Friday, September 14, 2007

adidas Supernova Cushion 6...

By Frank
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The adidas Supernova Cushion 6 is my first ever running shoe ever since I started my career in running. It was my trainer and also racing shoe. The adidas Supernova series has received awards after awards from Runner's World for being a durable and yet cost-effective running shoe suitable for intermediates to serious runners.
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adidas Supernova Cushion 6...

The adidas Supernova Cushion 6 is categorised under the cushioning category suitable for those with high arch and also supinators, and it falls under the training and competition range. At 337 grams, it felt light compared to others that falls in the same category mainly thanks to the new softer and highly breathable upper mesh with fewer overlays thus enhancing air flow. Despite having plenty of mesh all around the shoe, no stitching was done. The noseam technology by adidas allows various parts of the shoe to be welded together thus eliminating any sort of irritation caused by stitching. Another thing included which I really like it is the Ortholite sockliner which helps prevent moisture buildup and therefore, odour and bacteria are kept at bay.

During the earlier days, adidas shoes were pretty narrow in fit. However, that seems to have been improved here in the adidas Supernova Cushion 6. Although still offering a normal width, adidas has made the shoe slightly wider especially at the toebox section. And with a great new fitting, the shoe has also improved on it's flexibility.

The highlight of this shoe is probably the FORMOTION technology on the heel area of the outsole that worked together with adiPRENE. With FORMOTION, the heel area is totally decoupled to further enhance cushioning and stability. To me, it really felt good as it managed to adapt to the ground surface with every heel strike I made.

Downside of the shoes will probably be that it could have been lighter. Don't be mistaken though, the shoe's already light. Also another thing to consider about is to include the option to choose the shoe's width. Shoe's width which are just as important as length tend to be omitted by major shoe maker. I hope adidas can include this in their future models. In my maiden 42KM marathon, the Supernova Cushion 6 gave me no problems at all. However, during my 21KM Penang Bridge Marathon 2007, somehow my plantar started to hurt just after running 5KM. No idea on the cause of it, but as time moves on, the shoe gave me no problems at all.

Specifications
Upper: Seamless air mesh, welded and synthetic overlays, geoFiT ankle collar, perforated EVA padded tongue, reflective highlights.
Midsole: FORMOTION and adiPRENE heel, adiPRENE + forefoot.
Outersole: adiWEAR heel, blown rubber forefoot.
Innersole: Ortholite sockliner.

Overall, the adidas Supernova Cushion 6 is a very good shoe and I'm proud to have it as my first. Even after 9 months of training and competition, the shoe is still pretty much still "alive" although it's life span is coming to an end soon. The shoe is now out of season already although they can still be purchased at a few places at a retail price if RM369.

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