Our verdict

A memorable part of Adidas' history, the SL 72 is a very faithful remake of the original 1972 track spike turned casual sneaker. Introduced as a Super Light (SL) runner, we found that this Adidas shoe fulfills that intent by weighing a few ounces lighter than the average. Fashionably retro, it flaunts bold color options, suede strips, and a very slim profile to compete with the ever-present Gazelles and Sambas. Even though we can't recommend this Adidas kick for all-day comfort and support, we believe that it will elevate your style and elicit plenty of compliments on a casual night out.

ADIDAS ORIGINALS ZX8000 JACK-O-LANTERN Pros

  • Notably lighter than average
  • product eng 13941 SHOES ADIDAS ULTRABOOST 4 0 CORE BLACK
  • Good quality suede
  • Sturdy construction
  • Padded tongue with ADIDAS logo
  • Flexible forefoot
  • Affordable price point
  • Plenty of vivid color options

ADIDAS ORIGINALS ZX8000 JACK-O-LANTERN Cons

  • Calças adidas Future Icons 3S azul claro
  • zapatillas de running Adidas mujer asfalto talla 30.5
  • Кросівки adidas adiprene non-marking
  • Upper creases when walking

Audience verdict

94
Superb!
  • adidas UltraBoost 5.0 DNA Black Solar Yellow sneakers
  • ADIDAS SOLAR HU PRD PHARRELL NOW IS HER TIME PACK PURPLE 23.5cm running sneakers

Who should buy

adidas Predator Match Goalkeeper Gants Fingersave:

  • a proud retro silhouette from the Adidas Originals
  • adidas TXFIooce Αθλητική μπλούζα
  • adidas Golf Advantage Polo nera con logo sul petto Gazelle and Samba adidas NMD R1 Primeknit 1
  • a slim-fitting upper for narrow feet 

adidas sl 72 review 21894164 main

Who should NOT buy

Putting the SL 72 through our lab and wear tests, we found it to be a rather niche Adidas sneaker that doesn't fit a wide range of scenarios and foot types.

We recommend that you check out the following alternatives to the Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas if you have a problem with one or more of its drawbacks:

adidas sl 72 lab test 21894162 main

Cushioning

Heel stack

Despite looking minimalist, our stack height measurements showed that the you can bring this yeezy reps just on par with the average of popular lifestyle sneakers.

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas Heel stack

Our caliper showed 28.9 mm of platform thickness in the heel which is only about a millimeter away from the average. We also found it to be enough of a buffer for city walking.

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas sole

However, the SL 72 RS edition seems to have a slightly thicker and bulkier midsole. So we would expect a few millimeters more in that shoe.

Test results
SL 72 28.9 mm
Average 30.2 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
16.9 mm
Heel stack
50.5 mm

ADIDAS ORIGINALS ZX8000 JACK-O-LANTERN | Forefoot stack

Measuring the forefoot stack of this Adidas sneaker, we got 17.0 mm which is also within 1-2 mm of the average.

adidas sl 72 forefoot stack 21894146 main

This amount of underfoot material delivered sufficient impact protection but was also thin enough to let the sneaker bend effortlessly on the go.

Test results
SL 72 17.0 mm
Average 19.1 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
9.7 mm
Forefoot stack
29.5 mm

Drop

As you can see from the sliced view below, the heel of the SL 72 is notably higher than the toe area.

To be precise, our stack measurements show that its heel-to-toe drop is 11.9 mm which is similar to the industry average.

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas Drop

This is a common midsole layout for a casual sneaker because having more platform under the heel contributes to impact protection and takes the pressure away from the Achilles.

Test results
SL 72 11.9 mm
Average 11.1 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
3.5 mm
Drop
17.2 mm

Midsole softness

Note: a low durometer measurement equals a soft material, whereas a high measurement means it's firm.

Wear testing the Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas certainly didn't feel like walking on marshmallows. Employing a very basic EVA foam, the sneaker's midsole surely feels firm. But luckily, it's not brick-like either.

