Comparison
Nike vs Adidas Fit
Nike and Adidas both use the standard US and EU shoe scale, but the shoes on those scales fit differently. Adidas is generally longer and narrower; Nike is closer to the label but more variable across silhouettes.
Adidas: most performance and lifestyle silhouettes run half a size long. Standard advice: size down half a size, especially for Ultraboost, Samba, Gazelle and Superstar.
Nike: performance running (Pegasus, Vomero, Invincible) is true to size. Lifestyle (Air Force 1, Dunk, Air Max 90) runs half a size long. Jordan 1 runs long; Jordan 4 is true to size.
Width: Nike lasts are medium-narrow with a 'Wide' option on running shoes. Adidas lasts are usually narrower still — wide-footed wearers often prefer Nike or move to New Balance.
| Model | Nike equivalent | Fit |
|---|---|---|
| Adidas Ultraboost | Nike Pegasus | Ultraboost runs 0.5 long, Pegasus TTS |
| Adidas Samba | Nike Killshot | Samba runs 0.5 long, Killshot TTS |
| Adidas Gazelle | Nike Blazer Low | Gazelle runs 0.5 long, Blazer TTS |
| Adidas Superstar | Nike Air Force 1 | Both run 0.5 long |
Key takeaways
- Adidas: default to sizing down 0.5.
- Nike: default to true to size for performance, down 0.5 for lifestyle.
- Nike is friendlier to wide feet than Adidas.
Calculator
Convert shoe sizes across systems
Related reading
Nike Size Guide
How Nike shoes actually fit across silhouettes — what runs true, what runs half a size large, and how women's compares to men's.
US vs EU Shoe Sizes Explained
US and EU shoe sizes measure different things on different scales. Here's exactly how they convert and where the systems disagree.