The Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 10 isn’t a typical modern racing shoe. Instead of having a stack height that hits the 40mm limit set by World Athletics and a full carbon plate, it’s a nimble shoe with a relatively low stack and uses glass fiber rods rather than a carbon plate to provide added pop on the run.

As a result, the Takumi Sen 10 can’t match the propulsive feeling of the best carbon plate running shoes. I wouldn’t fancy using it for a marathon, but its lightweight and agile design makes the shoe a fantastic racing option for shorter events, especially on twisty courses.

Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 10: Price And Availability

The Adidas Takumi Sen 10 launched in January 2024 and costs $180 in the US and £170 in the UK. That’s the same price as the previous two generations of the shoe and cheaper than top super-shoes like the Nike Vaporfly, which usually costs more than $200/£200. I got my sample for this review from SportsShoes.

How I Tested This Shoe

I’ve run 30 miles in the Takumi Sen 10, using it for three training runs, including two hard workouts and a five-mile race where I set my PR of 26min 6sec. I used the Takumi Sen 8 extensively, running more than 120 miles in the shoe including racing at 5K, 10K and half marathon distances, and have also tested most of the best carbon plate running shoes and Adidas shoes including the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3 and Prime X 2 Strung.

Design And Fit

Adidas didn’t alter much about the Takumi Sen between the eighth and ninth generations of the shoe and, while the midsole set-up has been changed with the Takumi Sen 10, it still has a similar look and feel to its immediate predecessors.

The stack height is still 33mm at the heel and 27mm at the forefoot for a 6mm drop, which is notably lower than most current super-shoes, which hit 40mm at the heel as standard. The Takumi Sen 10 also has a narrow design and feels more like a souped-up racing flat than a trimmed-down super-shoe.

There are two layers of Adidas’s Lightstrike Pro foam in the midsole that surround glass fiber rods. The EnergyRods 2.0 system in the Takumi Sen 10 extends the rods to the back of the shoe in one continuous piece, whereas the Takumi Sen 8 and 9 had rods under the forefoot and a small carbon plate under the heel. 

This design means the Takumi Sen 10 weighs more than the previous two versions of the shoe. The 10 weighs 7.3oz/206g in my UK size 9, whereas the Takumi Sen 8 weighed 6.8oz/184g. The Takumi Sen 10 is still light compared with most super-shoes, although the Nike Vaporfly 3 is the same weight despite its 40mm stack.

The Takumi Sen 10 has a lightweight mesh upper with minimal padding on the tongue and collar of the shoe. The tongue annoyed me because it was hard to get it into the right position when lacing the shoe, though it didn’t affect my running experience. I found the shoe fitted well in my usual running shoe size, but it does have a racing-focused fit, in that it’s narrow and tight around the toes. This works well for me because I have a narrow foot, but if you have a wide foot it may be cramped in the toe box.

There are cut-outs in the midsole foam to reduce the shoe’s weight, but the Takumi Sen 10 retains good outsole coverage. The Continental rubber used is durable and delivers great traction on wet roads. It also gripped well on a greasy track during my testing.

Running Performance

I loved the Takumi Sen 8 and used it for a lot of training and races, even though higher-stack carbon shoes delivered more propulsion. This was because, at times, the trade-off of that bouncier midsole for the agile, light design of the Takumi Sen 8 was worth it—especially when doing short reps in training or racing on courses with lots of twists and turns.

The same is true of the Takumi Sen 10, which still doesn’t match the spring of a full super-shoe like the Vaporfly, but is still fast, and is ideal for certain conditions. It’s just a lot of fun to run fast in such a light and narrow shoe, and a welcome change from the bigger feel of most modern racers. The changes in the midsole have made the Takumi Sen 10 firmer than the Sen 8, and I think you get a little more spring from the new EnergyRods 2.0, but I found the overall feel of the two shoes was similar.

I used the Takumi Sen 10 for a five-mile race in Victoria Park, London, on a mostly flat and fast course and it didn’t disappoint. I ran a PR for the distance of 26min 6sec and the shoe felt great, with the lightweight design helping me to turn my feet over and keep the pace up as I tired late in the race.

On that kind of course, however, with mostly sweeping turns and lots of flat straights, I’d still probably lean towards using a higher-stack shoe for the extra bounce. There are lots of courses where the Takumi Sen 10 has the edge, though, and for training runs I found it helpful to have a lighter shoe that took turns easily.

I did a progression 10K run in the shoe, moving from 3min 45sec/km pace to 3min 13sec/km pace on the streets around me. There were many moments during the run where I felt the benefit of the more agile design, such as when running on cambered paved surfaces, dodging other people and slipping through barriers.

The Takumi Sen 10 also felt brilliant when doing shorter reps at the track. I used it for a set of 10 400m reps straight after using the Puma Fast-R 2 for 10 1K reps, which showcased the different benefits of the shoes. The Fast-R 2 is considerably heavier but packed more of a punch and was great for helping me to cruise through the longer reps at speed, while the Takumi had the raw pace and lighter feel for the shorter reps.

Is The Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 10 Worth It?

The Takumi Sen 10 is a brilliant shoe, and one I love, but it’s still a tough one to recommend because it doesn’t fit that well into a traditional running shoe rotation. For that I’d have a cushioned shoe, a versatile daily trainer that can handle some speed, and then one of the best carbon plate running shoes for races. 

The Takumi doesn’t fit any of those categories perfectly, unless you only do short races. However, it would be the fourth shoe I’d add to my rotation because it’s such a fantastic and fun option for fast training sessions and certain races. I found it a practical shoe for speed sessions on the roads near me, where it’s not easy to find flawless, flat asphalt with few obstructions.

At its full price it’s hard to say it’s worth picking up the Takumi Sen 10 for this purpose, when the Nike Vaporfly 3 is just as light and even better for most short races, then more propulsive for longer ones. However, the Takumi Sen line is often reduced, and I’d not hesitate to recommend the shoe if it drops nearer $120/£100, which has happened on many occasions with the Takumi Sen 8 and 9. 

You could also look to grab one of the older Takumi Sen models in the sale now the 10 has been launched because I found the new shoe similar to the Takumi Sen 8, despite the updated midsole.

The Adidas Supernova Rise is built to fill a gap in the Adidas running shoe range, which has long lacked a good daily trainer to rival something like the Nike Pegasus 40. The Adidas Ultraboost and even Adidas Ultraboost Light are too heavy to fill this role, while shoes in the Adizero range like the Boston have traditionally been seen as more speed-focused options (though the Boston 12 is an excellent daily trainer, in my opinion).

It’s a good shoe and a strong alternative to the Pegasus in particular, but I never quite clicked with the Supernova Rise and don’t rate it among the best running shoes. It’s a jack-of-all-trades shoe, but there are more accomplished all-rounders available.

Adidas Supernova Rise: Price And Availability

The Adidas Supernova Rise costs $140 in the US and £130 in the UK. It’s cheaper than many of the best Adidas running shoes, with the Boston 12 costing $160/£140 and the Adidas Ultraboost Light $190/£170, but in line with the price of similar daily trainers like the Nike Pegasus 40 or Saucony Ride 17. I received my review sample of the Adidas Supernova Rise from SportsShoes.

How I Tested This Shoe

I’ve run 32 miles in the Adidas Supernova Rise, using it for a mix of runs, including a 13.5-mile long run and a couple of progression runs. I have used an Adidas Supernova in the past, though it was a much heavier shoe, as well as several generations of the Adidas Ultraboost and Boston shoes, and a wide range of the best running shoes from other brands.

Design And Fit

The Supernova Rise introduces a new Peba-based midsole foam from Adidas called Dreamstrike+. Adidas’s best foam remains the Lightstrike Pro material used in its Adizero shoes, but Dreamstrike+ is a bouncy foam. The shoe has a stack height of 36mm at the heel and 26mm at the forefoot for a 10mm drop, and weighs 10.1oz/287g in my UK size 9, which is fairly light for a cushioned trainer.

As with many of the shoes in the Adizero racing range, the Supernova Rise has rods in its midsole, but the Support Rods used are wider and softer than the EnergyRods in shoes like the Boston 12, and geared towards stability as much as providing extra pop. The mesh upper is well padded at the heel and tongue, and I found the Supernova Rise had a comfortable fit in my usual running shoe size. This is one area where it improves on the Boston 12, which has a thin racing upper that isn’t comfortable.

The Supernova Rise doesn’t have a Continental rubber outsole, which is often a stand-out feature of Adidas shoes, but the Adiwear rubber used has gripped reliably for me on wet paved surfaces. It looks to be a durable outsole, with no signs of wear and tear after 30 miles.

Running Performance

On paper, the Supernova Rise looks like a winner, and I hoped it would feel a lot like the Boston 12 but with a more comfortable upper for easy runs. However, while I think it’s a versatile daily trainer, I didn’t love the Supernova Rise for any of the runs I did in it.

The Dreamstrike+ foam is well balanced—in that it’s pretty comfortable but has bounce for faster runs—yet it doesn’t feel like a super-foam, and Adidas’s Lightstrike Pro delivers greater energy return. I also found the forefoot wasn’t that comfortable over long distances or when doing faster runs. The stack height at the front of the shoe isn’t that high, and the Dreamstrike+ feels thin and dull there, whereas it is bouncier and more cushioned at the heel where the stack is 10mm higher.

The Supernova Rise works as an all-rounder, though. On a long, slow 13.5-mile run there was enough cushioning for it to be comfortable, and the shoe felt nimble on faster runs too, when I was running around 5min 55sec/mile pace. 

It ticks the boxes it aims to tick as a daily trainer, and fills this role better than many shoes on the market in the same category, but I have preferred other shoes for same job such as the Puma Velocity Nitro 2, Hoka Mach 5, Asics Novablast 4 and New Balance Rebel v3. The Nike Pegasus 40 and Saucony Ride 17 are both less versatile, for me, but more comfortable for easy runs than the Supernova Rise.

I also think the Adidas Boston 12 is more enjoyable for every kind of run, as long as you can get a comfortable fit from the thin upper. Adidas might class the Boston as a speed shoe, but I consider it among the best all-rounders going, and it’s not much more expensive than the Supernova Rise.

Is The Adidas Supernova Rise Worth It?

The Supernova RIse is a good daily trainer and if you find the Boston 12 too lightweight and racy for daily training, it’s the best all-rounder in the Adidas line-up. It also stands up well against rivals from other brands, though I prefer several other shoes myself.

If you pick it up I doubt you’ll be disappointed, especially if you can find it in a sale nearer the $100 mark because it works well for a range of runs. I just found it a bit of let-down given the promise it offered, and wished that rather than introducing a new foam that’s not quite as good as Lightstrike Pro, Adidas had instead popped the Supernova Rise’s comfortable upper on top of the excellent midsole of the Boston 12. 

The Adidas Adizero SL is not one of the best running shoes available, but it is a pretty good one and I’ll be amazed if you can find a better one for $35.83. That’s the price that REI has reduced the shoe to in its sale, which is a head-turning 70% off.

The Adizero SL is designed to be a value option within Adidas’s Adizero range and has some of the brand’s best foam—Lightstrike Pro—under the forefoot. This is the material used in the best Adidas running shoes like the Adidas Adios Pro 3 and Boston 12, which are more expensive than the Adizero SL.

While the Adizero SL doesn’t deliver a similarly bouncy and impressive ride as a shoe like the Adidas Boston 12, it is a good all-rounder for runners who mostly stick to shorter runs—I found it a little firm for distances over 10 miles myself.

It’s a pretty light shoe so can handle speedwork too, and while it doesn’t have a Continental rubber outsole like the best Adidas shoes, it gripped well enough for me on wet, wintry pavements during my testing.

If you just want a cheap running shoe to add to your rotation, this is an outstanding deal on a solid option, and the Adizero SL even looks good enough to wear when you’re not running too.

The Adidas Black Friday sale was, for the most part, underwhelming. I spotted a big discount on the Adidas Ultraboost Light, but the best Adidas running shoes were mostly excluded from the sale. I found that you had to go elsewhere to get great deals on the likes of the Adidas Boston 12.

Fortunately, Adidas is making it up to everyone with its Last Minute Gifting Sale, which features discounts on shoes across the Adizero line. And they are big discounts, with larger savings than I saw anywhere on Black Friday, starting with $75 off the Adidas Adios Pro 3, one of the best carbon plate running shoes.

The Adios Pro 3 wasn’t reduced anywhere during the Black Friday sales, so it’s great to see such a hefty discount on it cropping up now. It’s a top racing option for all distances, but especially good for marathon runners.

One of the best deals available during the Black Friday sales was 50% off the Adidas Boston 12 available at REI, but Adidas has now topped that discount by reducing the shoe to just $64, a huge 60% off.

The Boston 12 is one of my favorite new shoes of 2023 and an excellent all-rounder. While it’s only the women’s shoe that’s reduced by 60%, the men’s is still a worthwhile discount for one of the best running shoes.

Lastly I’d also recommend checking out the Adidas Adios 8, which is just $52 in the sale down from $130. Only the men’s shoe is available at this price, perhaps to make up for men missing out on the Boston 12 deal. The Adios 8 is a lightweight, speed-focused shoe and a great option to have in your rotation for interval and hill sessions, especially now you can nab it at such a low price.

The Adidas Ultraboost Light is one of the early stars of Adidas’s Black Friday sale, with a massive 60% discount reducing some colors of the shoe down to just $76. If you can stretch to $88 you get an even wider range of colors to pick from, and that’s still a saving of more than $100 on the shoe’s RRP.

It's built for running, but the Ultraboost line has always successfully straddled both sports and casual use, and that’s still the case with the Ultraboost Light, which comes in a range of designs.

The key update to the shoe is right there in its name. The Light Boost foam in its midsole is 30% lighter than the Boost used in the Ultraboost 22, and while the Ultraboost Light is still not exactly a featherweight, it is about par compared with other highly-cushioned running shoes.

When I tested the Ultraboost Light for our review I found the lighter design improved it compared with the standard Ultraboost, and it lost nothing in terms of looks or durability.

It’s not the most exciting running shoe to use, or the most versatile, but it’s a capable daily trainer for cruising through easy runs, and has the plus points of its good looks and long-lasting design, both of which mean you can use it outside your training.

If you’re not convinced by the shoe, you also have the safety net of Adidas’s Performance Running Shoe guarantee, which allows you to return the shoe within 30 days if you’re not happy with it, no matter what condition it’s in or how many miles you’ve run in it.

It’s an impressive try-before-you-buy option, and given the low price in the Black Friday sales, this is the perfect time to grab the Ultraboost Light and see how it feels on the run, or just bag a deal on a nice shoe for casual use.

I’ve tested and reviewed more than 50 pairs of running shoes so far in 2023, so I can say with some confidence that the Adidas Boston 12 is one of the best new shoes to come out this year. It’s a major update on the Adidas Boston 10 and 11, and offers a versatile ride that’s fast enough for sessions and races while being comfortable enough for easy runs.

It’s one of the top daily trainers on the market, rivaling the likes of the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3, and good value at its MSRP of $160. I harbored hopes the Boston 12 would come down in price for Black Friday, since the Boston line is often reduced, and REI has come through in style with a 50% discount on the shoe bringing it down to $79.93.

That’s an even bigger discount than I hoped to see on the shoe, which I thought would drop to around $100, and the deal is unmatched anywhere else. Adidas is yet to reduce the Boston 12 in its sale and it’s still $160 at Dick’s Sporting Goods too.

The Boston 12 has a dual-density midsole with Adidas’s best foam—Lightstrike Pro—on top, and uses the brand’s EnergyRods in its midsole to add extra propulsion on the run in the same way a carbon plate does. The high stack and mix of foams mean the ride is comfortable at easy paces, but it’s still pretty light and the rods and bouncy Lightstrike Pro material mean the Boston 12 is great for faster runs too.

With Continental rubber on the outsole it also grips well in wet conditions, which is always handy when winter comes around. The upper is the only part of the shoe I don’t love, since it is a little thin and uncomfortable at times, but if you spend a bit of time sorting the lacing it’s not a major problem and certainly doesn’t outweigh the other benefits of the shoe.

During my testing I used the Boston 12 for a bit of everything, from hard 400m reps to easy 13-mile long runs, and enjoyed it each and every time. The only negative I can really find about this discount is that you don’t get the full range of colors to choose from, but the yellow men’s shoe on sale is the one I have, and it’s nice enough. 

If you’re looking for the smartest way to spend $80 on running shoes this Black Friday, jump on this deal and enjoy hundreds of happy miles in the Boston 12. The best alternative out there is a similarly good deal on the Puma Deviate Nitro 2, which is another great all-rounder running shoe going for $90 this Black Friday, but I prefer the Boston 12 and it’s $10 cheaper.

The Adidas Adizero Prime X Strung was a fantastic shoe—but one I had major problems with. One issue was the instability, the other was that the loose fit at the heel rubbed my achilles raw. The Adidas Prime X 2 Strung has fixed both these problems, but the changes made come with their own drawbacks in that it is heavier than its predecessor.

That means I wouldn’t pick it for races ahead of the best carbon plate running shoes, even if I was happy to race in a shoe that breaches the 40mm stack height limit set by World Athletics. This limit is mainly for elite athletes chasing wins and world records, rather than amateurs chasing PRs, though I wouldn’t feel comfortable racing in the Prime X 2 Strung even as a quick amateur.

Adidas Adizero Prime X 2 Strung: Price And Availability

The Adidas Prime X 2 Strung launched in September 2023 and costs $300 in the US and £250 in the UK. That makes it even more expensive than the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3, which is the most popular “legal” racing shoe in its line-up, though cheaper than the Adidas Adizero Pro Evo 1, which is $500/£400. I got my review sample of the Adidas Prime X 2 Strung from SportsShoes.

How I Tested This Shoe

I’ve run just more than 30 miles (around 50km) in the Adidas Prime X 2 Strung, using it for a mix of easy and steady daily training runs, plus a track session where I also used the original Prime X Strung as a guide. I’ve also tested most of the best carbon plate running shoes available.

Design And Fit

The signature feature of the Prime X line is the tall midsole, which hits 50mm at the heel and 43.5mm at the forefoot for a 6.5mm drop. That’s a slight increase in stack and drop on the 49.5mm/39.5mm of the original Prime X Strung.

With all that room available in the midsole Adidas has been able to cram in two carbon-infused plates, which are sandwiched by three layers of its bouncy Lightstrike Pro foam. There’s a lot going on in there, and it’s a different set-up from the first Prime X Strung, which used Adidas EnergyRods and TPU plastic EnergyBlades rather than two plates.

The shoe has an aggressive forefoot rocker and adds stability compared with the original Prime X through a wider design and by having foam running all the way down the medial size of the shoe—the Prime X had a cut-out here to reduce weight.

Weight is a talking point with the Prime X 2 Strung because it weighs 11oz/313g in my UK size 9, a jump from the 9.4oz/266g that the original weighed in the same size. The extra bounce you get from the two carbon plates in the new shoe offsets some of this weight gain, but it makes the Prime X more than 1.7oz/50g heavier than most legal racing shoes, and more than 3.4oz/100g heavier than the Nike Vaporfly 3 in my size.

Adidas has made changes to the shoe’s upper, which now has a stretchy, knitted section instead of a tongue to create a bootie-style design. It still uses the Strung layered yarns for the rest of the upper, and the padding at the heel feels unchanged, though I found the fit much better overall. There was no rubbing at the heel and the midfoot hold was more secure than with the original Prime X, making the Prime X 2 feel more stable when running fast. I wore my usual running shoe size for the shoe.