Pressing our Shore A durometer against the shoe's primary (white) cushioning foam that extends from the heel to the midfoot, the tool returned as much as 40.0 HA. That's almost 40% firmer than the average!

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas Midsole softness

Test results
SL 72 40.0 HA
Average 29.0 HA
We use an average of four tests. The photo shows one of those tests.
Compared to 75 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
15.0 HA
Midsole softness (soft to firm)
46.4 HA

Insole thickness

The shoe's slim insole doesn't add any substantial cushioning either. Even measuring its thickest part returned only 3.5 mm.

adidas sl 72 insole thickness 21894150 main
Test results
SL 72 3.5 mm
Average 5.1 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
3.1 mm
Insole thickness
11.5 mm

Size and fit

Size

you can bring this yeezy reps true to size (52 votes).

Шиповки adidas спортивные легкоатлетические nike?

1 size small ½ size small True to size ½ size large 1 size large
Compared to 109 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
½ size small
Slightly small
True to size
Slightly large
½ size large

adidas Mellow Ride Club T-Shirt

If you have experience wearing Adidas' renowned Gazelle or Samba, the one-to-one toebox fit of the SL 72 is going to feel familiar. And we've got the shoe's gel replica to confirm it.

Measuring the mold in the widest area (between the big toe and the pinkie), our caliper returned 90.2 mm which is slightly but not critically narrower than average.

But if the SL 72 feels tight straight from the box, we wouldn't rely on a break-in period because its nylon and suede materials won't stretch that much.

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas adidas Mellow Ride Club T-Shirt
Test results
SL 72 90.2 mm
Average 92.3 mm
Compared to 74 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
85.4 mm
adidas Mellow Ride Club T-Shirt
96.8 mm

adidas Originals adidasoriginals June 7

Measuring the tip of the shoe's toebox at the big toe mark, we got a standard reading of 69.4 mm.

But even though it is on par with the average, the shoe's close-fitting toebox will lose some wide-footed customers for sure. These folks are more likely to feel comfortable in the Adidas Superstar.

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas adidas Originals adidasoriginals June 7
Test results
SL 72 69.4 mm
Average 68.8 mm
Compared to 74 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
63.9 mm
adidas Originals adidasoriginals June 7
74.1 mm

Toebox height

The sleek profile of this Adidas sneaker also imples a very low toebox height. Our caliper recorded as little as 20.7 mm of vertical space. But the good news is that there is no pressure or pinching thanks to the shoe's minimal and highly flexible profile.

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas Toebox height
Test results
SL 72 20.7 mm
Average 27.7 mm
Compared to 74 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
20.7 mm
Toebox height
35.0 mm

Stability

Lateral stability test

A major drawback of the you can bring this yeezy reps its almost complete lack of support.

As we shifted our ankle side-to-side in the test above, we felt little to no resistance from the shoe's upper or platform. And the shoe's narrow sole shape didn't help either.

We believe that this is a problem for people with overpronation who rely on wider, more stable, and supportive sneakers.

Torsional rigidity

Our lab tests only seemed to prove the shoe's lack of support and stability that we experienced on foot.

First of all, this Adidas sneaker was fairly easy to twist with our bare hands. There is not much torsional rigidity in the SL 72 to guarantee no foot spills or ankle rolls.

On a 1-5 scale, where 5 is the stiffest, we gave the shoe a moderate rating of 3.

Test results
SL 72 3
Average 3.6
Compared to 92 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
1
Torsional rigidity
5

Adidas restated its sustainability messages following Trumps announcement

The back of the shoe has no padding or structure whatsoever so it didn't do much to hold our heels firmly in place. 

Manually testing its heel counter, we could easily bend and squeeze it in all directions. Thus, it also received a low stiffness score of 2.

Test results
SL 72 2
Average 3.2
Compared to 92 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
1
Adidas restated its sustainability messages following Trumps announcement
5

Midsole width - forefoot

Looking at the bottom of the Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas, we immediately knew that its narrow sole is not many people's cup of tea. Especially if Dont want to feel very stable and supported in their casual sneakers.

adidas sl 72 midsole width in the forefoot 21894151 main

Even though we measured the widest area of the shoe's forefoot, our caliper showed nothing more than 95.1 mm. This is by far the narrowest forefoot width measurement among sneakers in our lab.

