adidas adizero Takumi Sen 8 Shoe Review

Published: March 14, 2022

New Takumi Sen Sets the Bar for 2022 Racers

Fast, light, and efficient, the Takumi Sen 8 is an elite racer of the highest order

Likes

Lower profile is perfect for speedy 5K–10K runs
Impressive weight-to-foam ratio
Efficiently smooth ride
Snappy toe-off

Dislikes

Extremely thin tongue that is a bit finicky
Overpronators might experience instability as a result of the medial cutout

What's New

Watch out 2022 because we have a new racing superstar charging onto the scene that offers something different from its competitors. Designed with a lower-profile structure that's perfect for 5K to 10K races, the new Takumi Sen 8 offers the modern racing technology needed to dominate the competition without losing sight of its roots as a traditional racing shoe.

The designers at adidas supercharged the new Takumi by crafting the midsole with their elite Lightstrike Pro foam compound as well as their propulsive ENERGYRODS system, which contributes to the shoe's fast, efficient feel. The incredibly lightweight and impressively secure engineered mesh upper rounds out the shoe's race-ready feel.

The Bottom Line

After a highly successful 2021 racing season, adidas has released yet another elite racer with the new Takumi Sen 8, which, along with its adizero relatives, looks poised to be a dominant racing force throughout 2022. Updated from top-to-bottom, the Takumi Sen 8 is designed very similarly to the illustrious Adios Pro 2, offering the familiar full-length Lightstrike Pro and ENERGYRODS midsole combo that has already proven itself on the roads. These features work harmoniously together to create a super-responsive, highly efficient, and excitingly nimble running experience that is perfectly tuned for 5K to 10K races. That said, elite runners may even find the Takumi Sen's balanced design to be ideal for distances up to the full marathon, so do not be surprised if you see your favourite pro runners rocking the new Takumi Sens in a variety of different races.

The lightning-fast midsole is not the only thing that our testers loved about this new racer; the race-ready upper and secure yet accommodating fit excited them as well. The testers found the updated Celermesh design to be incredibly lightweight, and they felt that it almost disappears on foot without lacking any lockdown. Highly breathable, the Takumi's upper will also have no difficulty keeping the wearer's feet dry and blister-free race after race.

If it was not already apparent, our team found the Takumi Sen 8 to be an awesome new super shoe that they expect will be a top pick throughout 2022. If you have 5K–10K races on the docket this year, then the Takumi is among your best options. With a relatively accessible $279 price tag, this shoe further distinguishes itself as a must-buy racer for 2022.

Shop Men's

Shoe Performance

Shoe Softnessi

FirmSoft

Ride/Energy Returni

Less SpringyMore Springy

Underfoot Protectioni

LowHigh

Flexibilityi

RigidElastic

Upper Supporti

StructuredAdaptable

Specifications & Fit

How It Fits

Toe Box	Medium
Midfoot Volume	Medium to low
Heel Width	Medium
Arch Height	Medium to low

Shoe Specs

Weight	Unisex: 6.8 oz (Size 9)
Stack Height	33 mm (Heel), 27 mm (Forefoot)
Terrain	Road
Stability	Neutral
Sizing	True to size

adidas adizero Takumi Sen Shoe Review Pair of Shoes

adidas adizero Takumi Sen Shoe Review Upper

adidas adizero Takumi Sen Shoe Review Outsole

adidas adizero Takumi Sen Shoe Review Medial Side

adidas adizero Takumi Sen Shoe Review Toe Box

adidas adizero Takumi Sen Shoe Review Lateral view

Our In-Depth Look

Shoe Softnessi

Connor: "Lightstrike Pro has become a staple in adidas' high-end racing products, and the super foam continues to deliver the performance benefits expected from a Takumi. The stack is reduced compared to the Adios Pro, offering a closer-to-the-ground feel. The foam continues to feel very soft without having the bottoming-out effect experienced in other models. I think the softness is perfectly balanced, and the midsole seems to be in the 'Goldilocks' zone, offering a little squish without being at all mushy."

Matt: "The revamped Takumi Sen 8 comes with adidas' bouncy and resilient Lightstrike Pro super foam. We have seen this foam in some of adidas' best performance shoes, and the midsole's density provides runners a nice underfoot feel that isn't too mushy. During my initial workouts, the Lightstrike Pro foam provided just the right amount of softness upon landing, then quickly rebounded me into the next stride."

Ride/Energy Returni

Connor: "I have yet to run in an adidas shoe with full-length Lightstrike Pro that doesn't have fantastic energy return, and the Takumi Sen 8 is no different. The shoe explodes to life as you pick up the pace. While most super shoes seem to be getting higher and higher stack heights to achieve a more bouncy effect, the Takumi Sen offers a remarkably springy ride that also has all the weight reduction benefits of a more 'minimal' profile."

Matt: "Faster paces and shorter races are this shoe's bread and butter, and even though the Takumi Sen 8 has a lower profile compared to other super shoes, it still offers runners an incredible energy return thanks to the overall lighter construction, energy-saving foam, and snappy rods. During workouts, I still felt the resilience of the foam and propulsive rod experience that I'd expect from a super shoe. However, the closer-to-the-ground feel and lighter construction added an extra edge that made the ride very exciting at faster paces."