The outsole is made from Continental rubber and there’s good coverage across the shoe, with just a small central section left exposed. Cut-outs on the bottom of the shoe show off the plates within the midsole, while keeping the weight down.

Running Performance

There aren’t any other shoes that feel like the Adidas Prime X 2 Strung, which is even springier than the original shoe. The increase in stability with the new shoe is notable straight away, and I enjoyed using it for pretty easy daily training runs on suboptimal terrain, such as cambered paved surfaces and potholed roads. I felt obliged to stick to flat, pristine asphalt as much as possible with the original Prime X Strung, which only really felt good for fast runs.

That said, you get a lot more from the Prime X 2 Strung when you are running quick, and when I did a series of progression runs moving from easy to steady pace in the shoe it was noticeable how much bouncier and fun it felt at the faster end of things. It’s still less stable than more traditional, lower shoes, but it never felt worryingly wobbly on my runs.

You don’t have much ground feel in the shoe, and this means it can be hard to gauge your pace. I was nearly always moving faster than I expected, and as with all the best carbon plate shoes, the Prime X 2 Strung made quicker paces easier to maintain. I ran a progression 10K finishing at 3min 30sec/km pace—my marathon pace—with the second half of the run in 18 minutes, and it felt like I’d barely moved past easy pace. 

Throughout these runs the weight of the Prime X 2 Strung wasn’t a factor. It’s a big shoe, but the bounce compensates for the weight when moving at speeds ranging from easy up to around my marathon race pace. 

When I took it to the track for a workout running mile and 400m reps, however, the added weight was noticeable, especially when I swapped to the first Prime X Strung halfway through the workout. The older shoe is lighter and faster, and if you were intending to use the Prime X Strung for races then the original is the better option. I’d prefer pretty much any of the best carbon racing shoes of legal height to the Prime X 2 Strung, either for racing or speedy training sessions.

Is The Adidas Prime X 2 Strung Worth It?

The Adidas Prime X 2 Strung feels phenomenal at times, and nothing else is as bouncy and fun for cruising through runs. However, while it can do a lot of different kinds of run well, it doesn’t feel outstanding for really fast stuff and, given the high price, that’s a problem.

Whether or not you want to abide by the regulations I wouldn’t recommend the Adidas Prime X 2 Strung as a top racing option. Shoes like the Nike Alphafly 2, Adidas Adios Pro 3 and Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro are not as outlandishly tall and bouncy, but are still bouncy and fast, and much lighter. They’re better racing options at any distance, as is the first Prime X Strung if you can handle its instability.

The Adidas Prime X 2 Strung feels more like a super-trainer to me, and it is a fantastic super-trainer that will bring joy to many everyday runs. There is still some instability to consider, though I don’t think it’s a huge problem for neutral runners, and you will notice how much fresher you feel during, and after, hard runs. 

All of that comes at a high price, and there are tremendous all-rounders available for considerably less, including the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 and Adidas Adizero Boston 12, which are more grounded and practical for daily use.

Adidas kept its powder dry for most of 2023 with regards to new racing shoe releases, then announced flagship super-shoes for the road and trails in the space of a month. The Adidas Adizero Pro Evo 1 looks set to be among the best carbon plate running shoes, if outrageously expensive, while the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra is a super-shoes for the trails, built to rival the likes of the Nike Ultrafly.

Several brands have now launched off-road super-shoes, but the Agravic Speed Ultra is the first to capture the feeling of road shoes, and one of the best trail-running shoes you can get for races at any distance. However, its speedy design means it lacks stability, and it may not work so well on certain terrains. Some runners might not get on with its aggressively rockered design, either.

Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra: Price And Availability

The Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra launched in April 2024 but I was able to get hold of the shoe before its release date by attending an Adidas event in Chamonix at Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc 2023. It costs $230 in the US and £200, which is a little more affordable than the Nike Ultrafly but it's still among the most expensive trail shoes I’ve tested.

How I Tested This Shoe

I’ve run just under 70 miles (112km) in the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra, including one 30-mile run, which was the first six laps of a 10-lap, 50-mile ultra-marathon of which I did the final 20 miles in the Nike Ultrafly to compare the shoes. I’ve also done faster, shorter runs in the shoe, using it mostly on tame and dry trails in a forest near London, with one run on rockier, trickier terrain in Chamonix.

Design and Fit

The most important feature of the Agravic Speed Ultra is its midsole, which is made from Adidas’s springy Lightstrike Pro and has EnergyRods running through it to add both stability and propulsion to the soft foam.

The Agravic Speed Ultra’s rods are different from those in the road shoe, which has five prongs running under the forefoot. The Agravic Speed Ultra has four, and these are spread across the wide forefoot of the shoe to increase stability without being as inflexible as a plate on uneven ground. There are also two rods extended back into the heel of the shoe.

The shaping of the Agravic Speed Ultra’s midsole is dramatic in several ways. The rocker is pronounced and encourages a forefoot strike, something also demanded by the varying width along the length of the shoe. The forefoot is wide, with a narrow pinch-point at the back of the midfoot and a relatively narrow heel section. As a result the shoe will be more stable for forefoot strikers, and potentially a little wobbly for heelstrikers, given the soft foam used.

Adidas hasn’t confirmed the stack height or drop of the shoe, though it’s not a low-profile shoe. The highest point is actually at the midfoot because of the rocker shape. Despite the large amount of foam, the shoe is light for a trail shoe at 9.7oz/274g in my UK size 9. That’s partly down to the woven upper, which is lightweight and breathable and designed to not absorb water. There are only minimal overlays on the shoe, with extra protection around the toes, and there’s not much padding around the collar and tongue.

The shoe fitted well in my normal running shoe size, whereas sometimes with Adidas running shoes I go half a size up. It also proved to be a comfortable upper over long distances for me, with no rubbing or other concerns at all on my 30-mile run in the shoe.

The Agravic Speed Ultra has a Continental rubber outsole with lugs ranging from 2.5mm to 3.5mm in length. It’s built to handle a range of terrain and I found it gripped well on everything I tested it on, including dry grass and forest trails, and wet rocks and rooty trails. It’s not built for deep mud but should handle most other terrains, and it feels comfortable for extended spells on the road as well.

Running Performance

I was concerned before my first run in the Agravic Speed Ultra that it wouldn’t suit me. As a shuffling heelstriker, the forefoot-focused design seemed like it may be unstable and I worried the rocker would feel unnatural. 

However, after a few weeks running in the shoe those concerns were long gone. It felt comfortable and fluid at a range of paces, ticking over nicely at slow speeds and then being more bouncy and propulsive when I did push the pace. I did an hour-long progression run of just over 10 miles on undulating forest trails and the shoe had the springy, efficient feel of a carbon road shoe.

The big distance test I did was to use the shoe for the first 30 miles of my first ultra-marathon: The Orion Harriers Epic Epping Forest 50-mile event, which involved 10 laps of a five-mile route on a variety of forest trails. Most of these were dry and well-groomed paths, with a few sections of the loop on rooty single-track and grass to mix it up a little.

Throughout the 30 miles the shoes felt great. It was comfortable and, at a slower pace of around 8min/mile, the rocker felt like it helped to keep me ticking over and maintain a high cadence. Although I’m a heelstriker, the shoe felt natural and didn’t place any unusual strain on my body because of its distinctive shape.

I retain some concerns about the shaping of the shoe, though that would come more into play on steep descents on more technical trails, with rocks and lots of twists and turns. I’m still unsure if it would be a good shoe for me in those conditions because if you land in the wrong spot on the narrow midfoot or heel it could be a recipe for a rolled ankle. 

On the run I did in Chamonix on a route with rocky and rooty sections and sharp descents I felt less secure in pounding downhill in the Adidas shoe than in something like the Nike Ultrafly, which is heavier and feels less quick, but has a wider base to land on and feels more stable and reliable to me on downhills. More experienced trail and mountain runners will have less to worry about with the Adidas shoe.

Is The Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra Worth It?

The Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra is the best trail-racing shoe I’ve tested. For long-distance events it’s the closest a trail shoe has come to feeling like a road super-shoe for me, and it’s comfortable and speedy. While the instability of the shoe is a concern at times, it will be worth the risk for many runners because of its speed.

The Nike Ultrafly is less speed-focused but more stable and comfortable, making it better for those starting out in trail running. It’s even more expensive though, and there is a case for looking at cheaper plated trail options like the Hoka Tecton X2 or Saucony Endorphin Edge. 

An even more compelling alternative is the Asics Fujispeed 2, which is $160/£160, lighter than any of the shoes above and quick, due to the carbon plate in its midsole. The Fujispeed 2 is less comfortable than the Adidas and I wouldn’t like to go to ultra-marathon distance in it, but if you’re sticking to shorter trail events it’s the one I’d get, since it is so much cheaper.

I’d also say that while you’ll feel the benefits of the plates/rods in trail shoes, they are less pronounced than with road shoes, where the even ground allows for longer, stiffer plates and softer foams that add more bounce. There are great trail-racing shoes without plates that are much cheaper than the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra, like the Saucony Xodus Ultra 2 or Hoka Speedgoat.

The super-shoe era has seen the best carbon plate running shoes completely replace traditional racing flats for runners tackling events of any distance. Super-shoes like the Nike Vaporfly are better than flats in pretty much every way, being more cushioned and propulsive thanks to new foams and carbon plates.

One thing racing flat purists could point to, however, was that their minimal shoes were lighter than high-stack super shoes. Not any more. Adidas has just announced the Adidas Adizero Pro Evo 1, which weighs just 138g (4.86oz), despite having a stack height of 39mm at the heel and 33mm at the forefoot. That’s the lightest carbon super-shoe I’ve ever heard of, and I’ve tested most of them. Few super-shoes weigh less than 200g in my UK size 9, with notable exceptions being the Skechers GoRun Speed Elite Hyper (6.3oz/180g) and New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Pacer (7oz/199g)

To achieve this Adidas looked at every aspect of the existing racing shoes in its range, like the Adidas Adizero Pro 3, which until now was the top pick for its elites. The Pro Evo 1 has a lighter upper, a new outsole design which again saves weight, and uses a new version of Adidas’s Lightstrike Pro that’s lighter, but also provides greater energy return.

Adidas has also removed the sock liner from the shoe to save weight, but it still seems to have some version of the brand’s EnergyRods system to create a propulsive ride. The rods weren’t mentioned at the launch of the shoe but do appear in imagery showing the components involved.

The Pro Evo 1 also has a forefoot rocker that starts further back than in other shoes, which Adidas says helps to improve running economy. The shoe has a 6mm drop.

Adidas’s athletes are set to use the Pro Evo 1 for the upcoming marathon season, including at the Chicago Marathon, where two-time World Marathon Major winner Benson Kipruto will use it.

“Knowing I have the lightest racing shoe Adidas has ever created on my feet, packed with all the technology I need gives me the confidence on race day to just focus on the running,” says Kipruto. “I know that they will help me achieve the fastest times of my career and I can’t wait to put them to the test in Chicago.”

Limited quantities of the shoe in a white colorway with black stripes will be available from September 14, with the next release date set for November.

It’s all very exciting, but here comes the bad news: the Adidas Adizero Pro Evo 1 will cost $500/€500, making it the most expensive super-shoe by a large margin. It might prove a game-changer for super-shoes, but it might also spearhead a move to make these shoes even more expensive, because if one shoe successfully sells for $500, you can be sure other brands will start releasing shoes that cost that much.

Many brands have now released a trail super-shoe, one that borrows foam and other technical details from the best carbon plate road shoes and translates these for the trails. However, even the most innovative trail-running shoes have felt quite different to the experience of running in a road super-shoe.

That’s because the premium foams, stiff plates and rods used to create propulsion in road shoes are not considered to be suitable for trails, where stability takes priority on uneven ground. For example, the Nike Ultrafly is a great trail shoe, but firmer, heavier, more stable and less exciting than the Nike Vaporfly road shoe.

I expected similar compromises would be made with the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra, the brand’s first attempt at a trail super-shoe, which launched at the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc mountain running event in Chamonix this week. However, after just one run it’s clear that Adidas aims to make the Agravic Speed Ultra feel as close as possible to a road super-shoe like the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3.

The Agravic Speed Ultra has a midsole made of Lightstrike Pro, the lightweight, bouncy and soft foam used in Adidas’s top foam shoes. It also has the brand’s EnergyRods in the midsole, with four prongs running under the forefoot and two under the heel. These are spread wide in the forefoot to create stability and to add propulsion in the same way as a plate without being as inflexible on uneven ground.

Perhaps the most obvious feature of the shoe is the pronounced rocker design. Adidas says this is to encourage forefoot running, and the shoe’s stack height is actually highest at the midfoot in order to push you to land there and roll forward rapidly. 

The shoe is also much wider at the forefoot than it is at the heel, with a narrow pinch point in the midfoot too. The stability in the shoe is geared towards the forefoot, which is interesting for an ultramarathon racing shoe since runners will probably change their gait and footstrike a lot throughout the race, depending on factors such as fatigue, terrain and whether they’re climbing or descending.

While the stack stats are not yet listed, the Agravic Speed Ultra is certainly a high-stack shoe, even if it’s not quite as high as it looks because your foot sits within the midsole foam at the back like a bucket seat to add some stability. 

It weighs 9.7oz/274g in my UK size 9, which is a little heavier than the Adios Pro 3 or Prime X Strung road shoes, but still light for a trail shoe with a high stack like this. The upper is a woven material that is designed not to absorb water during any river crossings you might tackle, and it doesn’t have much in the way of protective overlays, with just a small reinforced section on the toes.

The outsole is made from Continental rubber and has lugs ranging between 2.5mm and 3.5mm in length. It’s a shoe that’s primarily built for hard trails but did grip well when I encountered some muddy sections.

My first run was a 10K outing in Chamonix that started along undulating forest trails with rocks and roots underfoot, before hitting flatter trails and some roads in the second half. A bit of rain added to the slipperiness, so I did take the technical downhills carefully, but the shoe kept its excellent grip throughout.

The Agravic Speed Ultra is certainly the closest a trail shoe has come to capturing the magic of a road super-shoe. The rockered ride is very aggressive and bouncy, and when I hit faster, flatter trails I felt like I was booming along in them. 

That said, I did find the rocker to be quite demanding, because you are encouraged to run in a certain way with this shoe. I am naturally a shuffling runner and heelstriker but the Agravic Speed Ultra pushes you into a more loping, midfoot style, because that’s when the ride feels best.

It’s similar to the way I feel when running in the Asics Metaspeed Sky+, which also encourages a more loping gait. I don’t mind the feeling in either shoe, and have set PRs on the road in the Metaspeed Sky+, but my worry for long-distance events is that it might start to tire your muscles if that is not your natural running style. 

Also when your energy inevitably dips during an ultramarathon, the aggressive feel of the rocker might be unwelcome when you just want to shuffle home. I did hike some uphill sections of the run in the shoe, though, and it felt fine for that.

The other concern is stability. I am a neutral runner but could feel myself rolling inwards a little with each step, which also happens for me in soft, high-stack road super-shoes. This is OK on flat roads up to marathon distance but for ultramarathons on uneven trails, it’s more of a concern. You have to pay a lot of attention to how you land in the Agravic Speed Ultra on rocky trails in particular.

I have a lot more testing to do, but so far I’d say the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra is a shoe that will divide opinion. It’s about as exciting as trail shoes get, with a fast, aggressive ride that's a close match to the feel of road super-shoes, but the trade-off is instability thanks to the soft midsole and pronounced rocker. 

The shoe will launch in Spring 2024 and costs $230/€230, with UK pricing TBC.

The Adidas Adizero Boston 12 only launched last month, but the price just fell as part of Adidas’s site-wide sale. Such an early discount can be an indication that a product is sub-par, but with the Boston 12 that’s absolutely not the case. This model is one of the best running shoes on the market and my favorite new release of 2023 so far.

Admittedly earlier generations of the Boston did not always hit the mark. But Adidas took the feedback on board, made some crucial updates to the Boston 12, and it’s now one of the most versatile running shoes you can buy. 

The Boston 12 is cushioned and comfortable enough to cruise through easy and long runs, but when you’re ready to up the pace, the Boston 12 delivers an energetic ride. This efficiency comes from glass-fiber rods in its midsole, which act like a plate and add a welcome spring to your step.

The rod technology is borrowed from Adidas’s top carbon plate running shoes, the Adios Pro 3 and Prime X Strung, and the Boston 12 also uses the bouncy Lightstrike Pro foam found in the brand’s super-shoes. However, rather than having a full Lightstrike Pro midsole, the Boston 12 uses it only for the top layer, while the bottom one is made from an EVA material called Lightstrike 2.0.

Lightstrike 2.0 is not as springy as Lightstrike Pro, but it’s still comfortable and lightweight, and the cutting-edge foam increases the stability and durability of the Boston 12 in comparison with a racer like the Adios Pro 3.

Add in the excellent Continental rubber outsole on the Boston 12, which is durable and grips well, and the result is a daily trainer that’s enjoyable to wear for pretty much any kind of run, giving you the benefits of super-shoe tech without the super-shoe price.

At RRP the Boston 12 is $160 but if you use the code SAVINGS at checkout during the Adidas sale you get 30% off, bringing the price down to $112, which is great value for a long-lasting shoe of this caliber.

Plenty of runners hated the previous two versions of the Adidas Boston. In particular, the 11 drew ire from long-term fans of the shoe for being bulky, and too big a change from the more minimalist Boston 9. I didn’t hate either, though in my testing of the Boston 10 I felt it was more cumbersome than earlier iterations.

Adidas has responded to the criticisms of the Boston 10 and 11 by making substantial changes to the shoe and, in general, these updates are for the better. The Boston 12 is one of the best running shoes available.

Adidas Boston 12 Review: Price And Availability

The Adidas Boston 12 launched in June 2023 and costs $160 in the US and £140 in the UK. That’s the same price as the Boston 11 and good value for a “super-trainer”—comparable shoes from other brands that use tech from super-shoes usually cost more.

Design And Fit

The Adidas Boston went from a lightweight, fairly low-stack training/racing shoe in its ninth edition to a maxed-out daily trainer with the 10th and 11th. The 12th version moves the shoe back towards its roots, though it’s a more versatile shoe than any previous Boston, thanks to the balance of comfort and speed it provides.

As with the 10 and 11, the Boston 12 uses a dual-density midsole made of two foams, with Adidas’s best foam—the lightweight, bouncy Lightstrike Pro—on top and a layer of firmer Lightstrike EVA underneath. However, on the Boston 12 the bottom layer is now made from Lightstrike 2.0. This is a softer, lighter foam than the Lightstrike used on past Bostons. 

The shoe’s stack and drop have also changed: It’s now 38mm at the heel and 31mm at the forefoot, for a 7mm drop, where the Boston 10 and 11 has 39.5mm at the heel and an 8.5mm drop. Between the two layers of foam are Adidas’s glass-fiber infused EnergyRods 2.0, which are designed to help you run more efficiently in the same way as a carbon plate, while being more flexible than a full plate.

