Adidas Boston 8 review

Adidas Boston 8 has been introduced in the Global Running market few weeks ago. The shoes represent the latest model of Adidas intermediate shoes, which allow runners to run at all paces. If we were to determine which shoes were among the most anticipated in the autumn season, the Bavarian house model was certainly among the candidates. In fact, a myriad of amateur runners has purchased the Adidas Boston in the last 10 years and the footwear has an endless list of Aficionados all over the world. The Boston 8 are considered the Swiss army knife of those who buy only one pair per season and do not perform a real rotation. Taken for a few days, we are testing them extensively and are now available in Europe on Runningwarehouse. We tested them. Waiting for the extreme heat globally and in preparation for the 16 weeks for the autumn marathons, the Boston 8 could also be your choice this fall!

Adidas Boston 8, our opinion

The second largest sports company in the world has finally updated its models for the Autumn season. As explained in the Adidas guide, the German company has focused heavily on the Boston model to improve the perception of its shoes and increase the interest in the brand to strip by amateur runners. After reviewing the Adidas Adios 3, the race shoes, and the most fashionable model, the Adidas Ultra Boost 19, we couldn't fail to tell even the Intermediate version. The Boston are characterized by a soft line, a light design and a comfortable racing experience, although the amount of Boost foam is not as generous as that found in UltraBoost 19. For the few who do not know, Boston owes their marathon name, sponsored by the Bavarian company for many years. Even the model 5 on the tongue had the logo with the unicorn of the marathon!

Key review questions

Here are the key questions we tried to answer in our detailed review. To guide the reader in the review, the article is divided into sections. We advise you to read it all in one go and then to dwell on the parts that interest you in a second reading.

• Key features and benefits
• Technical specs
• Ride behaviour
• Estimated lifespan
• Conclusions
• where to buy

Key features and benefits

Technical specs

Let's look at the technical features of the Adidas Boston 8, then we describe the main developments with respect to the previous model, then we will discuss the impact on the race. Adidas Adizero Boston 8 is characterized by an arched shape and a sleek fit. They are surprisingly wider than we remembered and in fact the model 9 goes well to my partner Andrea, although he usually wears US 9.5. No doubt they are quite wide, for those who should use them in the race, perhaps half fewer could be recommended. For those who think of using them for long training sessions, we suggest buying the usual number. When worn, the feeling of a comfortable shoe and a good cushioning. But as with all things it is always a matter of context: is it really a cushioned shoe? well, compared to Ultra Boost 19, certainly not. But if you compare it with the new Adidas Adios 4, surely yes.

Weight

We noticed a slight variation in weight, slightly lower than the technical specifications, 236/237 grams on the US 9, we will see the reason below:

Weight: 8.5 oz (size 9), reduced vs last year
Stack Height: 29 mm (Heel), 19 mm (Forefoot)

Available Widths: D=Medium

How It Fits (based on width D)

• • Sizing: fit larger (new!)
  • Heel Width: Medium to narrow
  • Midfoot Volume: Medium to low
  • Toe Box Width: Medium large (changed vs version 7)
  • Toe Box Height: Medium to low
  • Arch Height: Medium

• Upper, the upper now sports a lightweight and breathable mesh coupled with internal reinforcements. Furthermore the three bands have changed slightly and are wider and more visible and positioned in the front part;
• toe space, now it's more spacious, to the point that comparing the previous model, it seems we had the wrong number;
• Height of the shoe: even if the differential has remained the same, the height from the ground has slightly increased;
• Continental sole: the layout has changed slightly, especially for the Torsion system, see below for details. From what emerges from Adidas, the choice was made to allow an improvement in the grip on the ground. We applaud the choice, thinking that it was already a strength of this model.

However, in the "grand scheme of things", the shoe is not fundamentally changed in its "essence", it is always a shoe for races from 10 km to the marathon and for intense training, offering the right compromise between support, cushioning and lightness.

Visual Appearance

The shape is the usual Adidas, available in 2 colors, we have tried the Solar Red version with the Black Bands. The latter have been moved further forward and above all have been enlarged. Apart from this minute detail, the style is customary. So all Adidas models use a Boost midsole, the amount of which seems slightly increased compared to previous models. As for the upper has been changed. Adidas marketing documents speak of "knit-wear on the whole surface" and indicate that "the upper offers a breathable and free coating". The feeling is slightly different and having tried them at noon on the track, we believe they are less breathable than the previous model. Clearly the new upper offers greater resistance over time, thanks to the double layer.