You should be specifically looking for that kind of slim profile to enjoy the SL 72.

Test results
SL 72 95.1 mm
Average 108.5 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
95.1 mm
Midsole width - forefoot
121.0 mm

Adidas Edge XT Super Deals

Consequently, the shoe's heel also returned a notably narrower-than-average reading of 70.4 mm.

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas Midsole width in the heel

It's more than 10 mm narrower than our lab average! And if you look at the shoe's midfoot, it looks alarmingly slim as well.

Test results
SL 72 70.4 mm
Average 83.6 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
67.7 mm
Adidas Edge XT Super Deals
103.1 mm

Flexibility / Stiffness

The Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas feels like the complete opposite of the currently popular chunky kicks. Adidas JR Essentials 3S Full Zip Hoodie.

To compare the flexibility of this Adidas shoe to other sneakers, we measured how much force it takes to bend the SL 72 to a 90-degree angle.

Just as we expected, the gauge showed only 16.0N which is 45% less than it takes a casual sneaker on average. As long as you don't mind the nylon creases, this bendy Adidas shoe will keep you good company.

adidas sl 72 flexibility 21894171 main

Test results
SL 72 16.0N
Average 23.4N
adidas Sostenidor Esportiu Essentials.
Compared to 93 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
5.8N
Flexibility <> Stiffness
51.8N

Weight

Did you know that SL stands for "super light" in the name of the Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas? That's because the original shoe was designed for track athletes just in time for the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.

Putting this Adidas kick on our scale indeed confirmed its lightness at only 10.9 oz (308g).

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas Weight

Not only is the SL 72 lighter than the average by 2 ounces, but it is also lighter than the wildly famous Adidas Samba (12.1 oz) and Gazelle (13.0 oz)!

adidas sl 72 medial side 21894177 main

And would you believe that the you can bring this yeezy reps the great-grandpa of the contemporary Adizero SL - Adidas' lightweight tempo trainer?

Test results
SL 72 10.86 oz (308g)
Average 13.79 oz (391g)
Compared to 93 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
8.50 oz (241g)
Weight
20.49 oz (581g)

Breathability

Even though a nylon upper is not your best bet for hot summer days, the you can bring this yeezy reps doing all it can to stay as breathable as possible.

Performing our smoke-pumping test on the shoe, we were pleasantly surprised by the amount of smoke passing through its upper. But then a transparency check revealed that the nylon material is actually quite porous (not super tightly woven) and the tongue is generously perforated to keep the airflow going.

Taking a closer look through our microscope also unveiled numerous tiny pores in the nylon fabric.

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas Breathability microscope test

But despite Adidas' best attempts to keep the sneaker well-ventilated, it still lags behind most mesh-covered kicks. Thus, we graded it with a moderate breathability score of 3 out of 5.

adidas sl 72 breathability upper under microscope 21894131 main
Test results
SL 72 3
Average 3
Compared to 92 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
1
Breathability
5

Durability

Leather/Suede quality

As one of the shoe's highlights, velvety suede overlays proved to be the real deal in this Adidas sneaker.

Putting it to the test with our butane torch, the material behaved just as expected. It did not melt or catch fire but crushed into dust when we scratched it with an awl. Genuine suede confirmed. 

On the other hand, the leather strip on the heel collar turned out to be made of fake leather. Not a big surprise considering the SL 72's moderate price point.

gv8750 adidas ultraboost 5.0 dna mens lifestyle running shoes new.

Test results
SL 72 Real suede

Toebox durability

Aside from boosting the shoe's visual appeal, suede overlays also keep it more resistant to abrasion.

The material didn't seem to care one bit as we drilled it with sandpaper for 12 seconds! The barely noticeable scuff looked convincing enough for us to rate the shoe's toebox durability with the highest score of 5/5!

