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Adidas is one of the most popular sports brands globally. Of course, everyone had at least something from Adidas at some point in their lives, but the question you have is: Do Adidas run big or small? Maybe most styles are true to size?
I love Adidas, and I can’t tell you how many different items I had from the German sports brand. I had running sneakers, football boots, casual shoes, jumpers, t-shirts, shorts, jackets, gloves, caps, water bottles, etc.
I also worked with Adidas shoes for many years as Footwear Manager of a multi-brand sports company. So I have served thousands of people with Adidas casual shoes, running sneakers, football boots, golf shoes and helped them choose the best size possible for their feet needs. So I know what Adidas styles customers went a size up or down (or kept the same size).
Read: Where Are Adidas Shoes Made?
Adidas has so many different types for so many occasions that I decided to split the shoes by some of the most popular styles. Let’s find out the answer to the question: do Adidas run big or small or true to size?
Do Adidas Run Big, Small, Or True To Size?
Do Adidas shoes run big or small? Maybe true to size? If you are in a hurry, these are the conclusions from my research and personal and professional experience with Adidas.
Do Adidas Run Big?
The Adidas styles that run big are the Ozweego and Falcon. However, you also have some styles like the Superstars, Gazelles, and some football boots that alternate between bigger, smaller, or accurate sizes.
Do Adidas Run Small?
The Adidas styles that run small are the Ultraboost, Superstar, and Ground Court. The Stan Smith and Swift styles are prevalent smaller, but some people find them true to size. The Gazelles and Slides alternate between bigger, smaller, or accurate sizes.
Do Adidas Run True To Size?
No Adidas shoe style runs predominantly true to size, but you have some styles like the Stan Smith and Swift, which are more common for that to happen. The Gazelles and Slides alternate between bigger, smaller, or accurate sizes.
Read: Do New Balance Run Big Or Small?
Adidas Sizing Chart & Fit
Adidas has created a shoe sizing chart down based on your heel-toe length. This way, you can ensure you buy the correct Adidas shoe size for yourself.
If you place a paper on the floor with one end of your foot against a wall, you can mark the piece of paper where your toes end with a pen. Then you measure the mark you created on the paper with the end and compare the measurement to the Adidas shoe size chart.
That’s how you will get the correct Adidas size. But keep reading because you have other factors you need to take into consideration.
How Do Adidas Fit?
Most people believe that Adidas shoes tend to run small, no matter what style they choose, and that’s not true. Some Adidas styles are too big when compared with some other styles that are too small.
I vary my size on Adidas shoes according to the style I buy, and the same should happen to you when it comes to Adidas shoes or any other shoe brand. No shoe brand has one-size-fits-all styles.
Read: Do Asics Run Small Or Big?
To make your life easier, I have mixed my personal experience selling Adidas shoes and read online reviews of specific Adidas styles to back up my claims on why I say some shoe styles run too big and others too small.
Do Adidas Ultraboost Run Big Or Small?
Adidas Ultraboost runs small for most consumers, so you want to consider buying a half size bigger or even a full size bigger. For example, if you have narrow feet, try half a size bigger. However, if you have wide feet, go for a full-size up.
My Experience With Customers On Adidas Ultraboost
My experience says that consumers usually go for a half size bigger because when you run, it’s good to have a little bit of space in the shoe in case your feet swell. I had a pair of Adidas Ultraboost, and they were true to size in my case, but I still bought them half a size bigger because I prefer to have some extra room when I run.
What Reviewers say about Adidas Ultraboost:
Most reviews expressed how small and tight this style was, and customers had to go half/full size bigger to be comfortable. However, some stated they were true to size or too big.
Do Adidas Superstar Run Big Or Small?
Adidas Superstar runs small for most consumers and slightly oversized for a few that tried this style. This is a narrow style, so I would buy half a size bigger.
Read: Do Puma Shoes Run Big Or Small?
My Experience With Customers On Adidas Superstar
The Superstars were one of the most popular Adidas styles we had in-store, and they are a narrow style, so people with wide feet usually had to go a size bigger. I’ve seen some consumers buy half a size smaller, but that was a small minority compared to the majority buying larger sizes of this style.
What Reviewers say about Adidas Superstar:
One customer said he usually wears a US 12 but had to return it for a US 12,5 that fits much better. Another one did the inverse, ordered a US 9, and had to return it for a US 8,5 because it was too big. But most customers said the shoes run too small.
Do Adidas Stan Smith Run Bir Or Small?
The Adidas Stan Smith sneakers run smaller or true to size. It all depends on how narrow or wide your feet are since this style is slightly slim.
My Experience With Customers On Adidas Stan Smith
I am a massive fan of the Stan Smith collection. I still have one pair in my shoe collection. They run true to size for me, but I have narrow feet. Customers usually buy them half a size bigger or the same size they have been buying with other brands. I do remember some customers saying they were too big, but when I measured their feet, they were wearing a size bigger than they should.
