Adidas RC 2 Review
The Adidas RC 2 is the little brother of the recently reviewed Adidas SL20. Like the SL20, the RC 2 uses Lightstrike cushioning. It’s also a more minimal shoe that’s supposed to be a racing flat. But, I’d say it’s a take down model of the more full featured and more expensive SL20.
Price: $85 | Weight: 7.1 oz (Men), 7.1 oz (Women) | Drop: 10mm
Cushion
Lightstrike for running is still awesome but the RC 2 didn’t give me quite enough cushion. The RC 2 shaves off about 3mm of Lightstrike off the SL20 setup and it’s easy to tell the difference. It still works great for walking around and runs of up to 6ish miles but I wouldn’t trot out the RC 2 for any long runs.
Traction
The SL20 featured Continental rubber on the outsole. The RC 2 has a somewhat similar outsole pattern but ditches Continental (and it’s licensing fee) for blown rubber at the inner forefoot and a harder “Adiwear” rubber ringing the forefoot and covering the heel. Does it grip as good as the top notch Continental rubber? No. Does it do the job in most circumstances? Yes.
Support
Adidas’ standard Y-shaped torsional plate at the midfoot and a normal heel counter are all you get. You don’t sit inside the midsole like the SL20 or get any supportive fuse overlays. The support is basic and matches what you generally see on any running shoe below $100.
Materials
The upper is mesh all over. It’s not a stretchy mesh so wide footers beware. The lace holes feature fuse reinforcement to prevent any ripping. The tongue is a basic polyester with some padding. It would be nice if the tongue were breathable as it gets soaked and heavy when running in hot weather.
Fit
The Adidas RC 2 fits true to size. The toebox is kept nice and airy with some light plastic backing the area at the front of the toes. There’s a touch of padding around the collar but this is a very minimal, basic shoe. It’s an all mesh build and fits accordingly.
Overall
The Adidas RC 2 is a lower tier version of the Adidas SL20 but loses a little too much from the SL20 for my taste. The $85 price point is darn good and rarely seen on competent running shoes, but I’d rather have the extra cushioning, Continental rubber, and better mesh found on the SL20. I do, however, really like wearing the RC 2 casually. I’ll continue to rock them on a regular basis as one of my daily beaters.
Thanks to Adidas for sending a pair to test. Adidas was not given any editorial control of the review. This review is based on our weartesters’ experiences using the shoes for speed workouts, trail runs, treadmill training, long runs, casual wear, and more.
