adidas adizero Boston BOOST 5

In the search for a fast marathon shoe, we wanted to consider the adidas adizero Boston BOOST 5. Running Warehouse was nice enough to hook us up with the shoe for our review. Meaghan received a slightly different version, the adidas adizero Boston BOOST 5 TSF.

The Good

Thomas: Dang this is a hot looking shoe! This shoe looks like speed. There is no clown shaped last used to make the Boston BOOST and all the elements come together in a well thought out architecture where nothing appears out of place. If looking at these shoes doesn’t make you want to pick up the pace, not much will. Initially, the shoe feels like it won’t be comfortable on the foot. the upper materials are not soft, they are more rigid and crinkle like cellophane. When you get your foot in adizero Boston BOOST, the upper isn’t an issue and is very breathable. The shoe has low stack height and a 10mm drop, but even with the low stack height, the BOOST midsole provides ample cushioning. The surprising thing is how flexible and bouncy the midsole is. The Continental® rubber outsole provides lots of grip for a very tuned feel.

Meaghan: I think adidas makes great looking shoes and the adizero Boston 5 BOOST TSF is no exception. I have no idea what the TSF stands for (after much Googling), but what I can tell you is that the upper has been revised in this model. It’s designed with a knitted mesh and no overlays on a lady-specific last. There’s a Coolever Mesh lining throughout the interior that makes the shoe nice and breathable. It’s a comfortable shoe. The BOOST™ cushioning in the midsole remains. For those not familiar with Boost material, it’s meant to create a softer feel, but offer more of a “bounce” than conventional EVA. Rather than choose between a fast shoe (hard) or a comfortable shoe (soft) the Energy Boost offers both.

adidas placed a “Torsion System,” a wishbone shaped thermoplastic unit in the mid-foot for some added arch support. The outsole is made up of Continental rubber on the forefoot and Adiwear through the heel. One thing I noticed almost immediately was the super grippy feel these shoes provide. Both in wet and dry conditions, I felt comfortable picking up the pace.

The Bad

Thomas: Like an over-eager teenager, Too much tongue. The Boston BOOST 5’s tongue puffs out at the top breaking up the beautiful lines of the shoe. You can’t see it in the pictures here, you have to trust me. Just a little more BOOST material in the front of the shoe would have made a positive difference for me. It has more than the adios BOOST, and less than the energy BOOST, I would like it to have a couple more millimeters.

Meaghan: I did not like the lacing system of this shoe. The tongue moved around and I could never find a balance of secure, yet comfortable. There were several times that I had to stop mid-run to re-lace them because they were hurting the top of my foot.

While I like the BOOST material, it’s not not my go-to for race day. I still feel the soft cushioning of the Boost takes away from that “firmer” feel that you get in a race flat, and what I typically prefer for race day.

Conclusion

Thomas: I really liked the shoe, I didn’t love it. When it came time to decide on my marathon shoe I went with something that had more cushion. This is a fast and nimble shoe that even though I ran some 20 milers in the Boston BOOST 5, I just didn’t have the confidence to run 26.2 in them. In hindsight, I think they may have been a better shoe for the marathon over the model I chose to run in. The adidas adizero Boston BOOST 5 is a fun shoe that I would recommend for faster workout days.

Meaghan: The adidas adizero Boston 5 BOOST TSF is a quality trainer. As I mentioned earlier, it’s not my pick for race-day, but I wouldn’t write it off for some speedier training days. If you like Adidas and the Boost material, you’ll definitely like this shoe. It’s lightweight, durable and I happen to love the look. MSRP for the shoe is $120, but you can find them for much less.