What You Want To Know
- Weighs 6.8 oz (193 g) for a US M9
- Lightstrike Professional midsole (33 mm in heel/27 mm in toe) with fiberglass EnergyRods and Continental Rubber outsole (unchanged from v8)
- Extra breathable higher with added help in heel collar, non-gusseted tongue
- Nonetheless the most effective tempo sneakers that cash should purchase (which is why you can purchase the Takumi Sen 8 proper now)
- Obtainable summer time/fall 2023 for $180
This assessment is sponsored by Bombas socks, which we’ve been utilizing to maintain us heat and cozy this winter (like the lads’s Merino wool low sock proven under). You purchase one, they offer one to somebody in want. Use code BITR20 to avoid wasting 20% off your first order!
The Intro
ROBBE: Once I was a child, all I needed in life boiled down to a few issues: a Gameboy, baseball playing cards, and a pocket knife. My household was broke as hell so I by no means obtained a Gameboy. Fleer and Topps (and God forbid– Bowman) have been my solely choices for card amassing. And I obtained a tiny Swiss Military knife for Christmas one 12 months, and doubtless some oranges in my stocking.
A Swiss Military knife is cool, however I needed an actual knife. Possibly I used to be preconditioned from rising up with the epitome-of-cool switchblade comb, however I needed a real-life switchblade– the short launch, the slim design, the truth that it was truly unlawful.Â
Nevermind that my sole intention of proudly owning one was merely to open and shut it for hours on finish. Possibly throw it at a pair timber. Think about The Warriors, however it was simply me combating tall grass within the area behind my home. Very Star Wars child vibes.
Anyway, lengthy story brief, as an adolescent I lastly obtained my switchblade someplace in Budapest, efficiently introduced it again into the states in my checked baggage, then promptly misplaced it on a curler coaster at Hershey Park. The largest goals are like supernovas, they burn vibrant and die quick.
Talking of issues that burn vibrant and run quick, we’re right here to assessment the Adidas Takumi Sen 9, which– in its earlier iteration– was one among our favourite tempo/short-distance race day sneakers of the final 12 months. A light-weight shoe that options the most effective of the Adizero efficiency line, the Takumi Sen 9 is unchanged the place it issues most. It has the identical midsole as model 8, which means we nonetheless have 33 mm of Lightstrike Professional within the heel and 27 mm within the forefoot (6mm drop), glass fiber rods, and Continental rubber within the forefoot of the outsole.
What’s totally different is the higher. It’s much more light-weight and breathable than final 12 months, although the tongue now not has stitching or gussets (extra on that later). The shoe weighs 5.5 ounces for my males’s 7.
Whereas we love a very good Swiss Military knife (see our favourite do-it-all sneakers of 2022), generally we simply need the pace of a switchblade. The Adidas Takumi Sen 9 is simply that, and extra.
The Good
ROBBE: If you wish to hear me wax poetic about my love of the Takumi Sen 8, go learn that assessment. I’ve already written the primary half of Crime and Punishment on this assessment, so I’ll attempt to hold it extra Theodore Geisel from right here on out.
What I really like in regards to the Takumi Sen 9 are the identical issues I cherished in regards to the earlier model. The higher locks down proper across the midfoot, nearly soccer cleat type. It’s slender (which I like), however it holds you immediately over the mattress of Lightstrike Professional. I did must do some little bit of finagling with the laces (and went to the highest eyelet) to seek out the best match, however as soon as I discovered that, it felt golden. I simply felt just like the shoe was an extension of my physique.Â
My first run within the shoe was a 13-mile long term with 8 simpler miles to start with, capped off by the hilly Celtic Solstice 5-Miler. Surprisingly, the shoe feels fairly good at simpler paces, a tad agency within the forefoot however the bounce of the Lightstrike Professional evens issues out. In fact, it shines at quicker paces because the safe match of the higher harnesses the one-two punch of the EnergyRods and the Lighstrike Professional to offer a propulsive toe-off. The gorgeous forefoot grip of the Continental rubber digs into the pavement to offer an additional snap via the stride.Â
My second run within the shoe was an 8-mile run at a average tempo and it felt simply pretty much as good, giving a speedier really feel to a less-than-all-out effort. I completed my testing off with an 8-mile run with mile repeats, and located it carried out fantastically from begin to end.
