The adidas Boston has evolved from a speed and racing shoe into this latest version for everyday running.
Weight – 286 g (men's) | Drop – 8.5 mm | Neutral Responsive Road Shoe | £130
First impressions:
Dougie: I mean wow, these are very well-built shoes! A great amount of cushioning in the midsole, and they seem incredibly durable. It’s great to see how this shoe has moved with the times, whilst retaining much of its heritage and features that runners loved in the previous Boston’s. You are also certainly getting more for your money this time around, as the Boston was previously reserved for those who liked a minimal ride with a little bit of cushioning or wanted a fast race day shoe.
This blue colourway could be a little divisive for people but personally for the style of shoe and the category it finds itself in it’s nice and bold.
Alex: That’s a lot of shoe! The stack height on these is enormous, coming in at 39.5mm at the heel. That should allow for plenty of cushioning but adds to the weight, making this shoe much bulkier than its predecessor. I’m a big fan of the black colourway, with the suede touches in the upper giving this shoe an almost 90s look. Overall, straight out of the box, I’m loving the look of this shoe. Moving away from the minimalist look and feel of the Boston 9 might be controversial for some, but this shoe will add something completely new in the adidas range.
Fit and the width?
Dougie: As seems to the be the way with adidas, for myself at least, I found the fit to be a little too tight and had to go up half a size. Not too much of an issue as the width was still perfectly fine from a UK 9.5 to a 10 in my size, it is worth noting there aren't any additional width fittings so if you often go for wider options, you could find yourself going up a full size to find that optimum fit.
The tongue is gusseted which makes for a nice seamless fit around the foot. There wasn’t a lot of give in the fabric of the tongue when sliding your foot in, which people could perceive as being the wrong size for them, but once it was on it fits perfectly.
Overall, once I had gone up the half size, the shoe fit was perfect for me, no distractions, just very comfy.
Alex: For me, I found the shoe fitting true to size. I wear a 9.5, standard width across most brands and with this being my first pair of adidas, I was pleased to find the right fit first time round. I did feel some increased pressure in my forefoot during some early test runs but put this down to having laced up far too tightly to begin with.
How the Boston 10 has changed from earlier versions?
Dougie: It’s safe to say the shoe has had an overhaul since the previous model, now entering the world of plated technology the latest Boston 10 has noticeably beefed up and bulked out. The Boston features a nylon plate in the midsole which gives you a great pop, and snappy feel when you are on the run.
It has also moved away from the super soft but great energy returning Boost cushioning compound to the latest highly charged, highly responsive Lightstrike foam. The upper is the closest resemblance to the older models with a breathable feel to it with additions of overlays for durability and support. It seems a little heavier than Boston runners will have been used to but somehow still doesn’t feel as if it is going to be any less energetic or responsive.
Alex: It’s no secret that this shoe differs vastly from the previous model, and this has caused a bit of a stir amongst the adidas Boston faithful. Gone is the lightweight, minimal feel of the Boston 9. This is partly due to the new combination of Lightstrike EVA and Lightstrike Pro foam found in the midsole which drastically increased the stack height and gives this new addition to the Boston range a completely new look. This will no doubt increase the durability of the shoe, perhaps indicating that adidas see this shoe as your new daily runner, rather than the speed shoe of yesteryear’s Boston range. This isn’t to say adidas have completely remodeled the range. You can expect good energy return and responsiveness thanks to the introduction of nylon energy rods, running right the way through the midsole and keeping a degree of stiffness, ready for when you want to pick up the pace.
A good all-rounder, or specific for a certain type of run?
Dougie: I loved the previous model of the Boston and for me that was reserved for race day! In this iteration I’m pleasantly surprised about how this shoe has moved with the times and become more of a general trainer for runners who want to feel fast at times but also have a shoe that can last and gives them the protection/cushioning for longer runs.In the miles I clocked in these shoes it’s been a beautiful all-rounder, being a mid-foot striker with a quicker cadence I found the snappiness of the shoe to fit perfectly in tune with my style. Quicker runs, tempo runs and sessions is where this shoe excels, but I also found it great for some general running, it’s also pretty grippy with continental outsole for compact gravel and light trail.
It wouldn’t be my go-to for easy and recovery runs, as the cushioning is definitely firmer than other shoes in the adidas range and from other brands.
Alex: I found this edition of the Boston lending itself more to daily training, rather than the being the dedicated speed training and race day shoe that the Boston 9 was so famous for. Doubling up on the foam in the midsole creates a firmer ride than I was initially expecting, and, for the first few runs, this was noticeable. I normally prefer a softer, plush midsole in my daily workhorse, but I have to say the ride really grew on me. After around 30 miles of testing, I found the Boston 10 really came into its own as an excellent all-rounder. It’s great for new runners like me who tend to run on the steadier side, but I have no doubt that it’s also more than capable of picking up the pace if (and when) needed! It’s easy to see what adidas were attempting to do with the reimagined Boston, and they’ve smashed it out the park.
Sticking points
Dougie: The increased stack height is worth being cautious of for certain runners, it could be a bigger off put for people with it adding to a slightly more unstable feel being higher off the ground, I do feel this is made up for in the overlays that lock you in place and the firmer feeling midsole which keeps you on the straight and narrow.
Alex: It’s firmer than expected. Don’t be roped in by that juicy stack height and think you’re getting pillows on your feet. That’s by no means a bad thing, just something to be wary of. If anything, having that firmness to the midsole is what allows the Boston to excel as the go-to all-rounder in your rotation.
This shoe has been tested by Dougie and guest reviewed by Alex. They have run in the shoes for a minimum of 4 weeks or about 50 miles before submitting their reviews. The scores they have given the shoes are based on their experiences, their running styles and their training types. These shoes were gifted by adidas for the purpose of this review, however no input was made by adidas. The views are entirely that of our testers.