Read: Best Shoes For Retail Workers
What Reviewers say about Adidas Stan Smith:
This style seems too narrow and small for those with wide feet and true to size for those with average feet. You do have the odd person saying the shoes were too big and they had to purchase a smaller size.
Do Adidas Gazelles Run Big Or Small?
The Adidas Gazelles was another trendy shoe in-store, and they run small for most people, true to size for others, and slightly oversized for some.
My Experience With Customers On Adidas Gazelles
Most customers were buying a half a size or a full size bigger on this style, especially if they had wide feet since this is another narrow style. I can remember some people buying their size on these shoes, but I can’t recall anyone saying they were too big like I read in the online reviews.
What Reviewers say about Adidas Gazelles:
Some customers stated this shoe style ran too big and had to exchange for a smaller size, but others expressed how smaller the shoe was and had to return for a bigger size. You also had some reviewers stating the shoe fits true to size.
Do Adidas Ozweego Run Big Or Small?
The Adidas Ozweego runs big or true to size for most people. This style is wider than most Adidas styles.
Read: Can You Wear Training Shoes Casually?
My Experience With Customers On Adidas Ozweego
I never sold this style in-store, so I can’t tell you the customer’s preferences. However, I did go to an Adidas store and try them on to check the fit. They were alright when I tried my usual size, but they did feel a little bit too wide. Also, when I tried, half a size down, my big toe was touching the front of the shoe, making the shoes too small.
What Reviewers say about Adidas Ozweego:
Some reviewers said this style was too big and slightly broader than other Adidas shoes, so they went a half size down or even a full size to ensure they fit better. However, others said the shoes fitted true to size, and they purchased their usual size.
Do Adidas Swift Run Big Or Small?
Adidas Swift runs small or true to size, depending on how narrow or wide your feet are.
My Experience With Customers On Adidas Swift
I didn’t sell as many Swift as I sold Ultraboost, but again, this is a running shoe, so most runners prefer the shoes with some extra space and buy them half a size bigger. I’m not too fond of a very snug fit on running shoes, and I would buy a half size bigger too. Since most consumers said these shoes were a bit tight, I would go for a half size bigger independently if you like the snug fit or not.
Read: Do Fila Shoes Run True To Size?
What Reviewers say about Adidas Swift:
Most reviews expressed how small and tight this style was, and customers had to go half/full size bigger to be comfortable. However, some stated they were true to size and bought the shoes in the size they usually do.
Do Adidas Grand Court Run Big Or Small?
The Adidas Grand Court runs small due to being a narrow style in general, especially for wide feet.
My Experience With Customers On Adidas Grand Court
I have seen most customers buying a half size bigger (even wide feet people) since most tennis players like their shoes to feel snug but not tight. I have seen the odd customer choosing their usual size on other brands on this style.
Read: What Is The Difference Between Tennis and Running Shoes
What Reviewers say about Adidas Grand Court:
Most customers reviewed this style as too small and narrow, so most of them had to go for a full size bigger. One customer said he is always a size US 10 on Adidas shoes but had to buy a US 11 for this style to fit perfectly.
Do Adidas Falcon Run Big Or Small?
The Adidas Falcon runs too big due to the structure of the shoe being wide.
My Experience With Customers On Adidas Falcon
I didn’t sell this style in-store, and I couldn’t find any to try. However, the Falcons look very similar to Skechers D-Lite (at least some part of the collection), so I am not surprised these shoes are too big since they are pretty wider compared to other Adidas styles.
What Reviewers say about Adidas Falcon:
Most of the customers expressed how big this style was, and most of them had to buy a full size smaller because the shoes were too wide for them. One customer said he has wide feet and had to buy half a size smaller pair, which was a novelty for him, who often buys bigger sizes on shoes.
Do Adidas Slides Run Big Or Small?
Adidas Slides can run too big, too small, or true to size, depending on the style you choose.
My Experience With Customers On Adidas Slides
Adidas sandals are a total mess when deciding if they run too big or too small because you have so many different styles that it is hard to tell. People with wide feet often went for sandals with an adjustable bandage to change the width, so the sandals were true to size. On the other hand, Adidas flip-flops tend to be a bit small, so people went a whole size bigger. I also have seen people buying smaller sizes due to flip-flops being too big. That’s why is so complicated to define how big or small Adidas sandals are.
What Reviewers say about Adidas Slides:
Some customers commented that Adidas sandals ran too big and had to exchange for a smaller size, but others expressed how smaller the slides were and returned for a bigger size. You also had some reviewers stating the sandals fit true to size.
Do Adidas Cleats Run Big Or Small?