What’s actually stunning about this Takumi Sen 9 is its stability, regardless of the medium-high stack top and slender final. I think this principally has to do with the safe match of the higher, locking the ankle and heel in place, one thing that a whole lot of racing sneakers have points with. There’s a slight enchancment in that division on this model, because the heel pillows contained in the collar are extra substantial this go-around. I’ve poor ankle stability however by no means as soon as felt unstable within the shoe, which says quite a bit when operating on the pothole-ridden and broken-cement terrain of Baltimore roads and sidewalks. It was additionally raining on my final run within the shoe, and it did nice on moist pavement.
In fact, the shoe is extremely light-weight so it simply disappears on the foot. All of it comes collectively to offer an ideal race day bundle for distances underneath the half marathon. For individuals who are comfy with much less cushion than sneakers just like the Adios Professional 3 or Alphafly Subsequent% 2, this could even work as a marathon shoe.
Additionally, wow does this shoe look good. It must be one among my favorites proper now by way of design and colorway.
For the whole lot this shoe offers, I feel the worth level is completely honest, and I’m glad to report that it stays at $180, regardless of most corporations growing their prices by $10 or extra in 2023.
The Dangerous
ROBBE: Whereas I do love this shoe to loss of life, there are just a few minor points I had with the shoe. The obvious one is the non-gusseted or stitched-in tongue. Final 12 months’s model had stitching that went midway as much as maintain it in place, whereas this model has none. I had no points with slippage, however due to the paper-thin building of the tongue, it’s liable to wrinkling. It’s particularly troublesome to iron out the creases as you’re placing on the shoe and lacing it up, and also you’ll most likely must loosen the laces to get it good. Which is one thing you don’t need to do each time as a result of discovering that good lace configuration is a little bit of a chore.
On my first run, I did must cease a pair instances to determine the lacing. If it’s not dialed in good, it doesn’t really feel safe. I additionally needed to lace the entire technique to the highest eyelet, however I additionally couldn’t do heel lock lacing as a result of the laces have been too brief for it. As soon as it’s found out, it’s nice, however it takes a little bit of effort to get there.
Concerning the sizing, the Adizero line tends to run lengthy, so I went a half-size down this time round and it match nearly completely. It nonetheless appears to run only a tiny bit lengthy, however any smaller could be too tight.
Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 9 Conclusion
ROBBE: The Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 9 stays the most effective (if not the most effective) tempo/shorter race sneakers on the market. The proper stack of Lightstrike Professional and safe match of the higher makes this a glossy dagger for something quick. And whereas it isn’t a multitool, you will get away with utilizing it as a light-weight each day coach in a pinch.
I’ve to say, I feel that is one among my top-5 favourite sneakers just because it’s an extremely enjoyable shoe to run in. It makes you are feeling like a quick runner, at any tempo. And generally that’s all we actually need in life. That, and a switchblade within the again pocket of our Jansport backpack.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Takumi Sen 9 was on sale for a pair weeks, however has now been taken down from each adidas.com and Operating Warehouse. Initially, the shoe was slated for launch in fall 2023, so there could been an error on the retail facet in posting it reside. That mentioned, the Takumi Sen 8 is on the market at half off proper now, and the Takumi Sen 9 is only a very slight improve, so should you’re excited about what the Takumi appears like, now’s your likelihood to strive.
You possibly can choose up the Adidas Takumi Sen 9 for $180 (summer time 2023) or the Adidas Takumi Sen 8 for $90 by utilizing the store hyperlink under.
Robbe is the Senior Editor/Evaluate Supervisor for BITR. He lives in Baltimore along with his spouse and two sons and runs with the Sooner Bastards. When he’s not operating in bizarre locations or getting injured in odd methods, he might be discovered mountain climbing, tenting, bikepacking, or hanging with associates.