Adidas has overhauled the upper on the Boston 12 to be much lighter. It’s now a thin mesh material with minimal padding around the heel. It gives the shoe more of a race feel, though I found it less comfortable than the upper on the Boston 10 for easy runs. I also had to heel-lock the shoe to avoid heel rub, and the thin tongue means that you get pressure from the laces when cinching them tight. The shoe fitted well in my normal running shoe size.

The result of the changes to the midsole and upper is a big drop in weight for the Boston 12, which is 9.1oz/259g in my US 9.5/UK 9, in contrast with 10.4oz/296g for the Boston 10 in the same size. 

It’s a light shoe given the high stack and the amount of rubber on the outsole, which covers the forefoot of the shoe and most of the heel through two wide strips. The outsole is made from Continental rubber, and gives the same reliable grip I’ve experienced with all Adidas shoes that use Continental rubber.

How I Tested This Running Shoe

I’ve run 30 miles (about 50km) in the Adidas Boston 12, including a mix of easy and steady daily training runs, one speed session and a 13-mile Sunday long run. I have also tested the Boston 10, plus older versions of the shoe, along with most of the other super-trainers available from other brands.

Running Performance

The changes to the Boston 12 are immediately apparent on the run. The new upper makes the shoe feel lighter and airier, while the midsole is softer, especially at the heel where there is more Lightstrike EVA foam. 

I found the transition from heel to toe to be much smoother because the two foams in this shoe are more similar. With the Boston 10, moving from the firm, dull Lightstrike EVA foam to the soft and springy Lightstrike Pro felt awkward, whereas the two foams mold into each other more naturally with the Boston 12. You get a softer landing, smoother transition and more pop off the deeper chunk of Lightstrike Pro in the forefoot of the shoe.

For my speed session in the shoe I ran two sets of 2km at 3min 30sec/km pace (5min 38sec/mile) followed by five 400m reps in 75 seconds. Despite not being the lightest shoe, the Boston 12 felt quick and more than capable on the 400m reps, and it was comfortable for cruising through the 2km reps at around my marathon pace.

The shoe felt so good for speedwork I started to doubt that it was likely to be comfortable for long, easy runs, something I did enjoy in the Boston 10. However, my concerns were unfounded. A 90-minute Sunday long run felt great in the shoe, ticking over at a relaxed pace. 

It’s cushioned and comfortable enough underfoot for longer runs. My only lingering worry on that front is to do with the thin upper, which is not as comfortable and padded as I’d like for a daily trainer. But it didn’t cause serious problems during my testing.

Is The Adidas Boston 12 Worth It?

I rate the Boston 12 as one of the best and most versatile daily trainers available. It’s enjoyable to use for easy plods as well as all-out reps. While many of the new breed of super-trainers seem to be focusing more on easy daily training—like the Saucony Kinvara Pro and Hoka Mach X—the Boston 12 uses the tech in its midsole to impress at faster speeds as well as slow ones.

It’s comparable to the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3, which in my opinion is the best all-rounder on the market. The Boston 12 has a more traditional, snappy ride than the Speed 3, which is smooth because of its rocker, but both are great for a variety of runs. I still prefer the Speed 3 because it has a more comfortable upper and so is better for easy runs, but the Boston 12 won’t disappoint anyone looking for a versatile trainer, and it offers better grip than the Speed 3.

Before the advent of the carbon plate super-shoe, the Adidas Adizero Adios was one of the best running shoes you could get for racing. It was light and responsive, and it had enough cushioning to protect the legs through a marathon while still being minimalist.

Nowadays, the best carbon plate running shoes are the clear pick for racing, and the Adios line includes the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3, a high-stack super-shoe. How the original Adios fits into this era has been unclear, but the Adidas Adios 8 shows how a more traditional racing shoe can still be relevant. It’s a great shoe for fast training sessions, and races if you’re not a fan of carbon shoes, and is much cheaper than many rivals.

Adidas Adizero Adios 8 Review: Price And Availability

The Adidas Adios 8 launched in June 2023 and costs $130 in the US and £120 in the UK. That’s affordable compared with the plated shoes that have become de rigueur for fast training and racing, which usually cost more than $150/£150 for plated trainers, and $200/£200 for racing shoes.

Design And Fit

The Adios 8 uses some of Adidas’s best materials and technology, but the difference between it and a super-shoe like the Adios Pro 3 is immediately apparent: It has a much lower stack height. It is 28mm tall at the heel and 20mm at the forefoot for an 8mm drop. The Adios 8 comes in 10mm shorter than most super-shoes, and even plated training shoes like the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 and Asics Magic Speed 2 that have stacks above 35mm at the heel.

However, Adidas has put the midsole that is there to good use by including two foams. At the heel is Lightstrike 2.0, an updated version of the EVA foam used in the Adios 6 and 7 that’s softer and lighter. In the forefoot is Lightstrike Pro, the bouncy foam used in the Adios Pro 3 and Takumi Sen 8 racing shoes. There’s a deeper wedge of Pro foam in the Adios 8 than on the 6 and 7, which helps to add punch to your toe-off.

The Adios 8 doesn’t use the EnergyRods found in other Adidas shoes to create the propulsive benefits of carbon shoes: It has a plastic shank under the midsole foam that runs from the midfoot forward. This has three prongs—one more than the shank in the Adios 6 and 7—and adds snap to the ride.

Adidas has changed the upper on the Adios 8 compared with its predecessors to be lighter. It’s a mesh material with a few overlays to add structure, but little in the way of support overall as befits a speed shoe. This change, plus the new midsole foam, means the Adios 8 drops in weight to 7.65oz/217g in my US size 9.5, which is 1oz/28g less than the Adios 6 weighed in the same size.

However, the change in upper has created a new fit concern, which is that the heel can rub. It’s similar to the design of the heel on the Adidas Adizero Prime X Strung and Adios Pro 3, which can be a problem for some runners, including myself. Heel-locking the Adios 8 has made it OK for me, though, which wasn’t the case with the Prime X.

The Adios 8 is wider than most Adidas shoes, particularly the Adios line, which has a reputation for being narrow. The shoe fitted well in my normal running shoe size (on length), even though the sizing is a little unusual—in that my UK 9 is a US 9.5, whereas a UK 9 is usually a US 10.

For such a light shoe the Adios 8 has an excellent outsole. It is made from Continental rubber and has good coverage on the forefoot, with large strips of rubber at the heel. As with all the Adidas shoes using Continental rubber outsoles, the Adios 8 grips well in all conditions on the road, even when running at speed.

How I Tested This Shoe

I’ve run just under 30 miles in the Adios 8, using it for a range of workouts including a five-mile tempo run, a hill reps session and a track session. I also used it for an easy run to see how versatile it is as a daily trainer. I didn’t test the Adios 7, but did test the Adios 6 and the old Adios 3, as well as most of the current best Adidas running shoes.

Running Performance

I liked the Adios 6, but if there were two things I’d have changed about the shoe, I’d have made it softer, especially at the heel, and lighter. I’m pleased to see that’s what Adidas has done with the Adios 8. I’ve loved running in it.

The Lightstrike 2.0 foam is softer underfoot as a heelstriker, and the extra Lightstrike Pro in the forefoot gives the ride more bounce. When running a five-mile tempo at around 5min 55sec/mile pace, the Adios 8 was more comfortable and more propulsive than the Adios 6, and more enjoyable as a result.

It also protects the legs better than the Adios 6, though it still doesn’t do as good a job on this front as more cushioned speed shoes. Using the Adios 6 for two workouts in a week took a greater toll on my legs than using a shoe like the Magic Speed 2. 

There is an interesting theory that the greater strain of using a racing flat in training leads to more beneficial adaptations to that training, according to the conclusions of a recent pilot study. I still prefer the cushier ride myself, which allows you to bounce back from hard sessions quicker. If you want to really feel the work you’re putting in though, the Adios 8 is great for that, while still being more cushioned than stripped-back shoes.

The lighter, nimble feel of the Adios 8 was perfect for a hill reps session, where it was easier to keep picking feet up as I charged uphill than with bigger shoes that shine more in helping you maintain good paces on flat roads. It’s also more stable than high-stack shoes, and works well for faster runs on mixed terrain as a result of its low profile.

However, the Adios 8 loses out to those shoes in versatility, because I found it too firm for easy running. It’s a shoe I’d only use for speedwork, and even then I’d hesitate to use it for longer sessions because of the relative lack of cushioning, which makes it more niche than shoes like the Endorphin Speed 3 that I’m happy to use for everything.

Is The Adidas Adizero Adios 8 Worth It?

The Adios 8 is a fantastic shoe and one that offers something different to most speedy options available these days. The ride is more comfortable and faster than with previous versions of the shoe, and while it’s not as versatile as some plated training shoes, it is lighter and a lot cheaper, and also has an excellent outsole.

I’d recommend it without hesitation to runners who don’t like the higher stacks and softer foams used in many shoes. Using the Adios 8 in training also highlights the benefits of a carbon super-shoe when you switch to it on race day.

However, if you like high stacks and soft foams in your fast training shoe, then you get a higher level of performance from shoes like the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3, Asics Magic Speed 2 and Puma Deviate Nitro 2, especially over longer hard runs when the plate and extra cushioning tell compared with the lower, firmer Adios 8. 

It was not so long ago that the Adidas Adizero Adios and Boston shoes were among the best running shoes available, and the most exciting too. They were racing shoes that, in the case of the Adios, had been worn in the setting of world records for the marathon, but still had enough comfort and durability to handle a lot of training too.

Then the Nike Vaporfly happened, and the best carbon plate running shoes overtook more traditional options like the Boston and Adios on race day. For a while the Adios and Boston stuck around in their lightweight, relatively low-stack and low-tech forms, before being overhauled with the Boston 10 and Adios 6.

The changes to the Adidas Adizero Boston 10 were dramatic. It became a max-stack shoe packed with midsole tech like Adidas’s EnergyRods, which served the same purpose as a carbon plate. It also got a lot heavier, and reviews were mixed: The Lightstrike EVA foam used in the midsole was criticized as a firm, fairly dull material that undermined the performance and feel of the bouncy Lightstrike Pro also used in the shoe.

While the Adidas Adizero Adios 6 stuck closer to the shoe’s roots as a light trainer/racer, it also used plenty of Lightstrike EVA foam in its midsole, which again meant the ride wasn’t all that exciting.

So the main update I wanted to see with the new Adidas Adizero Adios 8 and Boston 12 was a change in the midsole set-up, and that’s exactly what Adidas has done. It’s still a combination of two foams, but alongside Lightstrike Pro there is now Lightstrike 2.0, which is softer and lighter than the Lightstrike foam used in previous versions of the shoes.

Other changes include new mesh uppers, which make the shoes lighter than previous versions, and a change in the tech used in the midsoles. The Boston 12 uses a new version of Adidas’s glass-fiber-infused EnergyRods to add more pop to its ride, while the Adios 8 has an EnergyTorsionRod 2.0 (quite the mouthful), which adds an extra rod that runs from the midfoot to forefoot to create a snappier toe-off.

The shoes should feel softer, springier and lighter, which is exactly what you’d want from training shoes that double as racing options. Of course, most brands suggest that the changes they make to any shoe make them softer, springier and lighter, so I’ll have to wait until I can run in them to see if the Boston 12 and Adios 8 live up to that billing.

Both shoes are available from 1st June. The Adidas Boston 12 costs $160 and the Adios 8 $130.

Once, the Adidas Ultraboost was among the best running shoes. Early versions gave a comfortable ride with a durable, good-looking design. The recent updates to the shoe have made it heavier and heavier until the Ultraboost 22 was simply too hefty to enjoy using, even for easy runs.

So I was pleased to discover that the Adidas Ultraboost Light uses a substantially lighter midsole foam than the Ultraboost 22. As a result, it’s a much better running shoe, though the best cushioned running shoes from other brands still offer more than the Ultraboost Light in regard to value and performance.

Adidas Ultraboost Light Review: Price And Availability

The Adidas Ultraboost Light launched in February 2023 and costs $190 in the US and £170 in the UK. That’s the same price as the Ultraboost 22, yet it makes it one of the most expensive cushioned running shoes.

Design And Fit

The key update to the Ultraboost Light is the lighter Boost foam used in the midsole. This is 30% lighter than standard Boost, and reduces the weight of the shoe to 11oz/314g in my UK size 9, compared with 11.7oz/333g for the Ultraboost 22 in a UK size 9.

It’s still not a particularly light shoe, but weighs about the same as other cushioned cruisers like the Nike Invincible 3, Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 and New Balance Fresh Foam X More v4.

Other than the new midsole, the Ultraboost Light has a similar look and a lot of the same features as the Ultraboost 22. The Primeknit+ upper has a sock-like fit, with a plastic midfoot cage and an external heel counter that adds structure to support the foot. The shoe has a tight fit and I’d prefer to have gone half a size up on my normal running shoe because the toe box felt cramped during runs.

Under the midsole is a plastic shank—or Linear Energy Push (LEP) system, as Adidas terms it— that speeds the transition onto your toes. The listed stack height is 30mm at the heel and 20mm at the forefoot for a 10mm drop, with sidewalls of foam that your foot sits within at the heel.

The outsole of the shoe is made from Continental rubber and grips well in all conditions. This rubber lines the sides of the shoe at the heel and midfoot, with more extensive coverage on the forefoot.

How I Tested This Shoe

I’ve run just shy of 31 miles (50km) in the Adidas Ultraboost Light, mostly for easy training runs, as well as a progression run where I finished at around marathon pace. I have also tested several previous generations of the Ultraboost, along with most of the best cushioned running shoes available from other brands.

Running Performance

When you run in the Ultraboost Light you really notice the drop in weight compared with the Ultraboost 22, and it’s appreciated no matter what pace you’re running at. Even at easy paces the shoe feels more nimble and enjoyable, without losing any of the protection underfoot.

It’s not a squishy, soft shoe, and the ride isn’t as smooth as with shoes that have more pronounced rockers. Instead the Ultraboost Light has a firm feel, and snaps you onto your toes rather than rolling through. It’s comfortable at the heel, but I think it requires more foam under the forefoot. I got some discomfort there during longer runs. The drop feels higher than 10mm owing to the snappy transition from the LEP system and firmish foam.

An upside of a firmer ride is that the Ultraboost Light is stable and feels responsive when you run at faster paces. Also, it doesn’t lose any of its bounce throughout runs, which can happen with softer foams that compress. It’s not a versatile daily trainer and I wouldn’t enjoy running for long periods at race paces, but you can go through the gears to tempo pace easily enough in it.

Is The Adidas Ultraboost Light Worth It?

For the most part, the Ultraboost Light feels like the recent versions of the Ultraboost, just lighter. It’s a welcome change but not one that radically alters what the shoe can do. It’s a good cushioned shoe for easy runs that is stable and comfortable, but still somewhat cumbersome at quicker paces.

Previous experience with the Ultraboosts suggests that the Light will be durable, and if you love the look of the shoe it’s a solid option for easy runs. However, it’s not as comfortable or enjoyable as the best cushioned shoes, and the high price is off-putting when it’s possible to get better performance and value elsewhere.

The Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 is a little softer and livelier underfoot, while the New Balance Fresh Foam X More v4 has a smoother ride because of its rocker; both are more comfortable under the forefoot over long distances. The Nike Invincible is less stable than the Ultraboost Light, but delivers more bounce from its springy midsole.

There are also lighter cushioned options, such as the new On Cloudsurfer, which may be less durable than the Ultraboost Light but is more enjoyable and versatile to run in. The Puma Velocity Nitro 2 is also a more versatile cushioned option that’s cheaper than the Ultraboost Light, as is the Hoka Clifton 9. 

Were it not for World Athletics setting a stack height limit of 40mm for races, many of the best carbon plate running shoes might now look like the Adidas Adizero Prime X Strung, which has a stack height of 49.5mm.

All that foam, plus other tech in the midsole, produces a powerfully propulsive and enjoyable ride for long races, though trade-offs come in the extra weight and instability the high stack creates. I wouldn’t race in it, but if you have no qualms about that stack height then the Prime X Strung is a top option for marathon racing—as long as you escape the heel rub I experienced.

Adidas Adizero Prime X Strung Review: Price And Availability

The Adidas Adizero Prime X Strung launched in September 2022 and costs $300 in the US and £230 in the UK. The US price is outlandish, even for carbon super-shoes; significantly more expensive than the Nike Alphafly NEXT% 2 and Saucony Endorphin Elite. In the UK, the price of the Prime X Strung is par for the course with carbon shoes. Adidas’s legal racer—the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3—costs $250/£220.

Design And Fit

The main update to the Prime X Strung, compared with the original Prime X, is a one-piece upper. This uses the brand’s Strung technology, which allows yarns individually to add support around the heel and midfoot. It looks great and is an improvement in the toe box compared with Adidas’s other racing shoes. I had to go a half size up in the Pro 3 to get the correct fit around my toes, whereas I am true to size in the Prime X Strung.

However, the fit around the heel has been terrible for me. There are two strips of cushioning on either side at the back, but this doesn’t create a secure hold and I have had the worst heel rub I’ve experienced in any shoe while testing the Prime X Strung. Even when I heel-locked the shoe it didn’t solve the issue. I didn’t have this problem with the Adios Pro 3, which has a similar design at the heel but fits more securely.

The midsole of the Prime X Strung is made from Adidas’s Lightstrike Pro foam, which is as bouncy as you’d expect on a super-shoe. It also has a small plate under the heel, plus Adidas’s carbon EnergyRods under the forefoot, which deliver the same kind of propulsion as a full plate while being more flexible.

Underneath the EnergyRods are three TPU plastic EnergyBlades to add even more pop to your forefoot. The Adios Pro 3 doesn’t have these, and it also has a stack height of 39.5mm at the heel, which is 10mm lower than the 49.5mm stack height on the Prime X Strung. The stack height is 41mm at the forefoot, for an 8.5mm drop.

At 9.4oz/266g in my UK 9, the Prime X Strung is the heaviest bona fide super-shoe I’ve tested, which you’d expect given the higher stack. It’s around 20g heavier than the Adios Pro 3 (in a size 9.5) and Nike Alphafly NEXT% 2.

The outsole uses Continental rubber to cover the forefoot, with two strips of rubber at the heel. I’ve found that the shoe grips well for me in wet conditions, which helps with cornering in such a tall shoe.

How I Tested This Shoe

I have used the Prime X Strung for a track session running one-mile and 200m reps, plus a couple of progression runs on the road, including a tough 10K in 35 minutes. I didn’t test the original Prime X, but have tested every generation of the Adios Pro, along with most of the best carbon plate running shoes on the market.

Running Performance

The Prime X Strung is every bit as bouncy as you’d expect from looking at it. It’s remarkably propulsive, and that spring only becomes more noticeable the faster you run in it.

It’s a shoe that makes moving fast feel effortless, and it protects your legs during a session more than any other shoe I’ve come across. The day after a hard track session running a couple of mile reps sandwiching two sets of 8 x 200m, my legs were so fresh that I barely felt like I’d run at all. 

As a result of the huge stack you don’t have much feel for the ground when using the shoe, and I felt like I had to keep my eyes glued to the sidewalk at all times to avoid even the slightest pothole, because hitting uneven surfaces in the shoe is a recipe for a rolled ankle. The heel is quite narrow for such a high stack, which adds to the instability at slower paces and when cornering. That said, when running fast in the shoe I didn’t feel like the wobbliness negatively affected my running—or at least the trade-off was worth it for the springiness underfoot.

