Select BITR Apparel On Sale. Shop Now
Road Running Shoes • July 19, 2019

Adidas Solar Boost ST Performance Review

adidas solar boost st feature

What You Need To Know

  • Good-looking stability shoe with 10mm drop and stacks of Boost foam
  • Durable Continental rubber outsole
  • Split heel counter could weaken Achilles support
  • Despite the name, don’t take Smashmouth’s advice cause you’ll probably die

Remember that Smashmouth song “Walkin’ On The Sun?”

It starts like this: “Bah-da-da-da-da”, and somehow progressively gets worse.

Now that it’s stuck in your head and your day is ruined, we can move on.

The adidas Solar line can be almost as annoying as a Smashmouth song, with its seemingly endless variations on the name: Solar Ride, Solar Drive, Solar Glide, Solar Glide ST, Solar Boost, and this– the Solar Boost ST. That’s not to say there aren’t some good shoes in there, but it’s like trying to sort out identical sextuplets dressed in matching onesies.

Thankfully, Believe in the Run has reviewed a handful of these and can help you decipher this muddled code. And if none of those work, just buy the Boston 8.

Here are my thoughts on the Solar Boost ST, so throw on your Guy Fieri shades and keep up if it ain’t too hot for ya.adidas solar boost st side

The Good

Upon opening the box, I pondered the grey colorway. This is sharp, I thought. To be honest, I looked at the stitching along the medial and lateral side of the shoe and thought: electrical coils. Solar. Sun. Power. Electricity. Edison. Thomas. Thomas from Believe in the Run. And we’re back.

Weird? Cool? Creepy? You decide. Would this unique mental connection translate into physically charged runs in the Georgia humidity? Or would my Solar shoe combine with the beating of the sun and produce a melting mess?

The Solar Boost ST is just shy of 11 oz. in a 9M with a 10 mm drop (27 in the heel to 17 in the forefoot). Based on weight alone, I wouldn’t have figured the ST as a structured shoe, but it provides moderate stability courtesy adidas’s Solar Propulsion Rail system and dual-density Boost foam under the arch.

In short, I like the fit of the Solar Boost ST. Toe box room is sufficient and the thin tongue felt comfortable across my instep. I needed to tighten my laces a few times to lock the midfoot down, but after doing so, the feet felt great during runs and didn’t slide.

The ride isn’t amazing, but it’s respectable as a daily trainer. For long runs, it’s an excellent choice as the miles accumulate. The iconic Boost midsole provides ample cushioning with a hint of responsiveness. I say hint as I personally think the ST skews towards soft, not firm.

Shop adidas Solar Boost ST
adidas solar boost st upper

The Bad

The only hiccup I noticed with the Solar Boost ST is that split heel counter. I felt my Achilles slide some during a few runs where the mold separates, though I didn’t observe any irritations or blisters. I have to wonder whether joining the mold together will keep the heel more secure. I noticed that the split heel is a characteristic of every model in the Solar line, which makes me wonder whether others have experienced slippage.

Shop adidas Solar Boost ST
adidas solar boost st outsole

Adidas Solar Boost ST Conclusion

All things considered, I was pleasantly surprised with the Solar Boost ST. At $160, it’s priced at the top of the Solar line, along with its neutral cushioned counterpart, the Solar Boost. Still, $160 isn’t a blinding number anymore, especially for a stability shoe.

So in these long days of summer, throw on a pair of Goodr “Don’t Frondle the Palms” sunglasses, dab some SPF 15 on your arms for a nice tan, and hit the roads with some solar power.

You can pick up the adidas Solar Boost ST from Running Warehouse for $160 using the shop link below.

Shop adidas Solar Boost ST
0
Comments

Have something to say? Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous Post
Next Post
Previous Post
Read Article
Road Running Shoes • July 19, 2019

HOKA ONE ONE Hupana Flow Performance Review

Next Post
Read Article
Road Running Shoes • July 19, 2019

Saucony Type A9 Performance Review