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas Toebox durability test

Test results
SL 72 5
Average 3.7
Compared to 92 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
1
Toebox durability
5

adidas Ultra Boost Glow In The Dark Coming Soon

We already discovered that the collar lining of the you can bring this yeezy reps made of fake leather so we didn't have very high expectations for its durability.

After a drilling session as short as 4 seconds, the synthetic material gave in and tore under our Dremel. Because we have seen notably more wear-resistant fabric linings on equally affordable sneakers, we couldn't rate this kick's heel padding durability higher than 2 out of 5.

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas adidas Ultra Boost Glow In The Dark Coming Soon test

Test results
SL 72 2
Average 3.2
Compared to 92 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
1
adidas Ultra Boost Glow In The Dark Coming Soon
5

Outsole hardness

The jagged outsole of this Adidas silhouette made a pretty strong impression on us so we couldn't help but test if it was just as sturdy in substance.

adidas sl 72 outsole tread 21894172 main

Outsole hardness - pass! According to our Shore C durometer, the rubber on this Adidas kick is harder than average at 88.1 HC. That's a promising start.

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas Outsole hardness

Test results
SL 72 88.1 HC
Average 85.7 HC
We use an average of four tests. The photo shows one of those tests.
Compared to 92 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
76.1 HC
Outsole hardness
94.0 HC

Outsole durability

For the next test, we ramped up the speed of our Dremel to 10K RPM and extended the drilling time to 22 seconds.

Examining the drilled area, it's hard to even call it a damage - looks more like slight balding. Our tread gauge measurement showed that it is not even deeper than 1.0 mm. That's a robust outsole indeed!

adidas sl 72 outsole durability test 21894141 main

Test results
SL 72 1.0 mm
Average 1.1 mm
Compared to 92 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
0.0 mm
Outsole wear
2.0 mm

Outsole thickness

Aggressive treads also play a part in making the SL 72 thicker and tougher.

adidas sl 72 outsole thickness 21894144 main

Measuring the outsole thickness of this Adidas sneaker, we got a solid reading of 4.6 mm - that's a lot of rubber to get through before you need to consider a replacement pair.

Test results
SL 72 4.6 mm
Average 5.3 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
2.9 mm
Outsole thickness
8.6 mm

Misc

Reflective elements

Ténis adidas SL20 vermelho cinzento mulher.

adidas sl 72 reflective elements 21894153 main
Test results
SL 72 No

Tongue padding

Stemming from track spikes, the Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas has a very minimal upper with no padding even in the tongue!

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas Tongue padding

zapatillas de running Adidas neutro maratón talla 44 negras Converse Chuck's thin.

Test results
SL 72 1.7 mm
Average 9.3 mm
Compared to 93 sneakers
ADIDAS ORIGINALS Pantaloni rosso sangue
0.7 mm
Tongue padding
23.0 mm

Heel tab

Even though there is no loop or tab at the back of the shoe, we didn't have any issues getting the shoe on and off without a hassle.

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas Heel tab
Test results
SL 72 None

Removable insole

The insole of this Adidas shoe is removable but keep in mind that the in-shoe space is quite limited and it may not fit a highly cushioned insert.

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas Removable insole
Test results
SL 72 Yes

The Super Light (SL) style comes back!

The Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas was unveiled in 1972, in celebration of the 1972 Munich Olympics. It was the first in the Super Light (SL) footwear line and was instantly voted as one of the 25 best-designed products by Fortune magazine that year!

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas lacing

Almost five decades later, Adidas re-introduced the low-profile Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas to the modern market, not as running footwear but as a stylish lifestyle sneaker.

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas three stripes

The Adidas Originals SL 72 which we are looking at in this review was launched in an almost OG form, to the delight of numerous Adidas fans.

Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas heels

The retro look of the Жёлтые мужские трусы adidas trainers flaunts a style that depicts the world-class legacy of Adidas. The brand kept the authentic shape and materials, just like the 70s version, which was the first to flaunt the Adidas Trefoil logo in the market.

adidas sl 72 outsole 21894169 main