My hardest run was a progression 10K moving from 3min 45sec/km to 3min 18sec/km. It’s a run I do semi-regularly during training and the Prime X Strung was fantastic for it, getting bouncier and bouncier as I moved through the gears. It did feel a bit big and hefty when I kicked for home in the final kilometer, but overall it was as good as any carbon shoe I’ve tested during this type of run.

But it’s not a shoe I’d be able to use much, mainly because of the heel rub I experienced. Also, the instability may well prove a problem for many people running on uneven sidewalks. Unless you’re on a flawless surface, you have to keep your wits about you when running in the Prime X Strung.

Is The Adidas Adizero Prime X Strung Worth It?

Looking purely at performance, the Prime X Strung is one of the best marathon running shoes. It’s a little awkward and heavy for races shorter than half marathons, but the bounce it delivers is perfect for longer events. As you might expect from the design, it feels like a souped-up Adios Pro 3.

However, I don’t think it outperforms my favorite long-distance marathon racing shoes, like the Nike Alphafly NEXT% 2 or Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro, which have the bonus of being permitted under World Athletics’ rules. The Alphafly is also more stable, and I’ve found it forgiving of sloppy form when tired in the late stages of a marathon.

If you’re not an elite runner then in theory you don’t have to worry about the rules, but as a reasonably fast amateur it wouldn’t even occur to me to use the Prime X Strung instead of a race-legal shoe, and I’ve never seen it on the feet of runners around me at races. Given that I think there are legitimate shoes that are just as good for the marathon, and nimbler faster options for shorter events, I wouldn’t splash the cash on the Prime X Strung.

It’s also a shoe I wouldn’t regularly use in training, mainly because of the heel rub. If that doesn’t affect you and you have even roads to run on, then it is a great training option for speed sessions. It’s expensive to buy purely for training though, so it would probably only be worth buying if you were also happy to race in it despite the high stack.

For a long time I liked the Adidas Ultraboost more than most of the serious runners I know did. It was a durable, comfortable shoe, and I used it extensively when training for my first sub-3hr marathon.

I rated it as one of the best cushioned shoes, and the fact it was relatively stylish for a running shoe was a bonus. However, the Ultraboost line started to go downhill for me with the Ultraboost 19 and 20, which added significant weight, and then the Ultraboost 21 and 22 got even heavier (and uglier).

Being heavy isn’t always a huge problem with a cushioned shoe, but the Ultraboost became so heavy it wasn’t enjoyable even to use for easy runs. The launch of the Ultraboost Light suggests Adidas has recognised that: the new Boost midsole is 30% lighter than standard Boost.

I’ve been out for one run in the Ultraboost Light, and while it is noticeably lighter than the Ultraboost 22, it’s still not that light at 11oz/314g in my UK size 9. However, that’s not a bad weight for a cushioned shoe like this. It’s almost the same weight as the Nike Invincible 3, New Balance Fresh Foam X More v4 and Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 in my size. Although to be fair, those shoes don’t have the word “Light” in their name.

While the weight is the same, it’s the other differences between these max-cushioned shoes that are the bigger problem for the Ultraboost Light. The three mentioned above all have more interesting and enjoyable rides for cushioned shoes. 

The Invincible 3 is a little wobbly and not to everyone’s taste, but much bouncier and softer than the Ultraboost Light. The More v4 is highly rockered and has a smooth and stable ride that protects the legs well, while the Gel-Nimbus 25 is comfortable and lively underfoot, even when rolling through easy miles.

In contrast the Ultraboost Light feels dull. It’s not a bad ride – it’s pretty smooth and protective – but it’s less comfortable and feels a little dated compared with what other brands are doing with the foams in their max-cushioned shoes.

I have a lot more testing to do before delivering a properly informed verdict on the Ultraboost Light to add to our collection of Adidas Ultraboost reviews. But so far, while it is an improvement on the other shoes Adidas offers in the cushioned category, it doesn’t seem to have made up much ground on the leading pack.

The Adidas Ultraboost has always been a great-looking shoe, and we counted the early editions among the best running shoes, with its comfortable and durable Boost midsole that’s great for easy and long runs.

However, in recent years the Ultraboost has become heavier – the Ultraboost 22 weighs 12.6oz/357g in my UK size 9. Weight isn’t the be-all and end-all with running shoes, but the Ultraboost has become so bulky that it detracts from the experience.

That should change with the new Adidas Ultraboost Light. This version makes several significant updates to the standard Ultraboost, but the crucial one is that the midsole foam used is 30% lighter.

The shoe has a similar look to the Ultraboost, with a Primeknit+ upper and Continental rubber outsole plus the familiar midfoot cage and plastic heel counter, though some of these have been upgraded.

“The Ultraboost has recognisable elements like the heel counter, the cage, and the silhouette,” says Adidas’s Simon Lockett, adding that in the Ultraboost Light, “the cage is more flexible and less constrictive. The heel counter is lighter, but also built to be more functional in terms of heel lockdown.”

Lockett told Coach that the Ultraboost Light will become the de facto Ultraboost for runners looking for performance within the Adidas range, though other versions will still be available. It should retain the durability that’s a hallmark of the Ultraboost line.

The Ultraboost isn’t a shoe that performance-focused runners have always taken seriously, but if the Ultraboost Light can provide a similar experience to the original, it will be a great cushioned shoe. Adidas certainly has high hopes for it.

“It’s a shoe we want everyone to enjoy running in,” says Lockett. “It could be someone training for a marathon, or someone taking their first step into the sport who wants to feel great. A shoe for any runner, any experience level and any distance.”

The Adidas Ultraboost Light launches on 23rd February in a white, red and black colourway, and members of the Adidas AdiClub get early access to the shoe. It costs €190 in Europe, the same price as the Ultraboost 22.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the launch of the Energy Boost – the first shoe that used Boost foam – a black version of the Ultraboost Light in the same style as the original Energy Boost has also been announced, with details on availability to come. 

Carbon plate super-shoes with high stacks of lightweight, springy foams have become the go-to option for most runners on race day, and the tech in the best carbon plate shoes is increasingly being used by brands across their training shoe ranges as well.

With the Adidas Adizero SL, Adidas has tried to bring a little of the super-shoe experience you get from the Adidas Adios Pro 3 to a much cheaper daily training shoe. Unfortunately, this hasn’t really worked, and the Adizero SL lacks the high level of performance you get from the best running shoes, including options at the same price or less.

Adidas Adizero SL Review: Price And Availability

The Adidas Adizero SL launched in November 2022 and costs $120/£110. It replaces the SL20 in Adidas’s line-up and offers a cheaper route into the Adizero range than the Adios 7 and Boston 11.

Design And Fit

When Adidas says it’s bringing elite-level tech from its super-shoes to the Adizero SL, it’s the midsole it’s talking about. There is no carbon plate here, but under the forefoot is a chunk of Lightstrike Pro, the foam used on the Adios Pro 3 and other shoes in the Adizero range.

The Adizero SL also has a similar midsole design to the Adios Pro 3 in its geometry, with the same sculpted look and cut-outs to reduce weight. However, at 35mm the stack height is lower than the Adios Pro 3’s, which is 39.5mm at the heel. The Adizero SL has a 10mm drop, and a forefoot stack height of 25mm.

Outside of the Lightstrike Pro foam under the forefoot, the rest of the midsole is made of Lightstrike EVA, which fully encases the Pro foam in the forefoot. Lightstrike EVA is a pretty firm foam that is nothing like the soft and springy midsoles used in the best carbon plate running shoes, but it’s durable and delivers a stable ride for training shoes.

Up top there is a mesh upper with generous padding around the tongue and collar, as well as some reinforcement around the toe box. The shoe fit me OK in my normal size, but it is a little tight and when using the shoe for longer runs more room around the toes would have been appreciated. I think going up half a size might be the best option.

The SL in the name of the shoe stands for super light, which is a slight exaggeration as it weighs in at 9.2oz/260g in my UK size 9, which I’d describe as reasonably light, or RL. 

Adidas has not used Continental rubber on the outsole of the Adizero SL, which it does use across the rest of its Adizero range, but the rubber that is on the SL gripped well for me on wet pavements.

How I Tested This Shoe

I have run 50km in the Adidas Adizero SL, doing a range of daily training including easy and progression runs, plus some strides. I have also tested most of the shoes in the Adidas Adizero range.

Running Performance

My first few runs in the Adizero SL were quite short, topping out at around five miles, and I found it worked OK for easy and progression runs of that distance. The ride isn’t soft and bouncy, but it wasn’t uncomfortably firm, and the shoe is light enough for speedier paces.

However, as soon as I started using the shoe for longer runs, I did find it quite limited. It’s not particularly comfortable for easy runs, and when trying to sustain faster paces for longer than 15 to 20 minutes it felt hard and lacked punch. It doesn’t help you maintain those faster speeds, unlike shoes with springier foams or a rocker design.

The Lightstrike EVA is certainly the foam you feel the most underfoot, and while there is a little extra pop off the forefoot from the Lightstrike Pro, the ride of the Adizero SL is simply a bit dull. It’s quite versatile in that it can do easy and faster runs equally well if sticking to shorter distances, but there are shoes that feel a lot better for those runs. If you mostly do runs of 10K and over, doing them in the Adizero SL is not particularly enjoyable.

If you prefer a firmer ride, mostly run shorter distances and are looking for a cheaper shoe – I’d expect the Adizero SL to drop below $100/£100 in sales regularly – it’s an option to consider, but for most runners there are better options available.

Is The Adidas Adizero SL Worth It?

The Adizero SL is not a shoe I loved running in. It’s not one I hated either, and at its RRP it works as a cheaper option in the Adidas range. However, you don’t have to shop in the Adidas range, and there are much better shoes available for a similar or lower price elsewhere.

One that immediately springs to mind is the Puma Velocity Nitro for $120/£100, which has a more enjoyable and comfortable ride, and is still just as good as the Adizero SL for faster stuff in my experience. 

The Hoka Mach 5 and New Balance Rebel v3 are also superior shoes on every front and while they cost a little more than the Adizero SL, I’d prefer to pay the extra for the added comfort and better performance. I also prefer the Nike Pegasus 39, which again is more comfortable, though admittedly not as light as the Adizero SL. 

The Adizero SL is a good hybrid of the Adios and Boston shoes in Adidas’s range, but I find the Boston a more enjoyable shoe to run in – and although it’s heavier, the carbon EnergyRods in its midsole make it a better option for faster long runs too.

If you’re a runner the Adidas Black Friday sale has been especially interesting this year, with the brand slashing the price of some of its top running shoes. Right now the top-of-the-range Adios Pro 3 racing shoe is reduced in the US, while casual runners can enjoy big discounts on the Ultraboost 22 range in both the UK and US.

Some deals require you to be an adiClub member, but it’s free and fast to sign up, and worth doing so to unlock the deal on the Adios Pro 3 carbon racing for one. We’ve picked out the best Adidas Black Friday deals below, and will keep adding to this page as and when we spot more great discounts.

Quick Links

Adidas US: Get up to 60% off

Adidas UK: Get up to 70% off

US Deals

UK Deals

The Adidas Prime X Strung is one of the more intriguing carbon plate running shoes on the market. It’s also one of the most expensive, with an RRP of $300, which tends to put us off recommending it since it has a 50mm stack height which is technically illegal for road races.

However, that rule is really for elites, not amateurs, and now that the Prime X Strung has been reduced by 50% to $150 in Adidas’s Black Friday sale, we’re ready to throw caution to the wind and suggest runners should consider giving it a go.

Even if you don’t intend on racing in the shoe it makes for an incredible training option, with the huge stack offering a high level (literally) of comfort, and we expect the carbon EnergyRods and plastic EnergyRods in the bouncy Lightstrike Pro midsole will combine to deliver a powerfully propulsive ride.

We’re especially surprised to see the Prime X Strung reduced in the sale because it is a relatively recent launch for Adidas, with the new Strung upper creating a more comfortable and secure fit than the mesh upper that was on the original version of the Prime X.

The extra security of the new upper is welcome because using a 50mm-high stack shoe naturally creates some concerns about stability. Don’t expect to fly around any corners in the Prime X Strung, but from what we’ve heard, on a flat, straight road the ride is as impressive as any carbon shoe on the market.

At the time of writing almost every size of the Prime X Strung was still available in the sale, but we don’t expect that to be the case for long. If you’ve been tempted by the idea of trying Adidas’s illegally-high carbon racer, there is no better time to give it a go.

All hail the all-conquering UltraBoost, a line of running shoes so popular that only the Nike Vaporfly can claim to be as well known with runners and non-runners alike, although you don’t see many people walking their dog wearing the Vaporfly. That’s the key to the UltraBoost’s success – its cross-over appeal as a very durable cushioned running shoe that will happily handle a parkrun and won’t look out of place in the pub later. 

• NEWSFLASH: Adidas UltraBoost Light Released (23rd February 2023)

We’ve been running in the UltraBoost since 2015, as well as offshoots such as the SolarBoost and PureBoost, and have reviewed the original and subsequent generations, including every version since the major design change in 2019 and a new model was released every year.

While the pure runner in us knows the best cushioned running shoes are lighter and more responsive if you ever want to pick up the pace. However, we’re not above wearing a running shoe that wins on style.

Adidas must know this, because the range of colourways is extensive, and there’s always a deal to be had from Adidas or a third-party retailer, and old models stick around for a long time. So we’ve collected all of our reviews here, and included the best deals our fancy Deal-O-Tron 3000 database spits out. 

Adidas Women’s UltraBoost 22 Review

I’ve always had a bit of a problem with the Adidas UltraBoost. It’s not the weight – I’m a dedicated Hoka fan and prefer a thick wedge of foam when I’m doing the easy miles on a training plan – it’s the fit.

Two recurring design features of the UltraBoost – which you'll find among the best Adidas running shoes for every type of runner – have been the sock-like upper and the plastic lacing system, neither of which I’ve found particularly comfortable. The shoe always felt OK while running, but the upper felt uncomfortably tight across the top of my foot the second I stopped, to the point that it would  hurt. Of course, you buy a running shoe to run in it, but if I’m spending £165 on a shoe, I want to be able to wear it to the gym, or to walk the dog, or to walk around the office on the days I run to work.

It wasn’t until I went for a run with another female runner that I realised I wasn’t the only one experiencing these issues. My running partner found that the sock upper would bunch up under the laces of her narrow feet, creating uncomfortable creases on the top of her foot.

Adidas has set out to improve things with the UltraBoost 22, changing the design of the women’s version. This isn’t Adidas’s first foray into female-specific footwear: in 2016 it launched the Pureboost X, a shoe designed for female feet that had a somewhat bizarre-looking floating arch above the midsole. However, tailoring the fit of Adidas’s most popular cushioned running shoe to women is a much bigger deal.

Adidas used an all-female design team and analysed scans from the feet of 1.2 million women to create the UltraBoost 22, which has a narrower heel, a lower instep and an S-curve heel to allow the achilles tendon to move more freely. Adidas has also added more support to prevent overpronation – studies have suggested women pronate more than men because we have wider hips – with an extra plastic support rail on the outsole.

The shoe has the same extended heel as the UltraBoost 21, designed to make the shoe more comfortable for heelstrikers, and the same Linear Energy Push system on the outsole to produce a snappier toe-off. Adidas says the tweaks to the upper and the fit of the UltraBoost 22 make the shoe 4% more efficient underfoot than the UltraBoost 21 for female runners.

The result? I’ve run approximately 50 miles in the shoe, over a number of different sessions, and am impressed with the fit. The shoe definitely feels more comfortable underfoot. Adidas has used Primeknit+ yarn, which contains 50% recycled plastic, to create an upper that has more structure and support. It’s still sock-like, but I no longer feel like I’m losing the circulation in my toes after walking home from parkrun, with the bootie upper feeling like it has a lot more give. I’m a UK 5 and found the shoe to fit true to size.

The lacing system has also been tweaked. There’s still the same plastic lace system as in its predecessor, but the lower laces are connected with two material loops rather than going through the plastic. This small change seemed to prevent the pressure and hot spots I’ve experienced on the top of my foot. The tongue is also now more cushioned, which feels reassuringly comfortable.

The instep is narrower in the UltraBoost 22 and sits slightly higher on the ankle. Adidas says this is based on scans of female feet and is designed to prevent heel slip and blisters, as well as helping the shoe fit more securely. Considering you’re running on such a thick wedge of foam the shoe felt remarkably stable, even on faster sessions on wet, slippery pavements. I also didn’t have any issue with blisters and ran pretty comfortably in these straight out of the box.

During the launch event of the UltraBoost 22 in London, Adidas designers explained how the Boost midsole foam has also undergone some changes for the female-specific UltraBoost. The holes in the foam of the shoe are larger and more flexible, designed to give a softer landing underfoot. 

That said, compared with the midsole of, say, the Nike ZoomX Invincible Run, I wouldn’t call the UltraBoost foam soft. It’s definitely stiffer and less comfortable than previous UltraBoosts and has a similar running experience to the UltraBoost 21. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing – if you’re a beginner looking for a shoe that can cope with faster paces, the firmer foam is better than anything too squishy, but personally, I miss the plusher feel of the older Boost models.

Weighing 286g, the shoe is slightly lighter than the UltraBoost 21, which weighs 297g, but it still feels pretty hefty underfoot during a progression run or speedier miles. The men’s UltraBoost 22 weighs 333g, compared with the UltraBoost 21 which weighs 340g.

If I review this shoe as a shoe for easy runs, which is what I’d argue it’s designed to be, it’s comfortable, rolls nicely underfoot and has seen me through runs up to 10 miles (16km) without any complaints. That said, I’m not sure it’s going to replace the Nike Invincible or Hoka Bondi 7 for my easy training miles. For me, the LEP system makes the shoe that little bit too firm underfoot to be enjoyable over long distances, but if you’re a beginner looking for a shoe to run shorter distances and wear in the gym, this shouldn’t put you off.

Faster runners shouldn’t get swept up by the 4% energy return figure, since the weight of the shoe stops it from being all that responsive. You can pick up the pace, but you’ll feel it in your legs.

One of the main draws of the UltraBoost is the use you get when you’re not running, so if you’re looking for a running shoe that’ll look cool with jeans in the office and cope with your run-commute home, this ticks the right boxes. As a running shoe, however, while the fit for women has definitely been improved, there are cheaper and more cushioned easy running shoes on the market. – Review by Jane McGuire

Adidas UltraBoost 21 Review

The Adidas UltraBoost has long been a better running shoe than its reputation suggests. That’s largely because its stylish design pigeonholed it in some quarters as a lifestyle shoe, but those good looks didn’t stop it being a durable, comfortable running shoe in which you could happily rack up a lot of miles.

I enjoyed running in the original UltraBoost design, and while the looks of the UltraBoost 19 and 20 weren’t to my tastes, the shoes were still solid, especially for easy efforts.

Unfortunately the new UltraBoost 21 is neither quick nor especially comfortable for easy running.

The main change is the addition of even more Boost foam. There’s 6% more in the midsole, which is a fairly significant increase given just how much Boost was already packed into the UltraBoost 20.

It’s not hard to see where it’s been added either. The sizeable rear end of the shoe stands out as soon as you look at it. This is intended to make it more comfortable, especially for heelstrikers, but as a heelstriker myself I didn’t feel like I got a lot from this big chunk of foam.

