that’s greater than price it.
However! In the event you’re a runner who needs one, singular racing shoe, and perhaps doesn’t run marathons… must you decide this over the Vaporfly? The Adios Professional? The Nike Streakfly? Heck, I see runners sporting the fairly marathon-specific Alphafly for 5K races routinely (and I may be part of them).
The reply there may be, after all, trickier however I come down nearer to sure than no – as in sure, if you need a racing shoe and also you don’t race marathons, you ought to strongly contemplate the Takumi Sen over a higher-stack possibility, particularly if the exercises you’ll run in it are equally shorter/scaled again in comparison with marathon exercises. As a result of, as I discussed within the overview, the wobbliness of the Lightstrike Professional is tempered by the decrease stack, and the revamped Vitality Rods are extra light and forgiving, with out shedding their edge. And for runners who’ve a marathon shoe and wish to complement it with one thing shorter, I believe that is the brand new king of “brief distance racers.”
Michael’s Rating: 9.6/10
😊😊😊😊😊
4 Comparisons
Index to all RTR critiques: HERE Roadtrailrun
Takumi Sen 8/9 (RTR Evaluate)
Michael: Decide the ten! The TS8/9 are very comparable sneakers (an higher replace is all that separates them) and even operating an A/B take a look at between TS9 and TS10 revealed comparatively minor variations. However – the variations which are there from the most recent gen to the final are actually solely good enhancements. I complained in regards to the lacing on the previous fashions, and Adidas didn’t repair it – however practically every little thing else is best and extra streamlined on the TS10.
Hoka Cielo Highway (RTR Evaluate)
Michael: The Cielo Highway was my outgoing decide for “greatest brief distance racer,” however step apart, Hoka! No, in actuality, each sneakers are superb, and the Hoka does have the distinct benefit of feeling extra like a “conventional shoe that goes quick” fairly than an “engineered piece of froth that enhances you ahead at any price” (some dramatization there). I just like the relative stability of the Hoka and would fairly put on it for one thing of 20+ miles, however for a 10K race, I’m undoubtedly taking the Adidas.
New Steadiness FuelCell SC Pacer 1 (RTR Evaluate)
Michael: One other excellent short-distance (aka non-marathon) flat. The SC Pacer v1 is a bit more low-slung and minimal, and I’d want it for one thing like a street mile (or a course with a lot of corners), however in any other case I believe the TS10 is a greater shoe. Nonetheless, we all know v2 is coming from NB (I don’t have a pair, so no spoilers) and it seems to be superior – plus, I’ve seen v1 on sale for as little as like $80. In that case, I’d most likely take the New Steadiness and run (shortly!).
Reebok Floatride Run Quick Professional (RTR Evaluate)
Michael: Someway, this shoe stays the shoe that set my half-marathon PR again in 2017. Non-plated! I’ve solely had a number of actually beauty since, however nonetheless haven’t gotten again beneath 68 minutes. Possibly 2024? I digress. The Floatride Run Quick Professional is superior, however should you find it irresistible, I don’t assume I can say “oh, you’ll love the TS10, too!” They’re very completely different sneakers. The Reebok is agency and harsh and my legs harm for like 9 days after that half-marathon. The Adidas is far more approachable (even when equally quick) and whereas I do miss among the old-school-ness of the Reebok… the Takumi Sen is simply higher.
Tester Profile
Michael is a patent lawyer and graduate of Northwestern College Legislation Faculty. Previous to regulation faculty, he competed collegiately at Washington College in St. Louis (10,000m PR of 30:21). Michael’s PRs embody a 67:43 half-marathon (Chicago Half-Marathon) and a 2:21:19 marathon PR on the 2023 Grandma’s Marathon. Michael continues to race on the roads, and is chasing a sub-2:20 marathon and potential OTQ sooner or later.
Samples had been offered at no cost for overview functions. RoadTrail Run has affiliate partnerships and should earn fee on merchandise bought by way of purchasing hyperlinks on this article. These partnerships don’t affect our editorial content material. The opinions herein are completely the authors’.
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