While the first thing that catches one’s eye when looking at either of these brightly colored shoes is their appearance, you might not want to make your decision between these two low profile (lightweight and thin-midsole) shoes based on your inclination for red or blue. Depending on your preference of fit and feel, and even where you run, either of these low profile shoes might be a better choice. The Adidas AdiZero XT (men's, women's) provides a more traditional feel and has the durability of a trail shoe. The Saucony Grid Sinister (men's, women's) has a more unique feel, mostly due to its plate-based midsole construction that will have some runners hooked, but may turn away others.

Most low profile shoes provide less soft cushioning and stability than many running shoes, and these two are no exception. The midsoles are noticeably thinner in the AdiZero XT and Grid Sinister than comparable cushioning shoes from both Adidas and Saucony. For this reason, many people use these shoes for faster or shorter workouts, saving bulkier cushioning or stability shoes for longer distance days.

Adidas AdiZero XT
Heel height: 33 mm
Forefoot height: 22 mm

Saucony Grid Sinister
Heel height: 27 mm
Forefoot height 14 mm

Adidas Supernova Cushion (men's, women's)
Heel height: 39 mm
Forefoot height: 25 mm

Saucony Trigon Ride (men's, women's)
Heel height: 35 mm
Forefoot height: 27 mm

Technology / Features

A key tech challenge for shoe companies making low profile shoes is how to provide durability with less and more lightweight material. Both of these shoes also feature unique features to augment a lightweight design.



Adidas AdiZero XT

• Weight: 10.0 oz (size 9)
• Upper: Double-layered mesh in most of the shoe for lightweight breathability.
• Midsole: Injected EVA material, featuring adiPRENE in the heel for shock absorption and adiPRENE+ in the forefoot for dynamic cushioning and push-off.
• Outsole: Coarse, tough TRAXION outsole for maximum durability and grip.

• Weight: 10.3 oz (size 9)
• Upper: Breathable mesh with synthetic overlays.
• Midsole: Injected compression EVA as well as a full-length hard but flexible and responsive FleXion plate, made of TPU material that guides the foot from a cushioned heel strike to responsive toe-off.
• Outsole: XT-900 outsole material which provides lightweight durable traction.

Fit and Feel

Both the AdiZero XT and the Grid Sinister have a very good upper fit. Unlike many lightweight shoes, these both are cut and have flexible material to accommodate a somewhat wide foot. The AdiZero XT seems to have a better cut in the forefoot than some other Adidas models that seem to have had a bit of “extra” material there. The heel of the Grid Sinister seems to slip slightly, which seems to have something to do with the midsole construction.

The real difference in feel between these shoes comes from the midsole. The cushioning in the AdiZero XT is solid and stiff-feeling in a comforting way. For the runner who likes to “feel the road” (or trail) the AdiZero XT provides stiff-but-even cushioning throughout the gait. It also has a balanced feel, without too much of a drop from heel to forefoot height.

The feeling of the Grid Sinister’s cushioning is markedly different. The cushioning of this shoe soft at first, but once it takes all of the runner’s weight it feels like it “bottoms out” as the EVA is compressed and the runner activates the TPU FleXion plate, especially in the forefoot. This reflects the thin 14 mm forefoot that is considerably less than most cushioned shoes, and a full 7 mm thinner than the AdiZero XT. It does emphasize the toe-off, however, which will appeal to some runners for up-tempo running.

The sizing for both is standard to what you would expect in other models from these companies.

Check out the AdiZero XT and Grid Sinister at the RunTex online store.