The shoe is now heavier than ever too, at 361g in my UK men’s 9 – a considerable increase on the already heavy UltraBoost 20, which was 346g. Shoes can feel lighter when running than the simple weight figure indicates, but the UltraBoost 21 doesn’t achieve that feat.

In an attempt to get some pace into the shoe Adidas has inserted its Linear Energy Push torsion system, which more or less amounts to a forked shank you can see on the bottom of the shoe. It runs from the midfoot into the forefoot and is designed to add some extra snap to your toe-off.

This works to an extent. At an easy pace you get a smooth roll through your footstrike and some added pop to your toe-off, but it doesn’t make it quick enough to work as a versatile shoe that can handle tempo or interval runs as well as easy efforts. It also makes the ride stiffer and less comfortable compared with past UltraBoosts.

The result is an awkward shoe that ends up not being great for any kind of running. The usual UltraBoost plus points still apply, in that I’m sure it will be very durable and it’s more stylish than most running shoes, but it’s not the enjoyable cruiser that past versions have been.

The UltraBoost 21 was true to size for me, with the snug fit typical of the sock-like uppers used in the range. The shoe uses 75% recycled material to make 50% of the upper, which is a roundabout way of saying the upper is three-eighths recycled. Which is good, although I’d hope to see those numbers increase in future releases.

The UltraBoost is also expensive, which is partly because it’s also a lifestyle shoe, but it just adds another reason to look elsewhere. There are many great easy-run shoes available for less than £160, with the likes of the Nike Pegasus 37 and Asics Novablast nearer £100, and the very comfortable Brooks Glycerin and durable Nike Infinity Run 2 at £140.

If you find the ride was more comfortable and like its look, £160 is OK value considering the use you’d get outside of running. However, the awkward ride of the latest version means it’s not a top contender in the cushioned training shoe bracket, no matter how much you like its style. – Review by Nick Harris-Fry

Adidas UltraBoost 20 Review

After making significant changes to the UltraBoost formula for 2019, Adidas has opted for a far more minimal update for the 2020 edition of the shoe. That may be why the marketing campaign for the UltraBoost 2020 has been all about space, rather than the shoe itself.

The space theme comes as a result of Adidas’s partnership with the International Space Station (ISS) US National Laboratory. In practical terms all that partnership really means for the shoe is that it has a slightly space-y look, mainly because of the iridescent Boost foam on some colourways. Which I do like, to be fair.

However, the changes to the structure of the shoe itself are largely confined to the upper, which now features Tailored Fibre Placement technology. This means targeted support to hold your foot in place on the run, because knitted uppers can be a little loose especially when rounding corners, though I didn’t really have this problem with the UltraBoost 19.

The changes to the upper are noticeable though. It’s certainly tighter, to the point where you can’t slip the shoe on without undoing the laces like you could with every past UltraBoost, which is a little annoying in truth. However, when running on wet and icy pavements in winter it’s no bad thing to have a more secure fit up top.

Otherwise the UltraBoost 20 offers the same features as the 19. The large slab of Boost foam in the midsole makes for an enjoyable bouncy ride, and that foam is incredibly durable. When you add in the Continental rubber outsole, which grips well and also lasts, for all practical purposes, forever, you have a shoe you’ll be able to use for many hundreds of kilometres.

The shoe is particularly good for long and easy runs, but although it’s quite hefty you can also use it for faster runs thanks to the responsive Boost foam. It would be a great option for beginner runners taking on a marathon.

It does come at a cost, but the £160 price is offset somewhat by the fact you can wear the UltraBoost 20 when not running too, since it’s significantly more stylish than the average running shoe.

Adidas UltraBoost 19 Review

Meet the new Boost, which for the first time is not the same as the old Boost. Since Adidas launched the original UltraBoost in 2015 it has largely been content to tinker with the formula of combining impressive Boost cushioning with a fashionable knitted upper rather than overhaul it with each new edition. That is until the arrival of the new UltraBoost 19, which sees Adidas making some substantial changes to the shoe.

That starts with whacking 20% more Boost foam into the midsole, which Adidas has done without adding anything to the weight of the shoe (310g for men’s size 8.5 UK). The upper has also been updated, with a Primeknit 360 sock that completely wraps the foot sitting on top of the Boost foam.

The midfoot cage has been changed too, which will delight many runners, especially those who took to cutting off the plastic on the original UltraBoost because they found it uncomfortable. On the UltraBoost 19 the cage has been replaced by a translucent mesh that locks the foot in place without imposing itself.

What really matters, of course, is what these changes mean to your experience when running in the shoe. And the good news is that the ride has improved, especially in terms of how secure the fit of the upper is.

Past UltraBoost shoes haven’t really locked the foot in place: the knitted upper was comfortable but a little sloppy when running fast or taking sharp turns. The UltraBoost 19’s upper is a full sock that sits on top of the midsole, and the knit is less stretchy than in past editions, especially around the forefoot, resulting in a more secure fit.

That fit hasn’t come at the cost of comfort, either – quite the contrary. The mesh around the midfoot is undoubtedly more pleasant to wear than the old plastic cage, while the heel counter, which is now a wire frame rather than a piece of plastic, allows the heel to expand on landing without encountering uncomfortable resistance.

The difference in the ride of the shoe is less pronounced, but it is certainly firmer than the original UltraBoost. The huge chunk of Boost on the bottom does make the UltraBoost 19 a little unwieldy if you try to run fast, but it’s great for easy and steady runs, especially over longer distances when the energy-returning properties of the Boost foam help you bounce along merrily without slacking your pace.

Part of the appeal of the UltraBoost shoe has always been that it’s stylish enough to wear out and about when not running, which I’m not entirely convinced remains the case with the new “unfinished” style. Then again, no-one’s going to mistake me for a shoe trendspotter, so maybe Adidas has nailed it.

The German company will certainly hope so, because other brands have emulated the success of its original by releasing shoes that offer a similar combination of boundless bounce and street-ready looks. The Nike Epic React Flyknit is our favourite of these, and it’s significantly lighter than the UltraBoost (239g men’s size 9), making it a more versatile option for different kinds of running.

Adidas’s SolarBoost matches the Epic React more closely, since it has enough Boost cushioning for long and easy runs while being a little lighter and more responsive than the UltraBoost. Neither the SolarBoost or Epic React, however, quite matches the comfort of the UltraBoost over long distances, but they are far better suited to faster running and are decent race-day options too.

The redesigned UltraBoost is a better shoe than its predecessor, with a more secure upper and a firmer, bouncier ride, even if I’m not a fan of the new style. It’s great fun for long distances at an easy pace, but it wouldn’t be my first, second or third choice for any other types of running – and there are now several other shoes that can rival its comfort while being lighter and more responsive.

Adidas UltraBoost Review

When Adidas launched the UltraBoost in 2015 there weren’t many, if any, running shoes like it. This was the only place you could find such a combination of style and substance in the form of Adidas’s impressive Boost cushioning and the fashionable knitted upper.

However, the landscape has changed since, and more brands have brought out proprietary foams that mimic the bounce of Boost and combined them with stylish uppers. Some shoes, like the Nike Epic React or Pegasus Turbo, are also far lighter than the UltraBoost, making them better suited for faster training runs and racing. The UltraBoost also faces increased competition from within, with Adidas having launched the lighter, speedier SolarBoost in early 2018.

Despite all this extra competition, the UltraBoost remains an incredibly popular shoe with all kinds of runners and Adidas has done little to change the formula of the original shoe in the updates since it launched. You still get the comfortable and stylish Primeknit upper, which is a little tighter on the latest version of the shoe to provide a more secure fit, and you still get a chunky slab of Boost cushioning on the bottom.

That Boost cushioning still delivers a responsive and comfortable ride, returning energy in spades to help you bounce merrily through whatever distance you’re taking on. I found the UltraBoost particularly good for helping to maintain a decent pace over long runs and cruising through easy runs.

However, when you want to push the pace the UltraBoost is slightly cumbersome, especially when compared with lighter shoes in Adidas’s line-up like the SolarBoost or Boston. It’s not built for sprinting or racing, and although the upper’s now tighter than in past versions of the shoe, I still found that my foot would slip a bit when turning corners at speed. There’s a plastic cage that wraps around the midfoot section of the UltraBoost, which helps a little in this regard, but if you tighten the laces too much the cage can become uncomfortable.

On the plus side, the Continental rubber on the outsole provides excellent grip in all conditions, although the knitted upper is less suited to wet weather and will do nothing to stop your foot getting drenched if the heavens open.

While it would never be my first choice for speed sessions, the UltraBoost is still a versatile running shoe that you can tackle all of your running in, and it is a joy to pull on for easy days in particular. If you’re a runner who has two or three shoes in the wardrobe at any one time the UltraBoost pairs perfectly with the Adios (for racing and fast training) and the Boston (for the rest of your running). And even if you only ever have one pair of shoes in your arsenal the UltraBoost bears consideration, because not only is it a solid all-rounder, it’s one that you can wear with your civvies without people casting pitiful glances at your hideous footwear. – Review by Nick Harris-Fry

“Bigger is better” is the winning formula for carbon plated running shoes. The higher the stack of soft and springy foam underfoot the better the shoe performs, especially in longer events like the marathon. To ensure a certain degree of fairness, World Athletics set a 40mm stack height limit for legal road racing shoes in 2020 that elites have to stick to.

That limit does not apply to training shoes, though, or indeed to amateur runners, which is why manufacturers have continued to develop bigger, bouncier shoes like the Adidas Adizero Prime X, which launched last year with a 50mm stack.

Adidas built the shoe to serve as a long-distance training shoe for elite runners, and a racing option for amateurs who don’t need to worry about being thrown out of races for using illegal shoes (unlike Ethiopia’s Derara Hurisa, who was disqualified after winning the 2021 Vienna Marathon in the Prime X).

The new Prime X Strung replaces the woven upper on the shoe with the Strung upper that was first seen on the FUTURECRAFT.STRUNG concept shoe two years ago. The upper is made by layering yarns to provide more support where you need it around the heel and midfoot, then a more breathable section in the forefoot. Instead of needing multiple parts, the upper is one piece which is designed to hug the foot like a cocoon.

“Strung should feel closer and has a nicer, more integrated fit [than the previous Prime X upper],” says Simon Lockett, global category director of running footwear at Adidas. “It’s built on the knowledge we’ve gathered over time of foot shapes and foot movement patterns. This essentially should feel at one with the foot.”

Beneath the Strung upper the Prime X has a midsole packed with Adidas’s top tech. The foam used is Lightstrike Pro, a lightweight and springy material that is paired with carbon EnergyRods that run under the forefoot, along with a small carbon plate at the heel of the shoe. Beneath the rods in the forefoot are EnergyBlades, strips of TPU plastic to add even more propulsion to your toe-off than you get from the rods alone. 

The result of all that cushioning and propulsive tech is a fast and comfortable shoe that’s versatile enough to use for a variety of runs, but designed for the long haul in particular.

“It’s our fast long run shoe,” says Lockett. “Our elite athletes wear it for long sessions, because it’s nice on your joints and it’s giving them something a little bit extra during those runs as well. Then they would move to an Adios Pro or a Takumi Sen for race day.”

Whether amateur runners will use a shoe that’s illegal by World Athletics standards in mass participation races remains to be seen. Personally, I wouldn’t want to wear a shoe that doesn’t meet the regs on race day, but I’m excited to test the Prime X in training for a Coach review and see if it really is a step up in performance on less-than-40mm shoes like the Adidas Adios Pro 3. There’s certainly an allure to the idea of running in a shoe that’s so good elites aren’t allowed to use it.

The Adidas Adizero Prime X Strung is available now and costs €275. US and UK pricing is still to be confirmed.

The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 2 was one of the best carbon plate running shoes, providing a comfortable, springy ride that impressed over longer distances in particular. It was also good value for a carbon super-shoe at $220 in the US and £180 in the UK. Not cheap, but cheaper than many rivals.

Adidas clearly decided it was selling itself short with that price, because it has jumped to $250/£225 with the Adios Pro 3, though that is in line with most super-shoes like the Nike Vaporfly NEXT% 2 and Asics Metaspeed Sky+. 

The price rise is one of a number of big changes to the shoe, which is now more stable and clearly positioned as a marathon racing shoe, leaving room for the Adidas Takumi Sen 8 to be the short-distance speedster in the company’s range.

Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3: Price And Availability

The Adios Pro 3 is available now and costs $250/£225. The Adios Pro 2 is also still widely available.

Design And Fit

The Adios Pro 3 is a distinctive shoe, with its sharp toe rocker and jagged midsole catching the eye. The lightweight textile upper comes to more of a point in the toe box than on the Adios Pro 2 and I found that the fit was spot-on for me going half a size up in the Pro 3, whereas I wore my normal size in the Pro 2.

Adidas has reduced the heel-to-toe offset on the Pro 3 by increasing the stack in the forefoot. It has a 6.5mm drop with a stack height of 39.5mm at the heel and 33mm at the forefoot, whereas the Pro 2 had a 10mm drop with a 39.5mm stack height at the heel. 

The carbon tech in the midsole has also changed. In the Pro 2 there was a small carbon plate at the heel and then five carbon EnergyRods under the forefoot. In the Pro 3 the plate and rods have been joined together, making the shoe feel stiffer.

Sandwiching the carbon plate and rods are two layers of Adidas’s Lightstrike Pro foam. As with the Pro 2, the Pro 3 has several midsole cutouts to reduce weight, but it has a wider base to increase the stability of the ride considerably, something that is also improved by having the plate and rods connected.

As a result of the extra foam in the midsole, the Pro 3 weighs more than the Pro 2. It’s 8.7oz/247g in a UK 9.5, which is the same weight as a UK size 10 in the Pro 2. The Pro 3 is one of the heavier carbon racers, weighing about the same as the Nike Alphafly NEXT% 2 but more than the Vaporfly 2, Asics Metaspeed Sky+ and Edge+.

The outsole of the shoe has a patch of Continental rubber at the front to ensure good grip for your toe-off, and then a thinner rubber is used to cover the rest of the forefoot and for two strips at the heel.

How I Tested This Shoe

I have run more than 60km in the Adios Pro 3, including two hard workouts and a 15-mile (24km) run at 6min/mile pace. I have also tested the Adios Pro 1 and 2 extensively, running 180km in the Pro 2, including several races.

• Adidas Adizero Adios Pro review
• Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 2 review

Running Performance

I gave the Adios Pro 3 a baptism of fire by using it for a testing workout straight out of the box, running 5K at 3min 35sec/km pace followed by a parkrun and then another 5K at 3min 35sec/km.

After that first run I had serious doubts about the changes Adidas had made. It felt much bigger on the foot than the Pro 2, and also stiffer and less comfortable. I ran the parkrun in 16min 24sec, but pushing the shoe to the pace felt unnatural and it also didn’t feel great running the 5Ks at around marathon pace.

I was similarly unimpressed after one run in the Pro 2, however, and while I still have reservations about the Pro 3 the ride notably improved in the runs that followed. I feel that the EnergyRods and foam need a run to break in a little and soften up.

My second run in the shoe was 15 miles at a steady pace and it felt far more natural at that pace and over long distances. The ride was smooth and I felt more bounce and energy return from the midsole than in the Pro 2. 

The lower drop makes for a smoother transition and it’s more comfortable under the forefoot. Towards the end of long, hard runs in the Pro 2 I sometimes felt forefoot pain, but I had no such discomfort with the Pro 3.

I also used the shoe for three reps of a 5 x 2-mile workout, running the reps at 5min 30sec to 5min 40sec/mile pace. I did the first two reps in the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Pacer, which is a lightweight, low-stack carbon shoe, and the extra bounce I felt in the Adios Pro 3 made it feel just as speedy as the Pacer despite weighing 50g more.

However, the generally larger size of the shoe positions it as a half-marathon and marathon racing shoe in my mind, whereas the Pro 2 is more versatile and a shoe I enjoyed tackling short workouts and races in more. 

The Pro 3 is an improvement over long distances because of the reconfigured midsole and extra stability, but if you’re not focused on marathon training the Pro 2 may be a better pick. The lightweight Adidas Takumi Sen 8 is also a better racing shoe for 5Ks and 10Ks, I’d say.

Is The Adidas Adios Pro 3 Worth It?

The price rise hurts the Adios Pro 3. The Pro 2 was not far off the performance level of shoes like the Vaporfly 2 and Asics Metaspeed Sky+ and being cheaper made it an attractive option.

While I rate the Pro 3 as a marathon racing option on a par with the Vaporfly and Metaspeed Sky+ it’s less impressive over short distances, and the Alphafly 2 would be my preference for marathon because it has a more explosive ride, though it is expensive.

The Pro 3 makes sense in Adidas’s range because the Takumi Sen 8 is such a good short-distance racing option to pair with it. However, you can get one racing shoe from other brands that does it all, or opt for one of the best marathon running shoes going in the Alphafly 2.

That said, the changes Adidas has made for the Pro 3 will appeal to many people, since it is more comfortable and stable, and it means the shoe can be used for more training alongside your races.

Once the go-to marathon running shoe for some of the world’s fastest athletes, the Adios line has slipped into the background in recent years as carbon-plate super-shoes have come to dominate the market.

Like its stablemate the Boston, the Adios was due an upgrade that would incorporate the tech Adidas had introduced in shoes like its top long-distance racer, the Adios Pro 2. The Adios 6 achieves that without significantly changing the feel of the shoe: it is still a firm, stable and undoubtedly fast option. 

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Adidas Adizero Adios 6 Review: Price And Availability

The Adidas Adizero Adios 6 costs £110 in the UK, which makes it excellent value compared with carbon super-shoes – they generally cost around £200 – and most fast training shoes, which tend to be around £150. The Adios has long been a shoe that’s easy to find in sales and that remains true for the Adios 6, which can be bought for around £80.

Design And Fit

The Adios 6 has changed underfoot compared with its predecessors, but the upper and fit are in keeping with the line. It has a lightweight, single-layer mesh upper and a narrow fit to maintain good lockdown for fast running. As someone who has a narrow foot it fits perfectly in my normal size, but if you have a wider foot there may be a case for going a half size up.

There is minimal padding on the tongue, but some around the heel to avoid slippage there, and the upper is made from 50% recycled materials.

The midsole is made of two different foams. At the heel is Lightstrike, a firm and lightweight EVA foam; under the forefoot is Lightstrike Pro, which is Adidas’s best material and has a soft and bouncy feel. The Lightstrike Pro extends all the way through the forefoot and there is an exposed section on the outsole, which could mean durability concerns, though I’ve seen no undue wear in that area after 70km.

While the Adios 6 doesn’t have the EnergyRods used in the Adios Pro 2 and Takumi Sen 8 racing shoes, it does have a forked plastic shank under the midsole foam. This  runs from just behind the midfoot through the forefoot, providing a snappy transition onto your forefoot and off your toes.

As with many Adidas shoes, the outsole uses Continental rubber, which provides grip in all conditions and has always proved durable in my testing of other shoes. The gripe I have here is that some sections use strips of rubber and these have a habit of catching small stones between them.

How I Tested The Adidas Adizero Adios 6

I’ve run 70km in the Adios 6 on a mix of road and treadmill. While I’ve mostly focused on speedy running, doing one track session, a long tempo and a hard progression run, I’ve also done easy training to see if it’s versatile enough to work as an all-rounder.

