Adizero Avanti 2
Lightstrike Pro long-distance spike with stiff spike plate
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Price history
Our verdict
The Adizero Avanti 2 is adidas at its most single-minded: a long-distance track spike built for the 5000m and 10,000m, and not much else. This is a race-day tool, not a training shoe. At 170g with a stiff full-length spike plate and Lightstrike Pro foam underfoot, it aims to give you a touch more cushion and return than a stripped bare spike, so your legs survive 25 laps and still have a kick left. On the track it feels fast and direct, with the pins biting hard through the bend. We rate it as one of the more forgiving distance spikes out there, which matters when the gun goes on lap 20 and not lap 2. It sits mid-pack on price for an elite spike at an RRP of 150 pounds. If you race longer track events and want a spike that protects you late, it earns a place in the bag. Shorter, sharper efforts want a different tool, and the Adizero Ambition 2 covers the middle distances better.
Key features
- Stiff full-length spike plateResists bending so every push-off is direct and you get a clean snap off the pins lap after lap
- Lightstrike Pro foamAdds a slim layer of return and protection that keeps your legs fresher deep into a 10,000m
- 170g race weightStays light enough to feel sharp while carrying a little more foam than a bare-plate spike
- 0mm drop, low platformKeeps you forward over the pins for efficient, fast turnover on the track
- Locked-down race upperWraps the foot with almost no dead space so nothing slips when you drive through the bend
Who it suits
Who should buy it
- Track racers chasing a 5000m or 10,000m PB who want protection late in the race
- Runners who find bare-plate distance spikes too harsh on the legs
- Neutral, efficient footstrikers with a narrow to normal-width foot
- Athletes who want one distance spike for the longer track events
Who should not buy it
- You race middle distance and want a lighter, sharper spike for the 800m or 1500m
- You have a wide forefoot or need a roomy toe box
- You overpronate or need any corrective stability
- You want a spike that doubles for easy running or warm-ups
Best uses
Extra information
Fit & sizing
Track spikes run tighter than road shoes by design, and the Avanti 2 is no exception. Expect a snug, race-day fit that wraps the foot closely with very little dead space. Most runners will find it true to size against other adidas spikes, but if you are coming from a roomy road trainer the first step-in will feel aggressive. That is the point: you want zero slippage when you are up on your toes through the bend. The toe box is low and tapered, the midfoot lockdown is firm, and the heel is minimal, so hold comes from a tight overall fit rather than a padded collar. We would order your normal size for a locked-down racing feel, and only size up half a size if you have a wide forefoot or race in warm conditions where feet swell. Try them on with your race socks. There is no room to spare for thick padding.
Performance breakdown
Ride & feel
On the track the Avanti 2 feels quick and connected. The stiff spike plate resists bending, so your push-off is direct and there is a clear snap as the pins grip and release. It is firmer than any road super shoe, as a spike should be, but the Lightstrike Pro layer takes just enough sting out of the pounding that the last few laps do not shred your legs. Hold your race pace and it comes alive. Drop below race effort and it feels stiff and unremarkable, because it is not built to jog. The 0mm drop keeps you low and forward over the pins, which is exactly where you want to be for efficient turnover. This is a rhythm shoe: settle into pace and let the plate do the work lap after lap.
Cushioning
By spike standards there is real cushioning here, and that is the whole pitch of the Avanti 2. The Lightstrike Pro foam gives you a slim layer of protection that a traditional bare-plate distance spike does not, which is why it suits the 10,000m where the repeated impact adds up over 25 laps. Do not read cushioning as soft. Compared to any road shoe this is firm, low and race-focused. What you get is enough underfoot return to blunt the harshest impacts and keep your legs fresher into the closing stages, without adding the weight or squish that would kill the responsiveness a track race demands. It is a distance spike first, so the cushion is there to protect turnover, not to pamper.
Stability
This is a neutral spike with no stability structures, and you should not expect any. Stability on the track comes from the spike plate and the pins biting the surface, which give you a planted, predictable platform when you are running in lane and on rhythm. The low stack keeps your foot close to the track, so there is little of the tippy feeling that tall road super shoes can bring. That said, this is a narrow, aggressive race tool with a firm ride, so it rewards a neutral, efficient footstrike. If you overpronate heavily or need corrective support you will not find it here, and no distance spike at this level offers it. Save it for races and sharp sessions where your form holds.
Upper & comfort
The upper is thin, light and built for one job: holding your foot dead still at pace. It is a minimal, breathable race construction with next to no padding, so comfort in the everyday sense is not the goal. Expect a close, sock-like wrap that locks the midfoot and keeps the foot planted over the plate. There is enough structure to stop the foot rolling off the platform through the bend, but this is not a shoe you lounge around in. Wear your thinnest race socks, because there is no spare volume for thick padding. Over a 5000m or 10,000m it disappears on the foot, which is precisely what you want from a distance spike. For easy running or warm-ups, reach for something else.
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FAQ
Specifications
| Category | Race |
| Surface | Track |
| Drop | 0mm |
| Weight | 170g |
| Carbon Plated | No |
| Stability | No |