Shop the adidas SL 72 for more than a minute and you run into the same confusion. Some listings say SL 72 OG, some say SL 72 RS, some just say SL 72, and none of them explain the difference. The letters are not decoration. They tell you which version of a 1972 running shoe you are looking at, and they change the materials on your feet. Here is what each one means in plain terms.
What does OG mean on the adidas SL 72?
OG is short for original. On the SL 72 it signals the version built closest to the archive shoe rather than a reworked update. The SL 72 arrived in 1972, the Munich Olympic year, as one of adidas's early lightweight running shoes, and it was among the first models to carry the Trefoil logo. That combination of a serious racing pedigree and an early Trefoil is most of the reason people still care about it.
The OG keeps the original recipe. You get a nylon upper with suede overlays, serrated 3-Stripes, a textile lining, an EVA midsole, and a rubber outsole with the ripple tread pattern the model has carried since the beginning. Lace-up closure, low profile, nothing added. When someone searches for SL 72 OG shoes, this is the build they are picturing.
adidas SL 72 OG vs RS: what is actually different?
The RS is the same silhouette with a different material spec. Where the OG pairs nylon with suede overlays, the RS pairs nylon with synthetic overlays. It carries the classic 3-Stripes and Trefoil branding, a textile lining, a cushioned midsole, and a rubber outsole. The shape reads the same from across the room.
The practical difference is texture and upkeep. Suede on the OG gives a softer, deeper finish that ages with character, and it asks for more care in wet weather. The synthetic overlays on the RS wipe down easily and shrug off scuffs. Neither is a downgrade. They are aimed at different owners.
You will also see plain SL 72 releases and collaboration versions, some of which swap in a gum outsole or a different upper material entirely. Those are variations on the same last rather than a third tier, so read the materials list on the listing rather than trusting the name alone.
Do the SL 72 OG run true to size?
For most people, yes. The SL 72 OG fits true to size with a slim, low-profile shape that follows the foot closely, which is what you would expect from a shoe designed to be light and fast in 1972. Take your normal size and you will usually be right.
Two things are worth knowing. The first is width: this is the narrowest shoe in our adidas width ranking, so if you have wide feet, that slim last is the thing to watch. Stay at your normal size anyway — do not size up. The second is length: the SL 72 runs long. The elongated toe box leaves dead space up front, which is why sizing up makes a wide foot worse rather than better, and why slim feet — or anyone bothered by the extra length — do better half a size down.
We go deeper on this in our adidas SL 72 sizing guide, and there is a women's SL 72 sizing guide as well. If you are cross-shopping adidas models, the model-by-model breakdown of whether adidas runs small and the adidas size chart will save you a return.
SL 72 OG vs Samba: how do they compare?
This is the question we get most, because both are low-profile adidas classics from the same era of the archive. They come from different sports and it shows in the shape. The Samba is an indoor soccer shoe, so it is more structured and sits flatter to the ground with a gum outsole built for grip on a court. The SL 72 comes from running, so it is lighter, has a raised heel, and reads more athletic in profile.
On foot, the Samba feels planted and the SL 72 feels quicker. The SL 72 also has a longer, narrower look — it is narrower than the Samba on our width ranking — which some people prefer with tapered trousers and denim. If you already own a Samba and want something from the same family that does not look like a repeat, the SL 72 OG is a natural second pair. Our guide to adidas lifestyle shoes lays out how the terrace and running models sit next to each other, and our old school adidas guide covers the founding year and original sport for each one.
Is the SL 72 OG worth owning?
If you want a retro runner with real history and a shape that has not been modernized into something else, the OG is the honest version of the SL 72. The nylon and suede build is the one the model earned its reputation on, and the slim profile still looks current next to the bulkier retro runners filling the category now.
Buy the OG if you care about materials and heritage. Buy the RS if you want the look on an easier daily shoe. Either way you are getting the same 1972 silhouette, and both sit in our SL 72 collection. For the full history of the model, colorway families, and how the line developed, start with our complete guide to the adidas SL 72. If the terrace side of the archive is more your speed, the adidas Gazelle complete guide is the companion piece.
Whatever you land on, every pair we send out is Verified & Shipped, authenticated in house by our team in Portland, Oregon before it leaves the floor. Know which version you are buying, get the size right the first time, and the rest takes care of itself.
— Anthony from West Coast Deals