Running Performance

The first couple of runs I did in the Adios 6 were easy base runs, with the second progressing to a steady pace by the end. I was impressed by the level of cushioning in the shoe and I think it may work well as a versatile option for someone who prefers a firm ride and more feel for the ground even on easy efforts.

However, when trying easy runs during a more intense training week, I did find it was too hard on my body. I’d personally restrict it to faster sessions, even if it is more cushioned than past iterations of the shoe.

During fast runs the Adios 6 has a snappy ride with the torsion system firing you onto your forefoot, rather than the smoother feel of shoes with a rocker design such as the Saucony Endorphin Speed 2 or Hoka Mach 4. The Adios feels firmer, more stable and more traditional than those shoes, which will be great or bad news depending on your personal taste. 

There’s no doubt the shoe is fast. I used it for one-mile, 300m and 200m reps at the track, and for a hard progression hour where I finished at 3min 25sec/km pace for 3km. As someone now used to both smooth and soft-and-bouncy speed shoes, it was almost surprising how quick a traditional shoe like the Adios 6 could be. 

However, that speed comes at more of a cost than running in a softer, springier shoe. I found that at the end of hard sessions in the Adios 6 I was more beaten up than I would be when using a shoe like the Endorphin Speed. After doing back-to-back 16km runs over two days I would hesitate to keep using the Adios for runs over that distance – just because the firmer ride is harder on the legs.

Is The Adidas Adios 6 Worth It?

If you’re a long-term fan of the Adidas Adios and Boston lines, the Adios 6 does a better job of sticking to the principles of those shoes than the new Boston 10, which has a high stack and different ride from past Bostons.

The Adios 6 does introduce Adidas’s Lightstrike Pro foam to the line, but the shoe still has a traditional ride for a speed shoe, being firm and snappy. It lacks the EnergyRods and other tech used in Adidas’s top racing shoes but still delivers a fast ride for training and racing, though I’d stick to shorter stuff in the shoe myself.

However, unless you crave that firmer, more stable feeling, there are better options: chief among them is the Saucony Endorphin Speed 2, which is comfier, faster and lighter, while many carbon racers available now protect the legs better than the Adios. The Speed is more expensive, though, at £155, and in general, it’s hard to find fast training shoes that are better than the Adios 6 at its £110 price. It’s good value and gets the job done, but it just isn’t quite the best in the business any more.

The Adidas Takumi Sen 8 is an early example of a new type of racing shoe, which sits between the traditional low-stack racing flat and towering carbon-plate models like the Nike Vaporfly. The Takumi Sen 8 is lighter and has a shorter stack than its super-shoe stablemate the Adidas Adios Pro 2, and built for 5K and 10K races rather than marathons.

Some super-shoe elements remain though, with the Takumi Sen 8 using Adidas’s bouncy Lightstrike Pro foam and embedding EnergyRods in the forefoot to provide extra propulsion to your toe-off, though these rods are thinner and more flexible than the ones used in the Adios Pro 2.

The million-dollar question is whether this relatively stripped-back design is really faster than a full super-shoe over short-distance races – and if it is, which is better? The Takumi Sen 8 or its rival, the Nike ZoomX Streakfly?

Adidas Takumi Sen 8: Release Date And Price

The Takumi Sen 8 is available now on the Adidas website and costs £170, which is a little cheaper than the Adios Pro 2 at £180, though notably more than the Nike Streakfly, which is £134.95.

Design And Fit

Weighing 194g in my UK size 9, the Takumi Sen 8 is lighter than high-stack super-shoes like the Adios Pro 2, which are mostly in the region of 230g. There are a few exceptions like the Nike Vaporfly, Puma Deviate Nitro Elite or Asics Metspeed Sky, which weigh just over 200g in my size.

The stack is 33mm high at the heel, which is still far chunkier than the previous versions of the Takumi Sen, which were classic racing flats with minimal cushioning. The shoe has a heel-to-toe drop of 6mm, and fits me true to size. It has a slightly narrower toe box than the Adios Pro 2 but is still comfortable, and the lockdown around the midfoot and heel is secure for fast running.

Adidas’s Celermesh upper material is very thin and there is no real structure or padding around the heel or tongue to keep the weight down. The midsole is made of Adidas’s Lightstrike Pro foam, which is light and bouncy.

Under the forefoot there are five EnergyRods, which is what Adidas uses in its super-shoes instead of a carbon plate to provide a snappy and efficient ride. The EnergyRods used on the Takumi Sen 8 are thinner and bendier than the ones used in the Adios Pro 2, which again keeps the weight down and gives a more flexible feel to the Takumi.

Like the Adios Pro 2, the Takumi Sen 8 has some cut-outs in the midsole to bring the weight down. A large one on the inside of the midfoot shows off the rods, and there’s a smaller cut-out on the outer side of the forefoot.

The outsole has an impressive amount of rubber on it given how light the shoe is, with a thin layer over key sections off the heel and midfoot, and then Continental rubber on the forefoot to ensure the shoe grips on your toe-off, especially when haring around corners in short races.

Running Performance

The Takumi Sen 8 is a shoe built for speed over short distances and so my tests included several different interval and tempo sessions, plus a parkrun and a hard track 5K. I also did a longer run and some easy running just to see how the shoe felt, but in the main the aim was to run fast as much as possible.

That started with a long session where I did 16 reps of 60 seconds, hitting around 5K pace, with 30 seconds of recovery before going straight into a 10K at 3min 35sec/km, a little slower than my marathon pace. I was immediately impressed by how light the shoe felt in the short reps – it certainly encourages a fast turnover of your legs – and then at a steadier clip on the 10K, the amount of support it offered was surprising. It felt comfortable and quite protective over what amounted to a half marathon’s distance of mostly hard running.

All the sessions I have done since have been shorter, dropping down to some all-out speedwork running 200m reps on a cambered indoor track, and the Takumi Sen 8 feels similarly sprightly and fast as a stripped-back flat on those kinds of reps, while also having more protection for longer stuff.

I did a parkrun in the shoe in around 16min 40sec on an unfamiliar course where I misjudged my pacing and finished with a little bit too much in the tank. I also ran a disarmingly comfortable 16min 51sec 5K on the track during a session – the shoe just helps you roll through at those paces, and the EnergyRods deliver some helpful snap to keep you going towards the end of 5K and 10K efforts.

While it’s not a noticeably unstable shoe and has a much lower stack than the Adios Pro 2, the Takumi Sen 8 is still slightly wobbly at times because of the midsole cut-outs. You can certainly go hard at corners when at race pace, but it’s not going to provide similar turning speed as a traditional racing flat, though you more than make up the difference on straights.

Is The Adidas Takumi Sen 8 Worth It?

All the running I’ve done in the Takumi Sen 8 has confirmed that it’s a brilliant short-distance racing shoe. I’m sure that a lot of runners will also feel comfortable going longer in it, certainly to half marathon distance and maybe to the full marathon.

However, for me, the Adios Pro 2 remains the better pick for half marathons or marathons, with its softer, more forgiving ride that helps you roll through those longer events at steadier paces.

To pick between the two Adidas shoes for shorter events I lean towards the Takumi, but it’s close. If you’re deciding between them, you should be guided by what your main event is. As a marathoner first and foremost I’d get the Adios Pro 2 and happily use it for 5Ks, while if you mostly did shorter events the Takumi Sen 8 might be a better choice, especially with the £10 saving.

You can save even more if you buy the Nike Streakfly for £134.95, though: it is similarly impressive over short distances, though the Takumi is more supportive and better for longer events.

However, both the Nike Vaporfly and Asics Metaspeed Sky are as good as the Takumi Sen 8 for short races as well as being top-class marathon shoes. They’re slightly heavier than the Takumi at just over 200g, but the benefits of a full-length carbon plate and stiffer, more propulsive ride more than offset that, especially in longer events. Those shoes are significantly more expensive than the Takumi Sen at £225, but they are better value if you want one shoe for races of all distances.

There are shoes that look like they’re going to be amazing from the moment you see them – shoes that you absolutely cannot wait to pull on and run in. The Adidas Adistar, it’s fair to say, is not one of those shoes.

When I took it out of the box it looked impossibly big and weighed in at a hefty 336g in my UK 9. The foam used at the heel also seemed firm and unforgiving to the touch. All in all I didn’t expect a great deal from the Adistar, and worried it would be a bit of a clunker, in the same way as the Ultraboost 21.

I’m not sure a shoe has ever felt more different on the run from what I expected. The Adistar is almost impossibly smooth given its size, and it runs far lighter than its weight. I’ve run 75km in this pair now, including a couple of long runs, and I’ve enjoyed every step I’ve taken in the shoe at an easy pace.

Adidas bills the shoe as ideal for long, slow runs, and that is certainly where the Adistar excels. It clearly offers a lot of protection with all that cushioning, but the pronounced rocker geometry means you don’t notice the high stack at all because you move through your footstrike so easily.

The cushioning is made up of two foams: under the mid and forefoot you have Repetitor, and then under the heel there’s a section of Repetitor+. The latter is a firmer material put in place at the heel to provide more stability when heelstriking.

There are other elements of the Adistar that focus on stability too, like the slanted heel that counters overpronation, the “bucket seat” design that means your foot sits in the cushioning at the back rather than on the top, and reinforced sections on the upper to help limit lateral movement. These features are always welcome in a high-stack shoe like this, and it might make the Adistar a better max-cushioned option than softer shoes like the Nike Invincible or Asics Novablast 2 for runners who need more stability.

In general the shoe has a firmer ride than many max-cushioned options, though the way the rocker provides a smooth transition from heel to toe meant the Adistar never felt harsh underfoot for me, even when running farther than 20km. The comfortable feel is aided by the plush cushioning around the collar and on the tongue, though the amount of padding here might make the Adistar feel a little warm on summer runs.

The size and weight of the Adistar do become a problem when you run at speed in the shoe. I took it to the track for a session running 20 400m reps and used it for the first five of them to see how it felt at 75sec-a-lap pace. Unsurprisingly the results were not great. The Adistar really is built for one kind of running only, and while you can go through the gears to some extent on longer runs and progress to steady paces, it really is designed solely for easy sessions.

That lack of versatility does count against it given how many great all-rounder options are available. There are many shoes with enough cushioning to feel comfortable on easy runs that still have enough pop for faster running as well, including the Puma Velocity Nitro, Nike Invincible, Adidas Boston 10 and Asics Novablast 2.

• The Best Adidas Running Shoes For Every Type Of Runner
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The Adistar is a max-cushioned shoe designed to provide a comfortable and stable ride for easy runs, and it does that job well. It also seems likely to be a durable option and costs less than many rival shoes at £120 – though that is still not exactly cheap. If you have a shoe rotation with space for an easy option that isn’t excessively soft and springy, but rather smooth and stable, it will fill that spot.

If you’re looking for a more versatile or bouncy option in general, however, the Adistar does fall short of other shoes, and even though it runs lighter than its weight, some runners will inevitably be put off by the high numbers on the scales here.

The immensely successful Adidas UltraBoost running shoes get an update every year and the next iteration will go on sale on 9th December. But this year the only significant changes are to the construction of the women’s shoe, because the UltraBoost 22 has been revamped to provide a better fit for women.

This has been achieved by an all-female team of designers, who used data from 1.2 million foot scans to identify key points around instep height, heel anatomy and gait cycle to create a better fit for women. This has resulted in changes like a narrower heel pocket, a shallower forefoot profile and a lower instep area.

As to the effect of those changes on feel and performance, we’ll reserve judgement until we complete our forthcoming trial and review. There is also a men’s version of the UltraBoost 22, but as we understand it, the only major updates made have been to the women’s shoe.

Apart from the new fit, the UltraBoost 22 sticks largely to the same formula as the UltraBoost 21, with a substantial stack of Adidas’s Boost cushioning and an exaggerated heel. The Liner Energy Push system in the midsole is designed to help ensure that, despite all that cushioning, the UltraBoost 22 still has a smooth and responsive ride. In our last UltraBoost review we found that combination worked to an extent, but it made the UltraBoost less of a comfortable cruiser while not providing enough “pop” to be truly versatile – an awkward combination that fell between two stools.

See related 

• The Best Adidas Running Shoes For Every Type Of Runner
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The upper of the shoe has also been refined, and Adidas has used PRIMEKNIT+ yarn containing 50% recycled plastic in certain zones to create more structure and support around the foot.

Members of Adidas’s Creators Club will get early access to the shoe on 2nd December, so if you’re keen to get hold of the UltraBoost 22 ASAP you can sign up for free membership on the Adidas website.

The shoe will then go on general sale on the 9th December. It costs £165, which is a £5 increase on the UltraBoost 21 and is a fair chunk of change. though Adidas’s Boost foam is renowned for its durability, though, so you can expect to get a whole load of miles out of the UltraBoost 22.

Buy women’s from Adidas | Buy men’s from Adidas | £165

The fact that my first thought when looking at the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 2 was that £180 seems like a bargain is indicative of how carbon plate racing shoes have skewed the market.

Most super-shoes cost over £200, and some well over that. Only a few come in cheaper than the Adios Pro 2 – the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite, which never seems to be available, and the Hoka Rocket X and Carbon X 2, neither of which comes close to matching the benefits of something like the Nike Vaporfly.

If the Adios Pro 2 got close to the performance of Nike’s shoes it would be a relatively cheap route into the carbon super-shoe realm for runners. Currently the Vaporfly is £225 (though some colours were launched at £210), the Alphafly is £260, and other top options like the Asics Metaspeed Sky and New Balance RC Elite 2 also cost over £200.

The good news is that the Adios Pro 2 is a bona fide super-shoe, and one of the best running shoes out there, offering a tremendously fast but still cushioned ride that can help you shoot for PBs across pretty much any distance, though I would say it will be best for longer races like the marathon.

Adidas has made a number of significant updates to the previous Adios Pro, the most obvious being a large cut-out on the medial side of the midsole foam designed to reduce the weight of the shoe. Through this space you can also partly see the carbon-infused EnergyRods in the midsole.

These rods run the length of the forefoot of the shoe and broadly track the foot’s metatarsal bones. They are designed to mimic the benefits of a full carbon plate, and the Adios Pro 2 does show there is more than one way to skin a cat when it comes to whacking carbon into a midsole to produce a more efficient ride.

You’ll also find a small carbon plate under the heel of the shoe to increase stability, along with two layers of Adidas Lightstrike Pro foam in the midsole. Adidas is yet to reveal what this material is made of, but whatever it is, it does the job of delivering a comfortable and responsive ride.

The foam is not as bouncy and impressive as the PEBA-based ZoomX foam used in Nike’s super-shoes, and Asics’s FF Turbo foam, used in the Metaspeed Sky, also has a bit more pop to it. Lightstrike Pro still creates a pleasurable ride, though, and it’s a notable improvement on the firm EVA Lightstrike foam Adidas also uses in its line-up of shoes.

On the outsole of the shoe there is a thin layer of rubber, along with an additional section of Continental rubber on the toe for extra grip in your toe-off. A similarly thin rubber layer held up surprisingly well through a lot of miles on the original Adios Pro and the grip has been improved on the Pro 2, though it is clearly a shoe built for the road and the road alone.

Of the runs I’ve done in the Adios Pro 2 it performed best at around marathon pace – not all-out quick, but not slow. On easier runs the shoe felt unstable, and the cut-out in the foam made it a little precarious. I used it during a period when I was nursing an ankle injury and actually upped my pace on runs to increase the stability of the shoe and protect the ankle.

When you are at a steady or marathon pace, however, the shoe has a lovely ride, rolling through your foot strike and pushing you off your toes in a smooth and efficient manner. I didn’t find it as squishy and explosive as the Vaporfly, but you can feel the benefits of the foam and EnergyRods in helping you to push on and hold that kind of longer race pace.

On shorter, hard efforts I still found it worked well. I enjoyed blasting a parkrun and taking it to the track, but it doesn’t feel quite as nimble and speedy as other shoes. I used it alongside the Adios Pro 1 during one track session and actually felt the older shoe was a little speedier on 400m efforts, though I’d rate the Pro 2 as the more impressive option for longer events owing to the smoother ride and the softer overall feel.

When used for a hilly half marathon event the Adios Pro 2 exceeded expectations in how it felt underfoot, protecting the legs and providing plenty of propulsive pace in the latter half of the race. Even at the end of a hard race my legs felt fresh and I have no doubt it would be an impressive marathon racing shoe. I’d still say shoes like the Vaporfly and Metaspeed Sky are more versatile in how they feel for everything from short reps up to 30km-plus training sessions and races, but the Adios Pro 2 is up there with the best half marathon and marathon racers.

Given the choice, with money as no object, I’d still opt for the Vaporfly, Alphafly or Metaspeed Sky ahead of the Adios Pro 2 on race day. But it’s very close, and since the Adios Pro 2 is considerably cheaper it certainly bears considering if you’re looking for a carbon racing shoe, especially for longer distances. I would, however, be wary of it if you overpronate even a little since the midsole cut-out can make it feel less stable even when compared with other high-stack racers.

For a long time Adidas opted to keep the updates to the Boston fairly minimal. And for good reason, because it was a popular, fairly simple shoe that a lot of runners loved to wear for both training and racing.

However, in recent years the technology in running shoes has advanced at a breakneck pace, and the Boston fell behind carbon plate super-shoes for racing and daily trainers that incorporated the springy foams and plates from those super-shoes.

In response, Adidas has made sweeping changes to the Boston 10 that incorporate tech from its own carbon plate racer, the Adizero Adios Pro. The new Boston has a huge stack that rises to 39.5mm at the heel, close to the 40mm limit set by World Athletics, and it has both a carbon plate and Adidas’s EnergyRods.

The carbon plate is a small one just placed under the heel to promote stability, while the EnergyRods, in the midsole, are not quite the same as the ones used in the Adios Pro. Those are carbon-infused, while the Boston’s rods appear to be plastic. Whatever the material, the rods are meant to create a stiffer, more propulsive ride.

Adidas has used two different foams in the midsole of the Boston 10. The top layer is Lightstrike Pro, the lightweight, bouncy foam used in the Adios Pro. Underneath that is a layer of Lightstrike EVA, a more traditional foam which creates more stability and increases the durability of the Boston, which is designed to be more of an everyday trainer than a racer.

The outsole of the shoe is mostly covered by a layer of Continental rubber, which is durable and grips well on wet roads. There is some exposed foam in the midsole, while a chunk has been taken out to give you a glimpse of the EnergyRods and reduce the weight.

The Boston 10 is heftier than its predecessors, which usually weighed in around 240-250g in a UK 9. In contrast, the Boston 10 is 296g, and isn’t hard to see where that extra weight has come from given the sizeable stack of cushioning. The Boston 9’s stack rose to just 26mm at the heel, compared with 39.5mm on the 10.

I’ve been a big fan of the Boston and used it for a lot of training and racing before the super-shoe era dawned. After running 110km in the Boston 10, ranging from short and sharp track intervals right up to a 20-miler (32.2km), I can’t say that the changes made by Adidas are an unqualified success.

I was particularly unimpressed with the Boston 10 during my first couple of runs in it. The ride was pretty joyless and firmer than most daily trainers. However, the shoe did break in and from around the 50km mark I enjoyed using it a lot more. It just about had the speed to rattle through track work, and the cushioning protects the legs when you tackle long runs in it – I’ve done a half marathon and that 20-mile run in the shoe, and I felt pretty good the following day on both occasions.

