Adidas Adifom vs SL 72: which retro tech silhouette fits India

Adidas has been running two very different playbooks lately. One dips into the 1972 running archive and barely touches it. The other takes a familiar silhouette and rebuilds it entirely out of foam. Both have landed hard on Indian feeds this year, and both keep showing up in the same "what should I cop next" threads.

If you are trying to pick between the Adifom line and the SL 72, the honest answer is that they are not really solving the same problem. One is about looking like nothing has changed since 1972. The other is about a sneaker that barely resembles anything from before 2023. Here is how to tell them apart and figure out which one actually fits your rotation.

Photo: Kicks Machine, Adidas Adifom Superstar Black White

What the SL 72 actually is

The SL 72 was built for track athletes in 1972, and the "SL" literally stands for Super Light (Source: Adidas archive notes via Wikipedia). The current retro run keeps that DNA almost untouched: a nylon upper, suede overlays at the toe and heel, a slim EVA midsole, and a low profile that sits close to the ground.

It runs light because it was designed to run light. There is no chunky foam wedge here, no exaggerated sole. It is closer to a running spike that decided to become a lifestyle shoe, and that restraint is exactly why it has found a second wind alongside the Samba and Gazelle resurgence.

On Kicks Machine, the Adidas SL 72 collection currently runs colourways like SL 72 RS Black White, SL 72 RS Collegiate Green Core White, and the SL 72 RS Blue Scarlet, alongside a couple of collaboration leaning drops. It is a tight assortment, not a sprawling one, so if a specific colourway catches your eye, it is worth checking availability before you build an outfit around it.

What the Adifom line actually is

Adifom is not one shoe. It is a construction method Adidas has been applying across several silhouettes, most visibly the Superstar. Instead of leather panels stitched onto a foam midsole, the entire upper and sole are molded from a single piece of foam, with an inner bootie for lockdown and a more sculpted outer shell layered over it.

The result looks futuristic next to the classic Superstar, with soft, rounded edges and none of the shell toe's crisp lines. It trades the flat, minimal ride of a running shoe for something closer to a slipper you can wear outside. That makes it a genuinely different comfort profile from the SL 72, not just a different silhouette.

The Adidas Adifom collection on the site currently leans heavily into Adifom Superstar variants (Black White, Triple White, Olive Strata Black, and a couple of playful colourways), plus the Adifom TRXN. It is another compact lineup, so treat "available on site" as the honest price line unless you are looking at a listing that is already live. Since foam construction shoes are harder to eyeball for authenticity than a stitched leather upper, we run every Adifom pair through the same in house check before it ships, alongside CheckCheck and LegitApp verification.

Comfort and fit, side by side

This is where the two shoes genuinely part ways, and it matters more in India's climate than most comparisons let on.

The SL 72's nylon upper breathes well and gives your foot room to move, which is useful on humid Mumbai or Chennai days when your feet swell a little by evening. It runs closer to true to size for most people, though a few reviewers note going half a size up if you have wider feet (Source: RunRepeat).

The Adifom's foam bootie construction is snugger through the midfoot, with the outer shell giving a bit more room around it. Reviewers are split: some find it true to size, some size up half a size for a roomier feel (Source: brand and retailer product notes). The upside is real all day cushioning, closer to walking on a firm mattress than a traditional sneaker sole, which is why it has become a genuine option for people who are on their feet for long office or campus days rather than just posing for a photo.

Photo: Kicks Machine, Adidas SL 72 RS Black White

Which one fits your closet

If your wardrobe already leans into the Samba and Gazelle wave, the SL 72 slots in without any adjustment. It pairs with straight leg jeans, cargo pants, and the loose tee and jacket combinations that dominate that whole aesthetic right now. It is also the safer buy if you want a sneaker that reads as classic rather than trendy, since the silhouette has decades of runway underneath it.

If you want something that looks distinctly of this moment, and you care more about comfort during a long day than about matching a specific era of Adidas history, the Adifom is the more interesting pick. It also works better if your personal style already sits closer to the chunky, foam forward end of things, where Alexander McQueen or Golden Goose style silhouettes make regular appearances in your closet.

Neither is the wrong answer. They are just answering different questions.

Buying either one in India

Because both collections are genuinely small right now, the smartest move is to check exact colourway availability before you commit to an outfit plan or a gifting decision around either shoe. Prices on both lines move around based on colourway and edition, so treat any number you see as a snapshot, not a fixed rate.

That is also why every pair that leaves our Dehradun warehouse gets checked before it ships. Retro reissues like the SL 72 and newer construction shoes like the Adifom line both have enough colourway variants floating around resale channels that a quick physical check before dispatch genuinely matters, not just as a formality.

If you are still undecided, think about how the shoe needs to perform in your week, not just in a photo. A shoe you wear to a five hour campus day needs different things from a shoe you wear for two hours at a weekend meetup, and that difference is basically the whole story between these two.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Adidas Adifom comfortable for all day wear?
Yes, the foam midsole and bootie construction are built for cushioning over long wear, which is part of why it has become popular with people who are on their feet most of the day rather than just people chasing the look.

Is the SL 72 true to size?
Most wearers find it runs close to true to size, with a nylon upper that offers a bit of give. A few reviewers with wider feet size up by half a size for extra room (Source: RunRepeat).

What is the Adidas Adifom made of?
The Adifom construction molds the upper and midsole from a single foam material, layered with an inner bootie for lockdown and a sculpted outer shell for structure and shape.

Are Adifom and SL 72 from the same Adidas line?
No. The SL 72 is a retro reissue of a 1972 running silhouette. Adifom is a newer construction technique Adidas applies to several silhouettes, most visibly the Superstar, and the two do not share a design lineage.

Which is better for Indian weather, Adifom or SL 72?
The SL 72's nylon upper breathes better in humid conditions, which makes it the more forgiving pick for coastal cities. The Adifom's foam construction runs a bit warmer but compensates with all day cushioning.

Final call

If you had to walk into a store and choose one today, let the occasion decide. Everyday, warm weather, classic styling: the SL 72. Statement piece, long days on your feet, futuristic edge: the Adifom. Both collections are live and verified in stock at Kicks Machine, so the smarter move is to check today's actual colourway lineup on the Adidas SL 72 collection or the Adidas Adifom collection before you decide, since both ranges shift often.