Last February, adidas Philippines launched into the local market their latest running shoe with the “revolutionary” technology BOOST™ and yours truly is one of the lucky few whom got to try this new model aptly called adidas Energy Boost.  Here’s my review:

As always, every shoe that goes under my review will have to go through a real life test, usually on a race, and adidas Energy Boost was no exception.  For this pair, I got to test it during the recent first leg of the Run United 2013—my first 21K of the year.

When I first wore the adidas Energy Boost, my first impressions were it’s quite light, didn’t need to be broken in, and could be worn sockless.  And because I didn’t have socks to match the looks of the adidas Energy Boost, I did wore it without socks for our first test run—and it didn’t fail me!  Unfortunately that initial run was very, very short to qualify for a review, so it had to wait for my first 21K race.

It’s been a while since I last an on a race and come race day, I realized I was missing my thin running socks that would match with the adidas Energy Boost.  I didn’t want to wear thick socks because I would like to test the cushioning BOOST™ offers, and besides those socks don’t look good with the shoe—so I decided, last minute, to run a 21K in an adidas Energy Boost without socks!

As I was walking out to the race venue I was really worried that I’d have some major blisters with this shoe since I didn’t have any socks and the distance was quite long.  My fears were quickly forgotten the moment I started running—the shoes fit quite well and because they’re quite light I hardly notice their weight.

The roads used during the race were a mix of both concrete and asphalt but with BOOST™ cushioning it was quite irrelevant.  Cushioning wasn’t the best I’ve tried but the better energy return (than standard adidas EVA soles) and the matching light weight doesn’t make your feet feel tired or heavy.  It has cushioning but it isn’t that “bouncy” so it also has stability.  What’s great was that even if you manage to get it soaking wet, the material doesn’t really absorb water and the shoe remains relatively light.  Also, despite looking not so “breathable,” it actually doesn’t feel hot.

And so after that sockless 21K with the adidas Energy Boost, despite my lack of long runs I found myself in great shape with my feet not feeling heavy at all.  I had a small blister under my left foot but it was because of how the skin of my sole folded on itself, and not from the shoe.  Overall, here’s my summary:

Pros:

• Great cushioning with stability and excellent energy return via BOOST™ technology
• Light weight
• Great fit
• Can be worn without socks
• Doesn’t absorb water
• No need to “break-in”

Cons:

• A bit narrow fit
• No other color options (for now)
• Premium price (SRP ₱7,995)

adidas Energy Boost is one of those shoes that you can take on a long run out of the box with no problem.  I knew that from the first time I wore it that’s why wearing it on a 21K without further runs was a no brainer.  The “sockless” part isn’t officially mentioned by adidas but the material used and the build quality made me think of that; and although I was skeptical at first, I’ve proven that it can be worn sockless without worries.  And despite not having any options when it comes to designs or colors, the current model, in black with white BOOST™ soles and yellow highlights, still looks cool that’s why I’d rather wear it sockless than with non-matching socks.

The price may be on the premium segment, but the quality and the performance that the adidas Energy Boost brings just makes it worth every penny.  This shoe gets an excellent verdict from me, and is currently my favorite long distance racing shoe.

Thank you adidas Philippines for giving me the chance to be one of the first to try this excellent shoe!

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Related:

• adidas to Reveal its Revolutionary Running Shoe Technology
• Join the Running Revolution with the adidas Energy Boost™
• Behind the Scenes: adidas Boost
• My First Half Marathon of the Year at Run United 1 (2013)