The adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM is an entry-level, multipurpose shoe intended for lifestyle wear and some running. Its moderate stack provides great stability, and it can handle short runs adequately. However, the dull, firm midsole lacks pep and punch, provides disappointing impact protection, and isn't suited to long runs or marathon racing.
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Our Verdict
The adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM is a bad choice for marathon racing. Though it has great stability, its weight makes it cumbersome, and its harsh midsole provides poor protection from the first stride, so your legs will feel beat up fast. It's also very dull and inefficient, with hardly any bounce either, so you'll have to work hard to maintain pace in a shoe that feels like it's working against you rather than for you.
Weight feels cumbersome over long distances.
Poor impact protection from the road.
Inefficient midsole works against you rather than for you.
Rocker geometry isn't very assistive at all.
The adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM is an unremarkable pick for 5K/10K racing. Despite its firm forefoot providing a planted toe-off, the very compliant rocker and appalling energy return under load mean it lacks even a hint of punchy snap. Its significant heft makes it hard to turnover at pace, too.
Firm forefoot provides planted toe-off.
Too heavy to turnover at pace.
Dull forefoot energy return lacks punch or snap.
The adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM is an inadequate companion for long runs. Whilst its stability may help keep good form when fatigued, the shoe's not up to the task of extended efforts, with poor impact protection and a deeply inefficient midsole. The forefoot rocker geometry's not any better, either, delivering sub-par rolling assistance. Its weight also feels very cumbersome as the miles add up.
Weight feels cumbersome over long distances.
Poor impact protection from the road.
Inefficient midsole works against you rather than for you.
Rocker geometry isn't very assistive at all.
The adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM is an okay daily trainer. It's impressively stable, delivering a trustworthy and reliable platform underfoot. The heel rocker does a good job of guiding you through to midstance, too. However, its impact protection really is poor, so legs will feel beat up pretty quickly. It's also on the heavy side for a daily trainer, and its dull midsole produces a flat ride that lacks the joy or excitement we've come to expect in today's market.
Shoe is very easy to trust underfoot.
Heel rocker provides very good assistance.
Inadequate cushioning means legs will be beat up fast.
Ride is devoid of fun or excitement.
We've bought and tested more than 250 running shoes. Every pair purchased with our own money, never supplied or sponsored by brands. Our data-driven tests are designed to go beyond marketing claims, and since every shoe goes through the exact same methodology, you can directly compare results to find the right pair for your needs.
Test Results
Energy Return
The adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM provides terrible energy return across the board. No matter where you land on the shoe, you'll be working very hard to maintain pace, as the lack of rebound makes the ride wildly inefficient.
Landings lack rebound.
Inefficient ride makes you work hard to keep pace.
Though a bit better than the heel, the energy return in the forefoot is still awful, delivering a toe-off that is one of the dullest we've ever tested.
There's no sugarcoating that the energy return in the heel of this shoe is awful. To put it into perspective, it returns only a bit more than the Crocs Classic Clog, and most runners won't notice a difference.
Stability
The adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM is an impressively stable shoe. Its firm heel and forefoot make landing and toe-off very secure, and the good heel-to-stack ratio stops it from ever feeling wobbly. However, the arch outsole is a bit narrow, so if you pronate excessively, you may find it less stable than the score suggests.
Firm forefoot makes toe-off secure.
Firm heel provides a very stable base for landings.
Outsole arch is a bit narrow.
The heel of this shoe is remarkably firm, so rearfoot landings feel very secure, no matter your weight or pace.
This shoe has one of the firmest forefoots we've ever tested across all force levels. This makes toe-off incredibly stable.
This shoe has a non-gusseted tongue and no plate. A gusseted tongue can help with the shoe's stability, but the shoe's very good overall stability means it doesn't need one. The lack of a plate also makes the shoe accessible for any kind of activity.
Cushioning
The adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM has poor cushioning underfoot. No matter your weight or pace, the midsole does a bad job of protecting you from the sting of the road, leaving your legs beat up after even the shortest jaunt.
Poor impact protection across the whole shoe.
