Best Reviewed
Trail Running Shoes
- Best trail-running shoe Saucony ProGrid Peregrine *Est. $90
- Minimalist or barefoot-style trail-running shoe Merrell Trail Glove *Est. $110
- Trail-running shoe for rugged terrain Montrail Rockridge *Est. $75
- Motion-control trail-running shoe The North Face Double-Track *Est. $110
- Road-to-trail crossover shoe Salomon XR Crossmax Neutral *Est. $130
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- Serious stability for overpronators
- Spacious toebox
- Good traction uphill and downhill
- Lack of padding in the tongue causes irritation
- Some runners can feel rocks underfoot
- Heavy
Buy from Zappos.comUpdate June 2010: The Adidas Supernova Riot has been discontinued.
It receives good reviews from fitness publications that recommend this motion-control trail-running shoe for overpronators and large runners. Reviewers find that this heavy shoe provides good cushioning in the heel, with stable traction on all types of terrain, and it receives high marks for comfort and fit. Several reviewers also praise the spacious toebox. Some testers think the tongue could use more padding and others think this highly cushioned shoe is too soft, saying they can easily feel rocks and branches underfoot on the trail. Most reviews note that runners with efficient biomechanics who don't need motion control will find this shoe too heavy and soft; for these runners, reviewers recommend the lightweight New Balance 840 (Discontinued).
There's no shortage of reviews on the Adidas Supernova Riot. The best reviews come from Runner's World, Trail Runner and Outside magazine, which evaluate this trail-running shoe based on wear-tester feedback. Fitness magazine also provides a useful, if short, review. Consumer feedback is harder to come by, but RoadRunnerSports.com includes a handful of owner-written reviews.
Our Sources
Testers for Runner's World are impressed with the Adidas Supernova Riot's stability, and lab tests show that Adidas has improved the heel cushioning from the previous version. On a negative note, some testers find the shoe too soft.
Review: Adidas Supernova Riot, Warren Greene and Ray Fredericksen, M.S., Oct. 2008
Outside magazine evaluates 11 new trail-running shoes, and deems the Adidas Supernova Riot a Killer Value. Outside's editors recommend it for packed trails, and testers like the serious cushioning, although narrow-footed runners find the fit too wide.
Review: Adidas Supernova Riot, Lisa Jhung, Winter 2009
Running Times doesn't make any picks in its reviews, but Chase recommends the Adidas Supernova Riot for runners who need stability. The Supernova Riot earns accolades from testers who find it performs well on trails and provides lots of cushioning.
Review: Trail Shoe: Adidas Supernova Trail Riot, Adam W. Chase, Dec. 2008
Trail Runner tests 13 trail-running shoes and finds the Adidas Supernova Riot to be a good all-around shoe, with testers liking the forefoot protection, motion control and roomy toebox. On the negative side, testers find the shoelaces rub the top of the foot due to insufficient padding in the tongue.
Review: Happy Feet -- October 2008, Michael Benge and Elinor Fish, Oct. 2008
5. Fitness MagazineDetails/Subscribe
In a very brief review, Fitness magazine calls the Adidas Supernova Riot one of the best shoes for cross-country running. Fitness likes the cushioning and toebox protection.
Review: The Best Sneakers for Cross-Country Running, Alice Oglethorpe and Marianne Magno
While the Adidas Supernova Riot hasn't attracted much feedback on Road Runner Sports, the owner-written reviews confirm much of what is said in other professional reviews. In particular, owners rave about the comfort and cushioning, but find that the tongue needs more padding to prevent the laces from rubbing the top of the foot.
Review: Men's Adidas Supernova Riot, Contributors to RoadRunnerSports.com
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