Despite having a layer of Lightstrike Pro foam underfoot, the ride is not as soft and springy as you’ll get on the Adios Pro. It’s pretty firm, and surprisingly stable given the big stack of cushioning. The Boston 10 has all the ingredients of a modern shoe, but actually its ride is fairly traditional, though the large size does make it a little more cumbersome than previous Bostons, which felt more nimble on the foot.

It’s still fairly versatile, though I don’t think it would be a shoe I’d pick regularly for tempo runs or track work, whereas past Bostons did that job brilliantly and I would happily race in them too. The Boston 10 is at its best when cruising along at easy or steady paces, when I didn’t really feel the weight of the shoe – aside from during one run when it bucketed down and the thick upper seemed to absorb a lot of water. While I didn’t get much pop from the EnergyRods, and there’s no rocker in the midsole, it still has a fairly smooth ride and it is a good shoe to log a lot of your base training in.

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For all the changes made to the Boston 10, it still has the same problem its predecessors had, which is that it’s not as impressive as several other daily trainers that have made better use of the available tech. The Saucony Endorphin Speed 2 has a nylon plate and Saucony’s impressive PWRRUN PB foam in the midsole, and produces a much faster, more enjoyable ride, while also being lighter than the Boston 10.

At £155 the Endorphin Speed 2 costs £25 more than the Boston 10, but there are other shoes that come in cheaper than the Adidas and offer more. The Hoka One One Mach 4 has a more comfortable, smoother ride that I enjoyed for both fast and slow running. Having also logged a 20-mile run in the Mach 4, there’s no doubt that I prefer it to the Boston 10 for those long runs, and it’s also lighter and faster for tempo runs or sessions.

Another great option is the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v2, which really shows off what you can achieve with today’s foams. It has a high stack of soft FuelCell cushioning, yet weighs just over 200g in my UK 9, and is a great shoe to use for everything from speedwork to recovery runs.

The Adidas Adizero Boston 10 is not a bad shoe, and runners seeking a firmer daily trainer would do well to check it out. However, I’m not convinced the changes made have produced a much better shoe than past Bostons, and it still struggles to compete with the best all-round running shoes on the market.

The first Adizero Adios Pro was Adidas’s long-awaited response to the dominance of the Nike Vaporfly racing shoes and it proved an immediate success. It was worn by a host of elite runners to set world records and win major races in 2020 and 2021.

Amateurs took to it as well, helped by the relatively low price for a carbon racer of £170. Availability was a problem, and the Adios Pro sold out rapidly whenever a batch appeared, but the launch put Adidas’s high-performance racing shoes back on the map.

Bolstered by that success, Adidas has announced an updated version of the Adios Pro, and has applied tech from that shoe to improve the popular Boston trainer as well. On top of that, Adidas has released a brand new shoe called the Prime X, which takes the tech from the Adios Pro to extremes. The Prime X has a 50mm-high stack, which means it won’t be permitted in road races because it exceeds the 40mm limit set by World Athletics, but it should be tremendously fun to train in. Or you could just race in it anyway, if you’re not expecting World Athletics to come down on you like a ton of bricks at a local 10K.

All three shoes will be available on the Adidas website from 16th June, though only Creator Club Members will have access to the Pro 2 and Prime X before the global launch on 18th June. Here’s more on each shoe.

Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 2

Adidas has made significant changes to the design of the original. The midsole has been reshaped to provide more energy return and a fair chunk of it has been carved out of the bottom to reduce weight – partially revealing the five carbon-infused EnergyRods.

The upper has also seen changes and more importantly so has the outsole, which now has a Continental rubber section on the forefoot to increase grip and durability. The thin layer of smooth rubber on the original Adios Pro was not renowned for either.

The Adios Pro 2 will cost £180, which is £10 more than its predecessor but still on the cheaper end of the carbon shoe spectrum.

Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 2 review

Adidas Adizero Boston 10

The combination of soft and bouncy Lightstrike Pro foam in the midsole and embedded EnergyRods is what creates the propulsive ride in the Adios Pro 2. Excitingly, both foam and rods have been introduced on the new Boston 10.

The lightweight, comfortable and durable Boston has long been a favourite among runners as a great training shoe that you could also race in. Now it boasts Adidas’s latest performance tech it should be an even better option.

Adidas has used both Lightstrike Pro and Lightstrike EVA foams in the shoe’s midsole, with Pro on the top to provide a more energised ride and EVA underneath to increase the shoe’s durability. In between those foam layers you’ll find the five EnergyRods, matching the Adios Pro 2. The Boston has a full Continental rubber outsole to ensure the durability the line is known for.

The Boston is priced at £130, offering a more affordable way into the world of Adidas’s high-stack EnergyRod shoes.

Adidas Boston 10 review

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Adidas Adizero Prime X

For its part the Prime X takes all the technology above and turns it up to 11. The 50mm stack contains three layers of Lightstrike Pro foam. Between the top two layers are the same EnergyRods found in the other shoes, but three extra stiffening blades have been introduced between the bottom two layers to add even more spring to your step.

The result is an absolute monster of a shoe which probably shows where racing shoes were heading had World Athletics not stepped in and imposed a 40mm stack limit, along with a cap on the amount of plates or even rods that you can cram into a shoe’s midsole. There are no limits in training, however, so if you have a spare £220 you can enjoy a ride like no other.

Adidas Adizero Prime X Strung review

In the competitive world of the best running shoes, any successful innovation is quickly mimicked – the glut of carbon plate racing shoes is a case in point. Adidas has been experimenting with 3D-printed midsoles for several years, but they haven’t caught on. The shoes I’ve previously tested haven’t cut it as serious running shoes and were better suited to gym training.

The new 4DFWD features a completely new midsole design built for running. The 3D-printed bowtie lattice structure is said to propel you forwards, converting the braking forces of your downward stride into horizontal forward motion.

It’s a shoe Adidas told me is suited to heelstrikers, who will gain the most benefit from the propulsive midsole, and it’s best used as an everyday trainer rather than as a speedy race shoe.

Part of the reason for that is the weight. While the 4DFWD is lighter than previous 4D shoes it weighs 338g in my UK size 9, which makes it fairly heavy even for a daily trainer.

At £170, the 4DFWD really needs to impress because it’s up against a strong field of running shoes that use foams designed to offer the same combination of energy return and comfort.

I’ve put in two longish efforts wearing the 4DFWD so far. The first was a 60-minute recovery run, and the second an easy 90-minute half marathon.

I am a heelstriker so I should get the most from this propulsive midsole technology. I did notice it a little, but not in a way that suggested this was a breakthrough design. It feels similar to shoes with a rocker, which help to move you through your footstrike. Even Adidas’s UltraBoost 21, which I found an uncomfortable, heavy shoe, performed similarly well at easy paces.

I also felt the weight of the 4DFWD over the course of the 90-minute run. It feels more like a shoe to be used for shorter sessions, and is perhaps better suited to someone logging a few 5-10km runs each week.

It’s not a bad running shoe, but the effect of the new midsole is muted and there are plenty of lighter shoes that offer similar rides for less money. The Puma Velocity Nitro costs £100, has a livelier feel and is more versatile.

Within the Adidas line-up there are more impressive daily training shoes that use the company’s Boost foam, like the SolarBoost. Boost might be relatively old technology now, but its performance is still impressive and it is highly durable.

On that note it is worth noting that Adidas told us that the 4DFWD should last as long as its other shoes, so if you’re used to hitting a certain mileage in the UltraBoost, for example, you can expect a similar lifespan from the 3D-printed midsole.

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Outside of the midsole the 4DFWD has a comfortable Primeknit+ sock-like upper. There’s a rubber outsole, the likes of which I’ve found offers good grip on wet roads and light trails. The shoe fit true to size for me, and feels similar to other Adidas shoes with knitted uppers.

Credit to Adidas for bringing a new midsole technology to the table. Each part of the structure can be fine-tuned using design software, so there is still hope that 3D printing can be used to make more impressive shoes.

The 4DFWD is scheduled to launch with a limited-edition red and black colourway that will be available in the Adidas app – sign up between 5th and 16th May for a chance of buying this first launch of the shoe. Another limited edition of the 4DFWD will be released in July to celebrate the Tokyo Olympics, before it goes on general sale in August.

Ever since the Nike Vaporfly 4% burst on to the scene in 2016, the running world has been waiting for a response from Adidas. After all, before the Nike Vaporfly line started to dominate, Adidas’s Adios and Boston models were among the best running shoes available for long-distance racing.

It’s taken a while, but Adidas has finally launched its own high-stacked racing shoe, the Adizero Adios Pro – not to be confused with the Adizero Pro, which has a carbon plate but is a lower-profile shoe with a firmer ride. Although the Adios Pro doesn’t have a carbon plate in the midsole, it does have some novel carbon tech.

There are five carbon-infused EnergyRods in the midsole, which line up with the metatarsal bones of your foot. There’s also a nylon and carbon-fibre heel plate in the midsole to provide stability as you land and to improve your running economy.

Key to the success of any carbon plate shoe is the foam it’s paired with. Nike’s bouncy PEBA-based ZoomX foam is the best on the market, though it’s rivalled by similarly impressive proprietary forms from Saucony and Brooks.

The Lightstrike Pro foam used in the Adios Pro certainly impressed me, although Adidas representatives wouldn’t confirm what it’s made of. The shoe is lightweight despite the high 39mm stack height at the heel (it’s 30.5mm at the forefoot, giving the shoe an 8.5mm drop), which is close to the 40mm racing limit set by World Athletics. My UK size 9 weighed 231g, a couple of grams lighter than the Nike Alphafly.

As well as being lightweight, the Lightstrike Pro foam is soft and springy, much like Nike’s ZoomX foam. I found that there’s a little less pop off the forefoot than I get from the Vaporfly NEXT% and Alphafly, but the Adios Pro is still very fast, comfortable and more stable than Nike’s shoes – perhaps because the EnergyRods allow your feet to move more naturally than a single carbon plate does.

I’ve used the Adios Pro for a range of runs, but mostly focused on fast stuff to assess its racing credentials. The key test runs were an hour-long progression run where I moved my pace from a starting point of 4min 20sec per km to run at 3min 45sec for the final half hour, a fast 5K completed in 16min 32sec, and an interval session running 2km, 400m and 200m reps.

I was pleasantly surprised by how well it performed on the 5K and the short reps. Despite the high stack the Adios Pro felt pretty nimble, and helped to rock me onto my forefoot and hold the fast pace.

After that 5K in the shoe I switched to the Nike Vaporfly NEXT% to do another 5K straight away and the Nike did feel noticeably lighter, so that would still be my preference for short stuff.

However, I think the Adios Pro will excel over longer distances. On longer runs I found that the design really helps to maintain a good pace, and at half marathon or marathon distance it should be terrific.

The upper on the Adios Pro is made of Adidas’s Celermesh, which allows for a snug but comfortable fit. The toe box isn’t particularly roomy, but unlike past Adidas racers like the Adios where I’d have to go up half a size, I found the Adios Pro fits true to size.

Kudos to Adidas for the stonking pink and light blue colourway as well. It’s definitely the best-looking high-stack super shoe I’ve come across.

Although the outsole rubber uses the same colours, I’m less impressed by it. The wafer-thin, patternless rubber grips surprisingly well, but I have doubts about its durability. I think the Adios Pro will be a shoe to reserve for race day to prolong its lifespan.

That’s not uncommon in a race shoe though – and at least the Adios Pro is, at £170, cheaper than most of its rivals: it’s £240 for the Vaporfly, £260 for the Alphafly, £190 for the Saucony Endorphin Pro and £210 for the Brooks Hyperion Elite 2. It’s still not pocket change, but it’s nice to see Adidas not going along with the rampant inflation in racing shoe prices.

The relative value is the Adios Pro’s ace in the hole, because I’d still lean towards the Nike Alphafly or Vaporfly as the best carbon racer available. Those are much more expensive, though, and the Adios matches the performance of other top carbon shoes like the Saucony Endorphin Pro and Brooks Hyperion Elite 2 while being cheaper. Given the potentially short life of that outsole, you might lose that value in the long run, but still, the Adios Pro gets Adidas back in the game. About time.

Adidas has not been especially active in performance-focused shoes over recent years, aside from minor updates to the popular Adios and Boston lines. However, it was only a matter of time before that changed, and the company is releasing two speedy shoes in 2020 – the SL20 and the Adizero Pro.

The latter is Adidas’s answer to the controversial, record-breaking Nike Vaporfly. A cushioned but lightweight racing shoe with a carbon plate and a high price, though at €180 (expected to be around £150 in the UK) it’s still substantially cheaper than the £240 Vaporfly NEXT%.

Like the Adizero Pro, the SL20 is also designed to be used for fast running, but the price is much lower. It has an RRP of £100 that’s already been discounted to £80-ish by some retailers, which looked like great value before I ran in it, and looks like an even better deal now I have.

The SL in the name stands for super light, although at 230g for a UK 8.5 it’s more a case of pretty light. It’s not as light as the Brooks Hyperion Tempo (207g) or Hoka One One Rincon (218g), which are both also fast training shoes, but the SL20 is impressively light considering it has a decent amount of Continental rubber on the outsole, which helps with grip and durability.

Adidas has kept the weight off by using its new Lightstrike foam, which is also used in the Adizero Pro. In the latest Adios and Boston shoes, Lightstrike is used alongside Boost, which has long been Adidas’s go-to performance foam.

Boost is a great, responsive foam, but it’s a little heavy compared with the proprietary foams other companies have developed of late, like Nike’s ZoomX or New Balance’s FuelCell. Lightstrike is made of a compression moulded EVA Foam, rather than the TPU foam used for Boost, but is lighter and trades some of the comfort and bounce of the latter for a firmer, faster ride.

The SL20 is the first shoe I’ve run in with a Lightstrike midsole, and it certainly delivers on the speed front. I used the shoe for two sessions – one interval session doing mile reps and another doing 20 laps of the track, alternating between 90-second and 80-second laps – as well as a few easy runs, and it definitely felt better when running fast. The heel-to-toe transition is smooth and the toe-off is pretty punchy, though not quite the propulsive effect you get from a shoe with a carbon plate.

I don’t think the SL20 lost anything in those fast runs compared with the past versions of the Boston and the Adios I’ve used. It’s not the Vaporfly, of course, and I personally prefer the slightly softer, bouncier feel of the New Balance FuelCell Rebel and Brooks Hyperion Tempo as fast trainers, but the SL20 is comparably quick and far cheaper than either of those.

The Hoka Rincon is another fast option, but with no rubber on the outsole it is likely to fall short in the durability stakes, whereas the SL20 should be as reliably long-lasting as Adidas’s other shoes with Continental rubber on the bottom.

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The firm ride of the SL20 is less welcome on easy runs, but it wasn’t really uncomfortable. The Boston would be my preferred pick of the two for long running at any pace, and I don’t think the SL20 would make for a great marathon racing shoe – but if you want one shoe to do it all while mainly being a fast shoe for racing in, then the SL20 is fine for short, easy efforts too.

As with all Adidas’s performance shoes, the fit of the SL20 is narrow, to the point where you might consider sizing up if you have wide feet. The tight fit helps the shoe disappear on the foot when you up the pace, but only if it’s not uncomfortably tight.

The SL20 is a racing and fast training shoe for the masses, in that it doesn’t come with an eye-popping price tag like most new launches. It should be durable too, though all I can say for sure at the moment is that there isn’t any noticeable wear after 60km or so of running in it. I don’t think it will be the perfect marathon shoe for most people just because it is quite firm, but it would work well for 5K up to half marathon distance. If you have the need for speed but don’t want to spend more than £100 on a shoe, there’s nothing better available right now.

Before the Nike Vaporfly 4% and NEXT% came along, you would see a range of shoes being used by runners at the sharp end of marathon racing. However, if there was one shoe that did stand out as more popular than most, it was the Adidas Adizero Adios. The shoe was used to set many world records, including the recent marathon gold standard of 2hr 2min 57sec, run by Dennis Kimetto in the Adios 2 in 2014.

That time, along with many other records, has been obliterated in the past couple of years by athletes wearing the a Nike Vaporfly, which has a carbon plate in the midsole to help propel runners forward and run more efficiently.

To tackle Nike’s dominance, Adidas has launched its own shoe with a carbon plate – the Adizero Pro. Along with the Carbitex carbon plate in the midsole, the shoe uses Adidas’s Lightstrike foam to keep the weight down.

There is also some of Adidas’s durable Boost foam in the heel of the shoe, and Adidas has stuck with hard-wearing Continental rubber on the outsole, which again should help the shoe last a bit longer than some rivals – the Brooks Hyperion Elite marathon racer, for example, is only slated to perform at its peak for 50-100 miles (80-160km).

A prototype of the shoe was used by Mary Keitany at the 2019 New York Marathon, and you can expect the Adizero Pro to be used by all the top Adidas athletes in the major marathons and at the Olympics this year.

The shoe will be available from 1st April and has an RRP of €180. That converts to around £150 and though it’s unlikely Adidas will convert the price to pounds exactly, we expect the Adizero Pro to be significantly cheaper than its rivals. The new Nike Alphafly, the successor to the Vaporfly, has a price of $300 (which is around £230, but again expect a higher UK price), the Vaporfly NEXT% is £239.95, and the Brooks Hyperion Elite will be £210 when it goes on sale on 1st March.

Whether the Adizero Pro can break Nike’s dominance at the sharp end of marathons is yet to be seen, but it’s certainly one of the most exciting shoe launches this year. We’re hoping to put the shoe to the test soon to compare it with the Vaporfly in a full review.

If you’re the kind of runner who spends all your time pounding busy city pavements, you’ll know that you spend almost as much time moving from side to side as you do running forwards. Avoiding bollards, bins and pedestrians while maintaining your pace requires the agility of a cat and, ideally, a highly stable shoe.

The new Adidas PulseBoost HD has designs on being that shoe. The foot sits closer to the ground than in other Adidas shoes with Boost foam, and the Continental Adaptive Traxion rubber outsole has been designed to provide grip as you move in any direction, no matter how suddenly you have to leap to the side to avoid a dachshund you spotted at the last moment.

Adidas has also tinkered with the formula of its much-loved Boost foam to create Boost HD. This is firmer and denser than the standard foam, again with the aim of providing more stability when you have to jink around corners. On top of this you’ll find an upper made of Adapt Knit, which has been designed to stretch to accommodate your foot no matter what direction you’re moving in.

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If this all sounds absolutely essential then let us first suggest it might be worth finding a local park where you can run without the constant worry of crashing into things. If that’s not possible, however, you’ll be wanting to know when the PulseBoost HD launches. The good news is it’s available now! It’ll cost you £119.95. The bad news is it’s only available in one monochrome colourway, but other designs are set to arrive on 27th June.

The PulseBoost HD is a bit of a beast, weighing in at 340g (UK 8.5), so it’s probably not one for PB-seekers – the Adidas Boston 7 or Adios 4 will probably suit you better for that – but it is a good choice if you’re looking for a jack of all trades, with the extra stability well suited to the demands of exercise classes at the gym.

It also comes with a special extra feature we haven’t seen on any other shoe. Scan the QR code on the tongue and it will bring up a custom playlist for wherever you are in the world.

