Finding the perfect shoe for you and running can be a difficult task, one that might take years. I've found two pairs I rotate through that seem to be working well, but I never stop trying other shoes that I think might work for me. If they do, they are added to the rotation. If they don't, they become walking/errands kind of shoes.
When the chance to try the new Adidas UltraBOOST X came along, I jumped at the chance to give them a try. What makes these shoes special? Why did they catch my eye?
When the chance to try the new Adidas UltraBOOST X came along, I jumped at the chance to give them a try. What makes these shoes special? Why did they catch my eye?
The Adidas UltraBOOST X is a shoe designed for women only. It does not come in a men's shoe. Why is this? They were designed to fit a woman's foot and to give them the arch support they need more of. Adidas and can speak a bit more clearer about the design than I can - - "Designed to respond to the way your foot moves through each stride, the shoes feature a floating arch and an Adidas Primeknit upper that hugs and adapts to your foot throughout the gait cycle. boost™ delivers maximum energy return, and a stretchy outsole flexes to adapt to the way your foot strikes the ground."
If you follow me on your Instagram, you might have seen my story of the day I went to Dick's Sporting Goods to pick mine up from the Adidas reps. Most DSG stores don't carry this model in store yet, so if you're interested in them, I'd give your local store a call and see if they have them. If not, you can go into the store and they can order them for you, or you can order them online here. They come in six color options right now (when I received mine, there were only three), so I chose the grey ones. I really liked how they looked - spiffy. Current colors are black/blue/orange, black/grey, blue/corral, coral, grey, and pink. They all look nice.
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| Traveling in comfort. |
Anyway, when I went to the store to try them on, my first thoughts were how lightweight they felt and how bouncy the BOOST sole felt. It's hard to tell if a shoe will work well with your running style in the store, but they felt great. I didn't feel like the arch felt super weird, though I know a lot of the other Pros felt this way when initially trying them on.
The Adidas reps I met with were super awesome and helped me get some fun videos/photos with the shoes. They explained a lot of the technology and the special features of the shoes. I wore them for some errands right after I got them and then for a walk to break them in a little bit. I then started to wear them on my 4 milers (my short runs, I often have 3 in a week).
The first run I did in the Adidas UltraBOOST X, I noticed a bit of arch pain during my walk intervals (felt fine during the run). I wasn't sure if it was my PF flaring up because they weren't used to this new floating arch technology, or if it was just that I needed to wear the shoes some more so they would loosen up a bit. I didn't have this problem once I got to my fourth run, so I think it was just the usual aches from new shoes. I know some people can jump right into using new shoes for running longer distances, but I always need to wear mine for a few walks or short runs before I'm comfortable in them for long ones.
I brought the shoes with me to Disneyland and wore them for both the Neverland 5k and Tinker Bell 10k. They felt great and the photographers even got some fun photos of me including the shoes... and it looks like I'm running! So many photos during races, even if I am running, look awful haha. I also wore them for Soldier Field 10 Mile and Ridge Run 5k + countless training runs (actually, they could be counted, but I didn't really keep track of which runs I wore them on or how many miles they gained. While I like all of that data, after Nike updated their app and I lost all of my shoe info, I stopped keeping track. Now I just got my the treads and feel of the shoe for when they need replacement - aka are my knees starting to hurt? Check the shoes.). I would venture a guess and say they've seen about 100 miles already, and they are holding up nicely. While the treads are worn a bit, which is to be expected, they still feel great. I am interested to see about how many miles/months I can get out of them before they need replacing. My current models are around 300 or so.
I had some of my quickest runs in these shoes – not that I'm super speedy, but I had a 4 miler with a pace under 12minute miles, which is crazy for me. I'm happy if I'm in the 12s or 13s. I honestly think the responsiveness and the lightweight quality, along with the boost™, helps me to go quicker without pain or feeling like I'm putting in way more effort than normal. The soles feel so bouncy in a way, it's like each step is on a cloud or something. Getting back the energy I'm putting in with each step helps reduce the feeling of effort.
For me they were very comfortable and I never had issues with my socks falling down or feeling like the shoe didn't fit right because of them. I always wear Feetures or 2XU, if that helps. While the shoe itself felt a bit like a sock and was knit so moved easily with your foot, I personally would never wear the shoe without a sock. To me that's just asking for blisters.
Some more information on the Adidas UltraBOOST X:
TECHNOLOGY:
- Energy-returning boost™ technology in the midsole to provide lightweight cushioning
FEATURES:
- Runner type: neutral
- adidas Primeknit upper wraps the foot in adaptive support and ultralight comfort
- boost™ is our most responsive cushioning ever: The more energy you give, the more you get
- STRETCHWEB rubber outsole flexes underfoot for an energized ride
- Dynamic arch for adaptive fit; TORSION® SYSTEM between the heel and forefoot for a stable ride
- Continental™ Rubber outsole for extraordinary grip in wet and dry conditions
- Weight: 8.3 ounces (size 7)
- Midsole drop: 10 mm (heel: 29 mm / forefoot: 19 mm)
- Imported
- Synthetic midfoot overlay for durability
- Bootie construction wraps the foot and provides support
I am definitely a fan of these shoes and will keep them in my rotation. Current retail price is $179.99. A bit pricier than my usual shoes, but I think with the extra technology involved to make them, that's not an unreasonable price. I'm sure once they are out longer, too, and aren't so new, the price might come down a bit. Head on over to the Dick's Sporting Goods website to check them out.
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| Two Thumbs Up. |
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Read what the other BibRave Pros thought:
Jeannine | Heather W. | Amy W. | Jenna | Lindsey | Angie