Underfoot Protectioni

Connor: "The Takumi Sen series has always had a lower-profile, traditional racing flat construction, and while the newest version has a higher stack height, it is still much sleeker than its super shoe competition. The Takumi Sen 8 offers a very sleek feel, and the nimble design is exactly what I look for in a 5K–10K racing shoe. It still offers plenty of protection for half-marathon distances, and some runners may even use it for full-marathon races. If you're not drawn toward ultra-high stack shoes and want to upgrade your old-school racing flats, then the Takumi Sen 8 is the 2022 shoe for you."

Matt: "After a few workouts, I have little doubt that experienced runners with efficient gate cycles could comfortably reach half-marathon distances in the Takumi Sen 8. That said, I think that this shoe is the ideal 5K and 10K racer. In the grand scheme of things, 33 mm of foam is still considered a well-cushioned midsole, and given the resilience of the Lightstrike Pro compound, I had more than enough protection for races and workouts alike. My legs always felt more than fine, even after some longer, 10K-paced workouts in the Takumi Sen."

Flexibilityi

Connor: "Although the Takumi features ENERGYRODS and a small heel plate, the shoe is not nearly as rigid as I expected it would be. The TPU ENERGYRODS, combined with the reduced stack height, make the shoe much more flexible than its big brother, the Adios Pro 2. I still wouldn't call this a flexible shoe, but the ENERGYRODS design has always felt a little more natural than a standard carbon plate, in my opinion. Honestly, I think the Takumi is more natural feeling than any other adidas racing product."

Matt: "The Takumi Sen 8 offers slightly more flexibility than the more cushioned super shoes on the market, though the ENERGYRODS in the midsole still create a fairly rigid underfoot experience."

Upper Supporti

Connor: "The upper on the Takumi Sen 8 is extremely thin. There's very little structure throughout, which is the expectation with a high-end racing shoe. The Takumi Sen 8 is built for performance, and adidas made the shoe as lightweight and as minimal as possible. While the Adios Pro 2 has an extremely thin upper, I feel like the Takumi is even more stripped-down, and runners should have no issues with short races up to roughly half-marathon distances."

Matt: "The Takumi Sen's upper fits my foot very well and offers a surprisingly spacious feel. The shoe's lockdown was very secure and trustworthy. The extremely thin upper was also highly breathable, which kept my feet cool and dry regardless of the conditions."

Men's adidas adizero Takumi Sen Running Shoes

Individual Thoughts

ConnorOverall Score: 9/10

The Takumi Sen 8 is a shoe that I've been eagerly waiting to test because it takes the super shoe philosophy of the Adios Pro 2 and strips it down to make the shoe an even better option for short-distance racing. While the midsole is still more built-up compared to racing flats of the past, runners will find that the lower stack height provides a nimble feel that also has the responsiveness expected in a modern-day marathon racer.

While testing, the shoe delivered the soft and springy feel I've come to love from the Lightstrike Pro foam. The Takumi also didn't feel as bulky as the Adios, and the lighter weight and more nimble feel were ideal for 5K to 10K distances. That said, I'd consider taking this shoe up to the half-marathon, and some elite runners may even enjoy the sleeker Takumi for marathon races. When you consider how much more cushioning these shoes have than racing flats from just a few years ago, I think the Takumi will be a favorite among a variety of runners.

I've used the Takumi mostly for tempo runs and interval workouts, and I am impressed with how the shoe has performed. It's light and fast and is just an overall fun shoe to run in. The ENERGYRODS design doesn't create a crazy noticeable snap, but I think this allowed for the springiness of the foam to truly shine, and it also helped make the Takumi Sen feel more natural on foot.

Shoe Softness

FirmSoft

Ride/Energy Return

Less SpringyMore Springy

Underfoot Protection

LowHigh

Flexibility

RigidElastic

Upper Support

StructuredAdaptable

MattOverall Score: 9/10

In a world filled with max stack heights and highly cushioned carbon plated racers, the Takumi Sen 8 brings runners back down to Earth with its racing flat feel. Right out of the box, runners will notice that the Takumi Sen 8 looks like the Adios Pro 2's little brother, offering very similar all-around tooling, but with a lower stack and overall sleeker design.

The Takumi's close-to-the-ground feel allowed it to rebound very quickly, making for fast turnovers while out on the roads. I felt like the Takumi had just enough protection to cover 10K distances while still producing the snappy rebound needed to hit faster-paced tempos, which I loved for interval workouts.

As for fit, there is more room in the forefoot than expected, which makes the Takumi Sen 8 more accessible to a wider variety of runners with various foot shapes. Furthermore, while the upper is extremely thin, it still locks the foot down extremely well, and I had zero issues with the upper throughout testing. There are some cutouts in the midsole, specifically on the medial side, that may cause overpronators some challenges, but the Takumi's surprisingly accommodating forefoot fit should help remedy this issue. Overall, I think runners who love the underfoot feel of a traditional racing flat or who simply want a lower profile shoe will enjoy the Takumi Sen 8 for shorter races, as well as fast-paced workouts.