We sell the adidas Superstar at West Coast Deals, so I've had a lot of pairs in hand. This review answers the question people ask most: do the Superstar run true to size, and should you size down? Plus the construction, the history, and how the shell toe stacks up against the Samba.
Short version: true to size. The last is narrow and the rigid shell toe never widens, so extra length is not the fix for a wide foot. Slim or narrow feet can go down half a size if they want a closer, more locked-in hold. Wide feet should stay true to size and add a heel grip if the heel slips at all, or go down half a size if a locked heel matters more to them than forefoot room. Never size up.
Or browse the full adidas Superstar collection.
The short answer on sizing
adidas lists the Superstar II as true to size, and the largest owner datasets agree, most people wear their normal size. The friction point is the shell toe: it's a rigid molded cap that doesn't widen or soften with wear, and the last it sits on is narrow, so the vamp pulls in over the toe. That tempts wide-footed buyers into sizing up, and it doesn't work. Going up half a size adds length you don't need without adding width where the shoe actually pinches, and it introduces heel slip. Stay true to size and use a heel grip if you get any slip, or go down half a size if you'd rather have a locked heel than forefoot room. If your feet are slim or low-volume, half a size down is also the cleaner fit.
Know your size? Shop the adidas Superstar collection.
How they fit
I wear a US 11 with a wider foot, and the Superstar is one where my width matters. The last is on the narrow side and the vamp pulls in over the rigid shell cap, so I feel it at true to size more than I would in a roomier shoe. Testing three sizes back to back is what settled it: the half size up gave me no useful extra width at the forefoot and traded it for heel slip, so the length was wasted. True to size with a heel grip was the better pair, and half a size down is the honest alternative if a locked-in heel matters more to you than forefoot room. The leather around the heel and lacing softens with wear, but the shell toe stays put, so don't expect break-in to fix forefoot tightness.
Should I size down in Superstars?
Only if you want a snugger, crisper fit that creases less, you have a slim or low-volume foot, or you have a wide foot and would rather have a locked heel than a little more room at the forefoot. For standard-width feet, stay true to size. What you should not do is size up. The extra half size doesn't add width where the shell toe pinches, and it leaves your heel moving. If true to size slips at the heel, a heel grip fixes it far more reliably than a size change.
What the Superstar (and "Superstar II") is
The Superstar launched in 1969 as a low-top version of adidas's Pro Model basketball shoe, the first low-top basketball shoe with an all-leather upper, with a molded rubber "shell toe" originally engineered to protect players' toes. By 1973 it was reportedly on the feet of most of the NBA, and it later became a streetwear and hip-hop icon (think Run-DMC's "My Adidas"). The "Superstar II" most people mean today is the late-'90s/2000s update defined by a thick, heavily padded "fat tongue" for comfort, that's the version in most current listings.
Specs and construction
- Upper: Smooth full-grain leather (some variants use suede or textile).
- Toe: The iconic molded rubber shell toe, rigid; it does not widen with wear.
- 3-Stripes: Signature perforated three stripes on the sidewall.
- Sole: Sturdy rubber cupsole with a herringbone tread and an EVA midsole inside.
- Tongue: The padded "fat tongue" on the Superstar II.
How it compares to other adidas models
Superstar vs Samba. Both are narrow shoes. The Samba is the narrowest of the classic terrace models and runs slightly long, so standard and narrow feet go down half a size in one and wide feet stay true, nobody sizes up in a Samba. The Superstar is narrow too, just a step less so, and the pinch comes from a rigid shell toe rather than a soft leather vamp. Different heritage as well, basketball shell toe versus soccer trainer. See our Samba sizing guide.
Superstar vs Stan Smith. The Stan Smith is the clean, minimalist tennis look with a slightly roomy midfoot, and it's the easier of the two on a wide foot.
Superstar vs Forum. The Forum is the chunky strapped basketball silhouette, true to size with a roomy, accommodating forefoot that even wide feet are generally fine in; the Superstar is lower and more everyday. See our Forum sizing guide.
Who the Superstar is for
Great if you want a durable, iconic everyday leather sneaker with versatile styling and you have a standard-width foot. Look elsewhere if you have very wide feet and dislike any forefoot pressure, because no size fixes that on this last, or if you want a soft, cushioned ride, the Superstar is firm and flat.
Final verdict
The Superstar is a forever classic, and the only thing to get right before buying is how the narrow last and rigid shell toe suit your foot: true to size for standard feet, half a size down if your feet are slim or you want a closer hold, and true to size with a heel grip for wide feet, or half a size down if you'd rather lock the heel than keep the room. Don't size up. For the deeper sizing breakdown see our Superstar II size guide, and to check authenticity see how to spot fake Superstars. Browse the full Superstar collection, or pick a pair below.
Shop Superstars
In men's, these two are the pair to start with: the Black/White and the White/Black. If you want white, the White/Black is the version to buy.
In women's sizing, these two run the same last and the same shell toe, so the sizing advice above applies unchanged:
The full Superstar collection has the rest of the lineup.
We sell adidas at West Coast Deals, authenticated in-house and shipped from our Portland, Oregon warehouse.
Anthony from West Coast Deals