The Adidas Boston has long been a favourite of speedy amateur runners. It provides a little more cushioning than the racing flats used by elites, but is still being lightweight and responsive enough to chase down fast times, especially in long distance races.

As a well established line, The Adidas line is well established, so it tends to only tinker with each new ieration rather than rip it up and start again. Updated colourways are the main change from the Boston 6, along with refinements to the design of the upper to make it more breathable.

So with mostly prosaic changes there’s little surprise that there hasn’t been more of a fanfare around the release of the 7. But that doesn’t stop it being one of the very best running shoes available and one that will be the perfect marathon shoe for many runners.

The Boston 7 has a similar lightweight, narrow profile to a racing shoe like the Adidas Adios, but with slightly more cushioning and stability, making it perfect for long-distance races. You can still feel the road under your foot and the transition from heel-to-toe is outstanding. Heel strikers in particular will have a spring put in their step by the chunk of Boost cushioning on the rear of the sole, which propels you through your stride smoothly and helps keeps your legs in good shape over long distances. As a result, holding a fast pace in the Boston over long runs just feels… if not easy, then at least easier.

It is still a lightweight shoe, however, so some runners might find it lacking a little in cushioning for a marathon. I’d say the Boston is the perfect fit for an experienced runner looking to set a PB, while heavier runners and first-timers might benefit from extra cushioning over the 42.2km.

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But we’re not all looking to run a marathon, so is the Boston any good beyond – or should we say before – that? Unequivocally, yes. Turns out we’ve been doing it a disservice by banging on about its long-distance credentials, as it’s got the chops to handle much shorter stuff, too. I ran a mile race on the track and a 5K parkrun on grass in them, and logged PBs in both. It was proved a joy to wear for tempo training sessions and intervals. It’s fast and responsive, maybe not as much so as a shoe like the Adios or the New Balance 1400v6, but unless you’re a speed demon trying to cut seconds off PBs it’s unlikely you’ll notice the difference, while the reassuring cushioning on the Boston is a definite advantage for easy runs and longer races.

When it comes to easy runs, my preference is still for a more cushioned shoe, but the Boston is comfortable to wear even over long distances at a relaxed pace. The fit runs a little small on the Boston, so it’s probably worth going up a half size to ensure you don’t feel cramped. The upper fits snugly and the toe box is quite tight, but the mesh material is breathable so no discomfort arises from the close fit.

There are plenty of great all-rounder running shoes out there, with the Nike Pegasus Turbo and Saucony Ride ISO being our favourites of 2018 so far, but these tend to focus on providing comfort for training runs over true race-day pace. The Boston 7 is all about the latter, especially at marathon distance, but has enough cushioning that faster runners will enjoy using it for most training sessions too. If you’re chasing PBs and only want one shoe in your wardrobe, I’d take a very close look at the Boston 7.

Our deals team is always scouring the web for discounts on Coach-approved gear. Here’s what they turned up today.

A ginormous sale at the online Adidas Outlet has reduced the prices of a huge number of products. The sports brand’s end of season sale has been going for a while, but the latest wave of discounts has seen an extra 20% sliced off the price of some top performing sports gear. In some cases, this added reduction means the item’s going for 70% less than the original RRP. 

The extra 20% discount applies on all items that were already on sale in the outlet section of the Adidas website. Just enter the discount code EXTRA20 at the checkout to apply the saving to the final price.

If you’re in the market for a new pair of running shoes you’ll be delighted to find plenty of models with the highly rated Boost midsole, just browse the sizeable offering of running shoes at discounted prices.

The Adidas UltraBoost, for example, now costs just £83.97, only just over a half the RRP of £149.95, as long as you buy through the official Adidas site and remember to use that discount code. The UltraBoost is a great shoe, as we said in our review: “If you’re after a versatile running shoe that you can wear with your civvies without people casting pitiful glances at your hideous footwear, [the Adidas UltraBoost is] unbeatable.”

There are also numerous versions of the Adidas Adizero Adios – a premium racing line that the pros use for marathons – at reduced prices, which go even lower when you use that discount code. As we said in our review, “if you are working towards a PB for the marathon, or a 5K, 10K or half marathon for that matter, the Adios should be on your radar.”

If you’re keener on cooler-looking shoes, check out the now-cheaper-than-ever UltraBoost laceless. They launched last year to much fanfare – we called them “gorgeous” and “ultra-cool”.

Whatever catches your eye in the Adidas Outlet sale – be it an excellent pair of running shoes or one of the heavily discounted options in the running T-shirts, running shorts or football boots sections – you’ll want to act quickly. The sale looks set to end on Tuesday 26th June, so get over to the Adidas Outlet store to bag a bargain. Happy shopping – and don’t forget to use that discount code!

Just as you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone, sometimes you only realise what’s been missing when it arrives. Adidas’s line-up of Boost shoes is phenomenally successful, but it’s been missing a shoe like the SolarBoost – a performance running shoe that’s not as lightweight as the Adios or the Boston, but is more stable and lighter than the UltraBoost. After trying the SolarBoost on a range of runs, I can confirm it lives up to this billing. If you’re looking for an all-purpose neutral shoe for training and racing, it’s certainly a shoe worth considering.

The Boost foam provides as enjoyable a ride as ever, but the upper on the SolarBoost is very different from the UltraBoost. The toe box is snug and keeps the foot locked in place better than a knit upper. I feared it would be too tight and annoy me when running, but that didn’t prove to be the case. It’s best described as secure rather than tight and it’s consistently stable even when you pick up the pace. The guide rail on the shoe also helps with this. The SolarBoost is not a stability shoe designed to counter pronation problems, but it is more supportive than the UltraBoost, the knit upper on which can feel slightly sloppy when running at speed.

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I tried the SolarBoost for a range of runs, including a parkrun and an intervals session to see how it handled fast stuff alongside a series of more steady plods along roads and light trails. I certainly wouldn’t go anywhere muddy with the SolarBoost, mainly because it’s a road shoe and doesn’t have the grip required, but also because it looks too pretty.

I found the SolarBoost slightly too cumbersome for short intervals and races up to 10K, when I’d prefer a shoe like the Adios. It’s not lacking in pace but it doesn’t pop like a true racer. Rather, it feels like a great shoe for holding a brisk pace over longer distances and bouncing through your general training in comfort. However, if you have found that lightweight shoes like the Adios are uncomfortable and not supportive enough, you may prefer the more substantial feel of the SolarBoost even in short races, and it’s a great option for half marathons and the full 42.2km.

If you’re a very keen runner who has a range of shoes to choose from, the SolarBoost will fit into your line-up for long training runs and easy efforts, with lighter shoes saved for track days and races. If you’re a casual runner looking for a cushioned neutral shoe to tackle all your running, the SolarBoost will fit the bill.

If you are looking for a shoe with top-class pedigree, the Adidas Adizero Adios is it. The second edition of the shoe was worn by Dennis Kimetto when he set the marathon world record of 2hr 2 min 57sec in Berlin in 2014 (Eliud Kipchoge’s time of 2hr 25sec as part of Nike’s Breaking2 attempt was not achieved under eligible conditions for the record).

While it’s not necessarily the wisest move to copy what elite athletes wear when picking a running shoe, and slipping on a pair is clearly not going to turn you into Kimetto, the Adidas Adizero Adios Boost 3 is an excellent option for amateur athletes looking for improve their times across any distance – especially if you’re on the hunt for a new marathon or half marathon PB.

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the Adios is that while it’s undoubtedly fast enough for race day even over 5K distances, the Boost midsole makes it comfortable enough to wear for all types of training. Other lightweight shoes can lack cushioning and aren’t ideal for easy efforts when comfort is king, but I had no such issues in the Adios. If you want to wear it all the time, knock yourself out.

That said, if you are able to use a couple of pairs of shoes in rotation for your running, the Adios is at its best for tempo runs and track sessions, as well as on race day. You’ll also extend the shoe’s life by wearing a different, plusher shoe for comfortable, easy runs, especially if you don’t have the whippet-thin build of the Kimettos and Kipchoges of the world.

When running fast, the Adios is a delight. It feels even lighter than its 226g (UK men’s 8.5) weight, and the Boost cushioning is an energy-returning dream – the faster you go, the more you seem to get out of the shoe. It’s also stable and firm-gripping thanks to the Continental rubber outsole, and the mesh upper is highly breathable – you can have zero concerns about your feet overheating in the Adios.

I found the fit on the Adios quite narrow and tight, and the right size for me was half a size up on my usual, so make sure you try on a pair before committing.

If you’re a complete beginner picking a shoe for your first marathon, the Adios might not be the best option – pace shouldn’t be a key concern and there are benefits to the comfort of a more cushioned, heavier shoe. But if you are working towards a PB for the marathon, or a 5K, 10K or half marathon for that matter, the Adios should be on your radar.

Winter can be a tough time for running shoes, especially given the current trend towards knitted uppers, which are comfortable to wear but do little to prevent water soaking through to your foot when it’s wet out.

To combat this Adidas has tweaked the ever-popular UltraBoost to make it more suitable for winter running, with a thin film over the Primeknit to repel water, a high collar to prevent water entering the shoe from above and a stronger-gripping outsole with deeper lugs.

I didn’t have the chance to take the shoe out on a truly stormy day, but the new upper coped well with the perennial mild drizzle, repelling rain and not soaking up enough water from puddles to reach the foot.

To test the upper more strenuously, I poured half a cup of water over the shoe while at work (attracting several funny looks from colleagues). Impressively, most ran off onto the office floor, but some did penetrate through to the foot. So the All Terrain will probably not keep you dry if you plough through every puddle you see or run during a particularly heavy downpour, but that would be asking a lot of it.

Adding a raised collar is always risky because when running shoes extend their collar towards the ankle, the extra fabric has an unwelcome tendency to rub against the achilles and produce blisters. I am happy to report this was not the case with the UltraBoost All Terrain, though it was more comfortable to wear it with socks that extended up past the collar, rather than with the fabric of the shoe in direct contact with the skin.

I’ve always found that the Continental Rubber outsole on all UltraBoost shoes offered impressive grip on roads and pavements in any weather, and unsurprisingly this is still the case with the deeper lugs on the All Terrain. It also handled the mild mud of city park paths pretty well. It’s not a shoe to take for a day on the trails, but if you want to take an off-road detour through a local park or run on icy pavements, the extra grip will be welcome.

All the changes on the UltraBoost All Terrain do add some weight, with the shoe weighing in at 338g (UK size 8.5). It does feel substantial on the foot, mostly in a reassuring manner rather than being uncomfortably heavy, but it’s more suited to everyday training than race day.

As with almost all the shoes in the Boost line-up, the All Terrain is also stylish enough to wear when not running – and given the hefty £169.95 price, you’re going to want to wear it as much as possible to justify the expense.

There are some useful adaptations for winter weather on the All Terrain, and the Boost midsole, as always, makes for a bouncy, comfortable ride. I preferred running in the regular UltraBoost or the PureBoost DPR, both of which are lighter (especially the DPR), cheaper and aren’t going to fall apart at the first sign of rain, but the All Terrain is another solid addition to the Boost family.

If you’ve pulled on a pair of Adidas UltraBoost running shoes in the past few years – and given how popular they are with runners there’s a decent chance you have – one question you may have asked yourself is: why bother with the laces?

The snug fit of the Primeknit upper means that most runners rarely take the trouble to tie the laces. The UltraBoost slips on and off easily anyway, and when it is on it’s never loose.

Well, now you don’t even have to look at those unsightly and pointless laces, as Adidas has announced a laceless version of the UltraBoost.

The UltraBoost Laceless, as it’s creatively called, is gorgeous, especially the grey-red colourway. To make sure that beauty is backed up by performance, Adidas has made four innovations to the upper.

Firstly, the Primeknit upper has been made less stretchy than in the laced versions of the UltraBoost. A new collar construction and the sock-like fit of the upper also combine to help ensure your foot doesn’t slide around inside the shoe.

Finally, the Primeknit band around the midfoot is made of sterner stuff than the rest of the upper, which serves to lock your foot in place while allowing the toes to spread out.

It all adds up to what should be an immensely comfortable shoe to run in, and with the energy-returning Adidas Boost tech present, it should match the performance of the excellent UltraBoost and Pure Boost running shoes.

The UltraBoost Laceless is likely to be worn by Adidas athletes at the World Championships taking place in London between 4th and 13th August, but you can get your mitts on a pair sooner than that because they will be available in western Europe from 1st August.

The catch? This is not a cheap shoe. At £149.95 it’s £10 more than the regular UltraBoost – but on the other hand it’s at least ten times cooler. 

You might think that city running is not a new concept – and you’d be right. People have run in cities since there were cities. However, there is a new type of city runner that has evolved in recent years.

These runners swerve traditional running clubs in favour of the many free groups that now operate in city centres – weekly social runs that visit the more scenic parts of the city. Again, maybe not a new idea, but it’s now more Instagrammable than ever, thanks to the existence of Instagram.

Adidas has made a bid to claim these runners not only with its own group, Adidas Runners, but also with dedicated shoes – first the PureBoost and now the PureBoost DPR, both of which have several features designed to excel when weaving along busy pavements and turning sharp corners. They also look cool and could adorn the feet of pub-goers and commuters just as easily.

However, the PureBoost DPR should not be casually dismissed as a fashionable shoe that’s only worth wearing on short, photogenic runs. It’s an excellent performance shoe that immediately became my race-day favourite.

Compared to the Pure Boost (298g for UK size 8.5) and the wildly popular UltraBoost (304g), the PureBoost DPR is a featherweight, clocking in at 244g. That’s the same heft as Adidas’s AdiZero Boston 6 and not far off the AdiZero Adios 3 (226g), which are both excellent racing options for middle- and long-distance runs.

However, the PureBoost DPR should not be casually dismissed as a fashionable shoe that’s only worth wearing on short, photogenic runs. It’s an excellent performance shoe that immediately became my race-day favourite.

Compared to the Pure Boost (298g for UK size 8.5) and the wildly popular Adidas UltraBoost (304g), the PureBoost DPR is a featherweight, clocking in at 244g. That’s the same heft as Adidas’s AdiZero Boston 6 and not far off the AdiZero Adios 3 (226g), which are both excellent racing options for middle- and long-distance runs.

Like the best running shoes, the DPR’s lightweight body doesn’t sacrifice cushioning either, with plenty of Boost foam packed in to ensure you bounce merrily through your runs. The design and weight make it an excellent in-between option for runners who want something lighter than the UltraBoost but require more support than that provided by racing flats.

Marking the DPR down as a shoe to be confined to short city runs, then, sells it short. I found it was a great pick for road runs up to 15 miles (and probably longer, if I’d bothered to go any further) and I especially enjoyed wearing it during faster 5K and 10K runs and a 10-mile race. The support-to-weight ratio is spot on.

There are some specific features Adidas has built into the DPR that make it especially suited to city running. Like the PureBoost, the DPR has a wide forefoot to make you more stable as you dash around corners and dodge slow-moving pedestrians. Your foot sits deeper in the DPR (hence the name) so it feels more responsive when running than the PureBoost, although I’d suggest that feeling is magnified by the fact it’s lighter too.

Where the DPR really shines compared with both the UltraBoost and the PureBoost is its upper. It’s still a knitted number, but it’s far lighter and more breathable. Extra support means your foot doesn’t slide around too much when you round corners, a problem that can occur with knitted uppers in general. It’s worth mentioning that the DPR also has a normal tongue, if that’s the kind of thing that bothers you.

The design is excellent on the DPR – like most of Adidas’s shoes it can be worn pretty much anywhere. To my eye the limited edition black/rainbow speckled colourway (£129.95) is by far the coolest, but I accept that’s a matter of opinion. It’s just that any opinions to the contrary are wrong.

If you’re struggling to decide which Boost shoe to go for, I’d suggest that unless you have a very heavy landing when you run and so really want a lot of support, the DPR is your best bet. It’s bouncy, relatively lightweight and gorgeous to look at (especially in the rainbow colourway).

There is always a temptation to write off any running shoe that looks too nice as unsuitable for serious runners. How good can a shoe without neon green flashes and luminous laces really be for running, after all?

And the Adidas Pure Boost is a very stylish shoe – nicer than almost all of my non-running shoes, to be honest. So I had the nagging thought that it might not really do the job when on the road. After one run, I was able to banish such preconceptions.

Received wisdom suggests that it isn’t the best idea to go for a long run the first time you wear a pair of shoes. That is undoubtedly good advice, but I felt comfortable enough after 10km of my first run in the Pure Boost to extend it to 25km, my longest distance for a couple of months.

The knit upper is loose and seriously comfortable, moving with your foot so you never feel restricted when running. I suppose those who are used to a snug, supportive fit on the top of their shoe might not take to it, but it’s hard to argue with this level of comfort.

On the base of the Pure Boost lies Adidas’s Boost sole tech, which makes for a cushioned and bouncy ride over any distance. Compared with the Adidas Supernova or Ultra Boost, which also have a Boost midsole, the Pure Boost is lighter, less cushioned and aimed at faster road sessions rather than longer training runs. Its wider base – especially in the front half of the shoe – and firm-gripping outsole are also focused on city running, giving extra support and traction for tearing around sharp corners.

The grip is good, even on wet roads, and the wide base gives a pleasing feeling of solidity when you do round corners (although if you’re wise you’re never going that fast around a blind turn in the city). That said, the impressive grip in wet conditions is undermined by the knit upper, which is entirely pervious to water. So while you might not fall over when you splash through a puddle, your foot will be drenched.

But it’s worth putting up with the occasional soggy foot to have a supremely comfortable, handsome running shoe that can genuinely be worn anywhere. Having tried both the Pure Boost and the Supernova, I’d say the latter is more comfortable and supportive over longer distances – but that’s not to say the Pure Boost was uncomfortable on long runs, while its extra flexibility in the upper and wide base makes it a winner for everyday training runs.

For marathon runners, life’s most important relationship in the months building up to the big day is not with family or friends, it’s with your running shoes. Some might think that’s an overstatement, but honestly, you’ll be spending at least as much time in their company.

Your sidekicks need to offer enough support to plod through training mile after training mile and also inspire confidence that they won’t hold you back on race day. For most runners, the Adidas Supernovas will tick all these boxes, while also avoiding the garish colours of many running shoes, so you can even wear them out and about at walking pace.

Adidas’ Boost sole technology is a firm favourite among runners and for good reason – it returns boatloads of energy. Paired with the ample cushioning in this model makes for a very comfortable ride. I felt positively springy when running in the Supernovas, mile after mile, making it a perfect option for long training runs.

You’re not going to be flying around the roads at your top 5km speed, but as the miles rack up, you’ll feel the benefits. Whether it’s five or 20 miles you cover, the Supernovas keep you in good shape and make it easier to maintain your target pace.

This isn’t only due to the Boost sole, extra support comes from the FITCOUNTER moulded heel counter which fits snugly around the heel and promises to keep it in the best possible position while running. It felt a bit rigid when I first put on the shoes, but it was comfortable when running.

The grip provided by the Continental Rubber outsole is also notable. When the temperature really drops and pavements get icy plenty of grip is a must to stop runs becoming frustrating, slippery affairs. I was testing the Supernova alongside a couple of other running shoes and they stood out as the most capable when dealing with icy pavements.

The Supernovas are an excellent bet for all but the fastest marathon runners, who might appreciate a little less support in favour of speed. They will carry you through the long months of marathon training in comfort and help you to perform at your best on race day itself.