As sneakerheads, we’ve all experienced the peculiarities of Adidas sizing—it’s almost like each shoe has its own unique sizing identity, leaving us wondering: How do Adidas sneakers really fit?
From classic silhouettes like the Stan Smiths to cutting-edge designs like the Crazy Infinity 2.5, every Adidas model brings its own sizing quirks to the table.
You know as well as I do, talking about Adidas sizing is like trying to condense sneaker culture into a single paragraph—it’s almost impossible!
So, let’s take a closer look at about 17 Adidas models and let you know whether they run big, small, or true to size.
Sounds interesting? Let’s dive right into it…
How Do Adidas Sneakers Fit
Adidas Samba
If you’ve got narrow feet, the Adidas Samba generally fits true to size. However, compared to most other Adidas models, the Samba runs quite narrow, especially around the midfoot. For that reason, it’s highly recommended to go a half size up from your true size in the Adidas Samba.
If you have wide feet, the Adidas Samba may not be your ideal pick. Even going up a half size, the Samba might still be a bit too tight, and going a full size up could result in too much room in the toe box.
Overall, the Samba is just not a very wide foot-friendly shoe, unfortunately.
Did you know there are several versions of this iconic shoe? You’ve got:
- Samba Classic with a really long tongue
- Samba Humanrace by Pharrell
- Samba OG with a shorter tongue
- Samba Vegan
- Velo Samba designed for cycling
The thing is all of these Sambas fit the same, and you need to go a half size up from your true size.
Related: Curious how designer shoes fit? Here’s how Balenciaga shoes fit.
Adidas UltraBoost
While some of the newer Adidas UltraBoost models fit true to size, the older versions like the 1.0 can be a tad narrow. So in some cases, you might want to go up half a size for that perfect fit.
Adidas Stan Smith
Ah, the classic Stan Smiths—iconic in every sneakerhead’s collection! Generally, the Stan Smiths do fit true to size for most folks. However, if you’ve got wider feet, they might feel a bit narrow.
Adidas SL72 RS
The SL72 RS did fit me true to size and that’s what I recommend to you guys if you’re planning to grab a pair of these for yourself.
However, if you do have wider feet, it might not hurt to go up half a size because I found that even with regular-width feet, it does feel a little bit tighter around the midfoot than other sneakers like Asics do.
Speaking of which, Asics sneakers are killing it in 2024! If you’re wondering how Asics sneakers fit, I’ve got you covered.
Adidas AE 1
The sizing on the AE 1 is pretty weird, not gonna lie. I tried this shoe both in my true size as well a half size down just to see which size fits better.
In my true size, I noticed the AE 1 were a tad long in the toe box, giving me a bit too much room up front. But when I switched to that half size down, it was way too tight and pretty much unbearable.
So, my advice? I would suggest you actually go with your true size, which is the better of the two options. But for me, neither really was the perfect fit I was hoping for.
Not only that but putting the AE 1 on is a whole mission, though. You have to loosen those laces all the way up, use the pull tab, and maybe even use a shoehorn.
The other thing about the fit is the shoe is quite a long sneaker and it looks long on feet. It feels like there is unnecessarily too much room in the toe box and you’ll definitely feel that when you go true to size.
Adidas Superstar
The Superstars are true to size all the way. Once again just to recap on the sizing, whatever your true size is in most shoes, go a half size up from your true size for the Adidas Sambas, you want to go down half a size for both the Gazelles and the Campus, and finally with the Adidas Superstars, stick with your true size.
Adidas NMD S1
The NMD S1 definitely runs too big and I could have easily gone down half a size. If you have longer more narrow feet, you might get away with going true to size.
If you have the chance to try this shoe on first, I would recommend you do so to make sure that you’re grabbing the right size for you.
Again, I would go a half size down than your UltraBoost size and go a full size down than your Yeezys because in Yeezys, I always go a half size up.
Adidas Gazelle
The Gazelles and the Sambas might look quite similar at first glance. However, there’s a key difference you’ll notice right away: the Gazelles have a wider midfoot and toe box compared to the narrower Sambas.
When you’re trying out Adidas Gazelles, I recommend going half a size down from your usual size. That’s a full size smaller than what you’d wear in Adidas Sambas.
