Love has a new name: Adios Boost!

by Chris McClung

My dog helps me decide what shoes I like.

She has a habit of taking them. And, no, she doesn’t eat them or chew them. She just likes to carry them off, cuddle with them, and leave them. It’s an odd ritual, but one that happens every night in our house. Shoes left in one place will find their way to another, separated from their partner, on the end of our bed, on her bed, balanced on the back of the couch, or hidden underneath the furniture. It would probably be fine if she had a preference for my dress shoes (all 3 pairs) or my sandals (2 pairs), but she has a penchant for taking my running shoes. And, I have 32 pairs at last count… I think.

Her habit is a mix of being a tiny bit endearing, very annoying when I’m searching for the left foot of my favorite training shoe… at 5 am… before a workout… and, in the case of writing reviews, actually very helpful.

If there is a pattern in her kleptomania, she most prefers the shoes I have recently worn. As disgusting as that sounds, it’s even more disgusting in reality when I wake up next to a still wet and sweaty size 12 at 3:16 am.

So, what does this have to do with the Adios Boost? Well, let’s just say I’ve been searching for them a lot since I bought by first pair nearly 2 weeks ago. Ultimately, I don’t waste time and energy (at 5 am) searching for the ones I don’t like. They end up in a pile of single shoes, lost without a partner, with the other half hidden away by Jasmine until my wife yells at me encourages me to corral them and clean up the pile.  Such is life for shoes in our house.

Yes, Jasmine and I have both been spending a lot of QT with the Adios Boost in the last few weeks. I’ve done every kind of run in them so far, short and easy and long and hard and on every surface, including track, road, and trail. And, I like them. I like them a lot, which surprises me if I’m being honest.

I am an Adios lover to be sure. But, as someone who has logged many thousands of training and racing miles in the traditional Adios (the current Adios 2), I was skeptical of this new-fangled Boost stuff. As Rogue AC member Chris Gowell pointed out the other day, the Adios 2 is a shoe you can race a road mile or 5K in one day and then very happily log a 20-mile easy run in them the next day.

The Takumi Sen. Another one of our favorites.

If there were a Hall of Fame of shoes, the Adios 2 would be enshrined there, likely next to shoes like the Asics Tarther and Brooks Launch. Actually, the Adios 1 would be there (as perhaps the greatest shoe ever created), with the Adios 2 mentioned on the plaque as its slightly inferior (but still ridiculously amazing) heir. That plaque might also mention that the Adios was/is the chosen shoe of Wilson Kipsang and Patrick Makau who are responsible for the 3 fastest marathon times ever run on this planet. So, yes, the Adios is a darn good shoe, not one that I like to see messed with.

Enter Boost. Boost is the new Adidas midsole material that they claim (and which has been independently confirmed by Runners World) has the most energy return of any midsole material ever tested.  It first appeared in the Energy Boost released in February, then the Adistar Boost in August, and now the Adios Boost, our favorite of the three. This Boost stuff has bounce, like a trampoline or moon boots. Though with less Boost material than the Energy or Adistar versions, you feel less likely to enter orbit in these, and for me that means it’s just about right.

The cool thing about Boost is the cushioning to weight ratio. The Adios Boost actually has less material underfoot (by ~2 mm from heel to toe) than the Adios 2, but it feels much more cushioned than the amount of material or weight would imply. Like its counterpart, it weighs in at less than 8 ounces for men and 6.5 ounces for women, and yet, I believe this shoe could be an accessible trainer or speed-workout shoe for almost anyone.

The Boost material, coupled with the Adidas torsion plate, gives you the energy return you want when it’s time to go fast, but with a softer step-in feel that you can’t get from the ultra-firm EVA of the Adios 2. Lovers of the original Adios will likely still prefer the pop they get from their old favorites, but this new Adios Boost should work for a much broader audience.

The upper is seamless, which is the cool new thing to do with uppers. Most of them, frankly, are poorly executed – too “baggy” or with extra material that might crease down onto the foot. This one is generally pretty good, assuming you re-lace the shoes to bring the laces up and under through the holes instead of over and around. The fit is also more accommodating in the toe box than other Adidas and Boost models. We have seen some durability issues with the upper on the special edition Adios Boost released at the Boston Marathon in April, but that varies significantly from person to person based on use and personal fit.

The Adios Boost is a shoe that now has a permanent spot in my rotation, when I can find them. As an Adios 2 fan, I will continue to wear that shoe on speed days, while working the Boost in on long run or recovery days. For others who might already be training in a more cushioned shoe, the Adios Boost could be the perfect, lightweight shoe for quality days with the cushioning you crave, but the responsiveness and lightweight feel you want to go fast.

And, if my endorsement isn’t enough, consider these cute little puppy dog eyes:

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Chris McClung heads up all things retail at Rogue Running, and currently coaches half marathoners and those taking on the Austin Distance Challenge.

 

Want to check out the Adios Boost yourself? Stop by either Rogue Running location!

Austin: 500 San Marcos St. 78702 / 512.493.0920

Cedar Park: 2800 E. Whitestone Blvd. 78613 / 512.777.4467