Midsole not up to the task of longer efforts.
The heel of the adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM is poor across the board. Rearfoot landings are harsh and nowhere near as protective as in shoes like the adidas Adizero Evo SL or Brooks Trace 4.
The forefoot cushioning of this shoe is even worse than the heel, offering poor protection through toe-off.
The adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM is not a shoe for longer efforts. The midsole is completely unsuitable for anything beyond 10K without your legs feeling beat up afterward.
Bounciness
The adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM is not a bouncy shoe at all. The midsole returns energy terribly and lacks the compression needed to turn the modicum of rebound it does have into spring.
Terrible energy return provides minimal spring back.
Midsole doesn't compress enough to deliver any bounce.
Snappiness
The adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM delivers an inadequate amount of snap. Though its forefoot is very firm and reasonably stiff, it stores and returns a terrible amount of energy when bent and unbent. The rocker angle is also too gentle to deliver a punchy toe-off.
Forefoot stores hardly any energy when bent.
Forefoot returns hardly any energy when unbent.
The forefoot of this shoe stores and releases hardly any energy, so toe-off lacks snap.
The forefoot of this shoe is reasonably stiff. In theory, this should help the shoe feel more snappy, but the disappointing forefoot rocker and lack of energy return mean it does little more than assist turnover a bit.
Roll
The adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM rolls inadequately. The mild forefoot rocker is too compliant, and buckles under load too easily, and the forefoot stack is too low, meaning it flattens rather than provides a guided rollover.
Compliant rocker buckles too easily to roll.
Low forefoot stack flattens rather than rolls.
The rocker of this shoe is very compliant, flattening instead of assisting roll.
True To Size
The adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM fits true to size overall. The length is bang-on, and the width of the forefoot and arch closely match our reference fit. Though the toe box may be a bit low for those with taller toes, we still recommend all runners choose their usual size.
Length is bang-on.
Forefoot and arch width closely match our reference fit.
Low toe box may cause issues for some.
The adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM is on the heavy end for a daily trainer. Significantly heavier than both the adidas Adizero Evo SL and Brooks Trace 4.
The adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM uses a basic slab of EVA as its midsole. It's tuned to be firm and not plush, so it suits walking and strength training more than running. Its rudimentary composition also explains why the ride lacks even a pinch of protection or rebound underfoot.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM in men's U.S. size 9, as indicated on the label of our unit. The colorway shown here is Cloud White/Bright Royal/Grey One. adidas offers Standard and Wide sizing for men and women, with multiple color options available across regions. The design section applies specifically to the version we tested, but we expect other sizes and gender variants to perform similarly.
Popular Running Shoe Comparisons
The adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM is a lifestyle shoe intended for daily wear, gym work, and small amounts of running. Despite bearing the same three stripes as the adidas Adizero Evo SL, the shoes are worlds apart. The Evo SL is a purpose-built running shoe with a deeply protective, lively midsole that can handle pretty much anything. The Runfalcon 6 has more in common with other multipurpose shoes like the Brooks Trace 4, and there's not much between them: both are similarly stable with disappointing cushioning and unexciting rides, best suited to those who are looking for a walking or workout shoe first, and may warm up or cool down by running on a treadmill.
If you're new to running and looking to get serious about the world's oldest sport, check out our top picks for beginners. For more shoes from adidas, check out our best picks from the brand.
The adidas Adizero Evo SL is a better running shoe than the adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM. Its midsole is much livelier and provides significantly more impact protection. It's also much lighter and can handle pretty much all daily training needs. Whilst the Runfalcon is much more stable, unless you're only looking for a shoe to handle warm-ups and cool downs on a treadmill between gym work, the Evo SL is the shoe to get.
The Brooks Trace 4 is a slightly better running shoe than the adidas Runfalcon 6 CLOUDFOAM. Though they're both equally stable, and neither particularly peppy nor protective, the Brooks delivers significantly more cushioning and rebound. That said, if you're looking for a shoe to handle gym work, walking, and some warm-ups and cool downs on the treadmill, there's really not much between them, so pick whichever shoe's cheapest or the design you like best.