What makes a shoe super? Well, according to adidas and its newest super shoe, the Takumi Sen 10, it isn’t a carbon fiber plate.
The latest addition to the Adizero franchise does away with the carbon-plated technology that’s served its previous super shoes so well, and instead opts for new-look ENERGYRODS 2.0 made from partly recycled glass fiber.
Unlike the Adios Pro series, adidas’ more long distance-focused series, the Takumi Sen 10 is engineered to cater specifically for shorter distance races.
“Glass fiber is a lot more flexible than carbon,” explains Sam Truax, adidas’ Global Product Manager Running Footwear. “The stack height is a little lower than the Adios Pro at 33mm that brings you a little closer to the ground, and the upper is super reduced.
"All this together makes the Takumi Sen 10 great for navigating tight corners of 5-10K road races and enduring the high impact experienced from running fast on hard ground," he adds.
"The overall essence is that we’re taking the learnings from the Adios Pro and turning the Takumi Sen into a shorter distance racer.”
Building on previous models of the Takumi Sen, the new model offers a fresh approach to the term “super shoe” thanks to a holistic structure of glass fiber rods from the heel to the toe, and a double layer of LIGHTSTRIKE PRO foam, to provide cushioned propulsion.
The curved rod system in the midsole also works in tandem with the foam to provide lightweight stiffness that increases propulsion and, in layman’s terms, makes you faster with less effort.
“When developing the new Adizero Takumi Sen 10, we wanted to create a shoe specifically designed for the demands of 5-10Ks,” adds Moritz Hoellmueller, VP Design Running at adidas.
“Racing these distances on the road has a high impact on the body, which increases when running at high speeds, so runners require a propulsive yet cushioned shoe to support their feet.”
The adidas Takumi Sen 10, which comes less than six-months after the release of the brand’s $500 super shoe, officially landed online January 1 in a “Green Spark” colorway, although more iterations will be dropping in the very near future.
Hoellmueller added: “From a reduced upper construction made from 100% recycled polyester, to a more flexible and lower profile tooling, and increased grip on the outsole for navigating tight corners – every detail of the Adizero Takumi Sen 10 is built for fast road racing.”