Lacing

In the front, the design remains very similar to the previous one, but it is evident both visually and when worn that the front space has increased, certainly a good way to increase the number of fans of the shoe, but like any change not everyone will be happy:

In the lacing, there are two simple extra holes to ensure an excellent locking of the foot. The laces are very traditional and of medium size, consolidated design does not change:

Heel Collar

The heel area is relatively narrow, the foot rests properly and is perfectly "locked", a feature much appreciated during a race. Probably the best shell ever seen, with the top soft to the touch and the base really rigid. However, there are no reflective elements:

As seen from the previous photo, the heel has a slight compression towards the external side. Although this design is quite common in racing shoes, it appears to be very pronounced in Boston. But it is not new because it is already present in previous models. In terms of design, the rather rigid midsole and the plastic shell allow excellent locking and above all a perfect support, which will benefit the amateur runner in the final part of a race. The very simple but effective lacing completes the work guaranteeing a smooth and reactive run:

As usual, the front part of the heel has no large padding, the design of Ultra Boost 19 has not been adopted. However we believe that there are no major problems and above all comfort remains exemplary:

Insole

Instead the compression molded EVA insole was developed directly by Adidas and similar to that of last year's model. In the central part we will find a large orange writing to indicate the presence of «Boost» technology:

The insole of the shoe is not perforated, pressing the midsole with your hand you understand that the shoe is relatively dry and reactive especially in the back and the sole makes it slightly softer, who runs the long pre-marathon will appreciate that:

Continental Sole

A few years ago Adidas developed a long-term partnership with Continental for a sole with the best grip ever for road racing. Even with the Boston 8, not much has changed compared to the usual design, with a generous presence of rubber and the Continental writing on the front, the exposed Boost with braided rubber. All quality components. Of course those who will be able to analyze the central part of the sole will find a variation of the design:

The front, however, is similar to the previous model, the huge presence of rubber makes the shoe very reactive, while the responsiveness of the midfoot support will be somewhat influenced by the soft Boost. Note that the amount of sole has slightly decreased, since the number of visible Boost pieces has gone from 4 to 5. This will therefore make the running behavior vary with respect to Boston 7:

As for the torsion system present in the midfoot, it has been updated including a greater amount of Boost in the central part and the presence of rubber in the outer middle part, which will further improve the stability of the shoe. Between us, it will not affect the behavior of the race much, if not marginally:

Seen from the side, the Continental sole makes a beautiful figure and above all in the front it generously covers the Boost midsole:

Ride Behaviour

Adidas marketing documents indicate the characteristics of Boston 8 quite clearly. "Experience the thrill of speed. These lightweight running shoes are designed to ensure optimal performance even over long distances". But is that really the case?

Slow run on the road

Tempo run and Interval Repeat

Long runs

And for long runs? we would say "it depends". The Boston are really designed to run a marathon and some friends have worn them even at 100 km run. Certainly they are suggested for long runs. In our opinion, they actually make the best after the hour of running: the locking of the foot, the presence of the Boost, a greater softness compared to the past make it possible to manage the long pre-marathons to the full, reducing muscle fatigue. Obviously, this applies to runners under 73 kg, weight beyond which greater protection would be more adequate. Just the combination of low weight / discrete cushioning of the shoe reduces general fatigue, but it is an Achilles tendon for some runners.

Duration

As always, the duration of a shoe is strongly influenced by the weight of the athlete who uses it, by its running biomechanics, but above all by the materials used. Obviously our reviews are often published at the exit of the shoe and therefore it is difficult to evaluate empirically how the shoe will last. Even for the Adidas Adizero Boston 8 I could not run the kilometers needed to make a definitive judgment, however we are sure that they can generally be used for a long time. Thanks to the experience of previous models, we don't think that there are big problems of wear.

That's why we don't think there are big break points. On the one hand the generous presence of rubber in the sole, combined with the Boost foam, considered by experts to be very durable, will make it possible to run really long. Even the double-layered mesh sole is really durable, in which case we might be more worried about the feeling of warmth than the rest:

At durability level we always distinguish between useful life and performance deterioration. For performance, we think that Boston 8 can be used for at least 400 km, Boost compression does not change very quickly. To run long workouts, you can definitely use this model up to 600 km. Even the upper is destined to last, so long that we do not think we are broken in the "usual points". The midsole and sole will be discharged only after 800 km, but if your weight is optimized, you can use the Boston 8 for the duration of all the autumn preparation, unless you run 500 km a month!

Conclusions

Availability

The list shoe costs 140 euro / dollars and although it has only been launched a few weeks, there are already discounts for the sales season. In fact being a very popular shoe. As usual also Running Warehouse has a competitive price, right on the one we reviewed. For those wishing to save a few euros more, we suggest buying version 7 which will be slightly heavier but at the same time more reactive. Here are the main purchase links:

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