I told you that Adidas shoes fit differently across models, so it’s good to be aware of your sizing. If you have wider feet, you can go true to size and the Gazelles should still provide a comfortable fit for you.
Adidas offers various Gazelle models, such as the Gazelle Indoor (a collaboration with Gucci) and the Gazelle Bold (with a triple-stacked outsole).
Regardless of the specific Gazelle model, make sure you go down half a size from your true size to get the best fit.
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3
If you’re thinking about getting yourself a pair of the Adios Pro 3, I suggest sticking to your true size. The lockdown on this shoe is quite good, so it should secure your foot well and keep you locked in.
Adidas Campus
When it comes to sizing for the Campus, it fits similarly to the Gazelles for me, meaning I go half a size down from my true size. Like many Adidas shoes, the Campus comes in various versions, with the Campus 80s being the most popular.
There’s also the Campus 2000s, typically crafted from suede and featuring thicker Adidas Stripes and laces. Additionally, there’s the Campus ADV, designed specifically for skateboarding. Regardless of which version you choose, remember to go down half a size from your true size for the best fit.
ADIDAS CAMPUS LIGHT BAD BUNNY
If you’ve never worn a pair of Campus before, I recommend going down half a size from your true size. In my experience, wearing these true to size results in a fit that feels too large, with noticeable heel slippage and excess room in the toe area. Going down half a size ensures a better fit.
For reference, the size I wear in the Campus is similar to what I wear in Air Force 1s and is also half a size smaller than Adidas Forum Lows.
Adidas Fear of God 86 Lo
Since I wasn’t sure about sizing in these, I actually got two pairs, one pair was my true size and the other was a half size up.
Initially, I wore the pair in my true size, but it felt a bit weird on my feet. My toes felt quite squeezed, even though there was still some room in the toe box, which made no sense to me. It turns out this sensation was because of the very pointy toe box of the sneaker.
I tried going half a size up, but I wouldn’t recommend it because then there’s just way too much room in the toe box.
So, going true to size seems to be the best choice for the Fear Of God 86 Lo. Going half a size down doesn’t seem like the solution either because even at true to size, my toes felt a bit squeezed, so I can imagine it would feel even worse if I went half a size down.
But, I’m curious about your sizing experiences as well. Share your thoughts in the comments.
Adidas Mad Infinity
The Mad Infinity does feel extremely tight on feet. I got this in my true size and my feet are absolutely crying for help.
So, I would suggest at the very minimum to go up half a size. And if you have wider feet, I would even suggest going up a full size in this shoe. The Mad Infinity is already a very bulky-looking shoe and it does look pretty big on feet. So, I’m not a big fan of having to get an even bigger size than I need to.
Adidas Crazy Infinity 2.5
For sizing, I went with my true size, which is the same fit in most Jordan 1s, Jordan 3s, 4s.
With the Yeezy 700, the Yeezy QNTM, and the Yeezy 350s, I go up half a size. However, with the Crazy Infinity 2.5, I definitely think true to size is your best bet.
Even if you have wider feet, I think that all that cushioning and all that padding will start to break in over time so I don’t really think you need to go up half a size.
Adidas BW Army
I ended up getting the BW Army in my true size and while they do fit a bit tight on my feet, there is also a bit of heel slippage so I don’t think that going up half a size was the right move for me.
Also, because they do fit kind of tight, I don’t think I would go down half a size, either. So, it does seem like true to size seems to be the best bet with the BW Army.
Adidas Harden Volume 8
The good news is when it comes to the Harden Volume 8, it does fit pretty much true to size. So if you’re grabbing a pair of these to ball in, I would say go true to size and you should be good to go.
Adidas Forum Low
When it comes to the size of the Forum Lows, I would recommend going true to size.
Key Takeaways
From classic kicks like the Stan Smiths to innovative designs like the Crazy Infinity 2.5, it’s no surprise that Adidas sizing and fit can vary across different models.
For instance, while shoes like the Stan Smiths generally fit true to size, others like the Sambas may run narrow and may require you to go up half a size. Bulky models like the Mad Infinity might feel tight, especially if you have wider feet, so sizing up may be necessary.
To find the perfect fit, try on the sneakers in person at a store. This allows you to assess the fit and comfort firsthand. Once you’ve found your perfect match, you can confidently make your purchase online, knowing they’ll fit just as you want them to.