Adidas Cleats (or football boots) run too big or true to size due to the need for extra spacing.
My Experience With Customers On Adidas Cleats
So, I have sold many Adidas football boots, and it all depends on the style you choose. They tend to run slightly oversized if you have narrow feet or true to size if you have wide feet. Also, the structure of Adidas football boots is made a little bit larger because you need to include football socks, and your feet can swell if the sweat and heat, so you need the extra space.
What Reviewers say about Adidas Cleats:
One customer said that Adidas football boots run one size too big because they still had a lot of space inside after adding the football socks. A small percentage said that the boots ran true to size and fitted correctly.
Tips When Buying Adidas Shoes
When buying Adidas shoes (or any shoes), you need to take into consideration some things based on your personal needs. These tips are based on my personal experience with thousands of customers who I have served and sold shoes during the six (or seven) years I have worked in the shoe industry.
Ask To Have Your Feet Measured
If you are in a shoe store is very important to have your feet measured. This is something you can ask on Adidas stores, and someone will help you. The reason is that different brands have different ways of making their shoes so that sizes can be different, especially within a brand with so many different styles like Adidas.
Read: How To Tell If Shoes Are Too Big?
Another reason why you should have your feet measured is that many people have been wearing the wrong size their entire life without knowing it. So many customers said, “I have been a size ten my entire life. I know what size I need.” Then they have their feet measured and discover they have been wearing a half or full size too big or too small. They just got used to it. If you are buying Adidas kid’s shoes, this is a crucial step.
If you buy your Adidas sneakers online, measure your foot from heel to toe, as I have explained above.
Try The Shoes
If you are in-store buying any shoes, always try them, because sometimes some shoe styles are just not suitable for your feet shape. Also, the shoes may have a manufacturing problem inside that you or the footwear specialist are not aware of. So trying shoes is fundamental before buying them.
If you buy your Adidas sneakers online, my advice to you (and all the customers I ever had) is to try the shoes inside your house for a couple of hours to ensure they are the right size, the correct fit, and comfortable.
If not, you can always return for a different style, size, etc. (always check the refund policy). If you can’t return the shoes and they are too big, learn how to make them smaller to fit better.
Types Of Socks
The type of socks you wear can also determine how much room you will have left on your Adidas sneakers. For example, if it’s Winter, you will probably have thick Winter socks, but you will end up with no socks or thinner ones if it’s Summer.
When buying your shoes, think about what socks you will wear with them, and the time of the year you are on. The thicker the socks, the less room you have inside of your shoe.
Lifestyle
Your lifestyle is also essential, since your feet take a lot of abuse every day, carrying your weight in activities like running, jumping, walking, or just staying on your feet. All these activities can affect if your ankles and feet swell.
Also, buying the correct Adidas style for the activity you want is essential since different Adidas styles can run big or small.
Medical Conditions
Everyone has some medical conditions that can affect what size of shoe we need to buy. For example, suppose you have diabetes, blisters, bunions, plantar fasciitis, high blood pressure, or claw toe. In that case, all these conditions can affect whether you need a bigger Adidas shoe or not.
Common Questions About Do Adidas Run Big Or Small
These are the most common questions about, do Adidas run big or small.
Do Adidas Run Big Or Small Compared To Nike?
Adidas shoes run a half size smaller than Nike shoes. For example, an Adidas US size 9 is a 42 in Europe, and a Nike US size 9 is a 42,5 in Europe.
Do Adidas Run Big Or Small Compared To Vans?
Adidas shoes run half a centimeter smaller than Vans shoes. A US size 8 in Adidas translates to 25.5 CM. The equivalent size on Vans translates into 26 CM. So Adidas shoes run smaller than Vans shoes. You can read my guide about Vans sizes here.
Does Adidas Clothes Run Big Or Small?
Adidas clothing tends to be true to size, so you can buy your average brand size without worrying.
Do Adidas Shorts Run Big Or Small?
Adidas shorts run true to size, and all the ones I have are exactly the same size as other sports brands.
Do Adidas Shoes Run Wide?
It depends on which Adidas styles you choose, since most shoes are pretty narrow, but you do have some styles like the Ozweegos and the Falcons that are wide.
Do Adidas Shoes Run Big Or Small?
Do Adidas run big or small? It all depends on the style of Adidas you pick since some of them run too big, some are too small, and others are true to size. Some Adidas shoe styles are too narrow and others wide.
When buying a pair of Adidas shoes, my advice is to follow the recommendations I provide in this guide since they are based on my experience with thousands of people buying Adidas shoes. I also want you to keep in mind if you can try the shoes in-store, do it and decide by yourself.
Read: Do Skechers Shoes Run Big Or Small?
These guidelines help more online shoppers that can’t try the shoes and keep asking themselves the question: do Adidas run big or small? Now you know.
