The Adidas Adizero Boston 7 is known to many as a lightweight trainer and others as a cushioned long distance racer. For the Adidas Pros, the Boston is a common choice for a first marathon as some find the Adizero Adios to be a bit too firm for the marathon distance (despite being a marathon racer). The snug fit lends itself to a faster feel and a new updated mesh and heel counter provide a bit more flexibility than past models. The sole carries over from the previous version providing highly responsive Boost (a stable midfoot torsion system) and a fast ride. Testers noted they loved this shoe for workouts and kept reaching for it for both hard and easy days. All wished for a little more room, particularly in the forefoot to relax pressure on the toes from the low and narrow toe box. However the increased flexibility of the upper allowed many to get a little more give and room for their toes.

Comfort  

The Adidas Adizero Boston 7 combines a racing flat with the comfort of a trainer—the best of best of both worlds. The lightweight ride combined with a breathable mesh upper keeps the foot snuggly on the platform while a Boost midsole combined with firmer EVA provides protection and responsiveness. Testers noted that the Boston 7 provides the perfect amount of balance between cushioning and speed to work well for speed and easy runs.

The multiple personalities of the Boost allowed for some cushioning on easy runs and high speed on workout days. The increased breathability and flexibility of the upper gives a bit more stretch than previous versions, however the narrow fit kept many from giving this shoe perfect ratings. Testers were very happy however that the tweaks to upper breathability kept their feet cool and dry. For those that used this shoe during warmer races and workouts, despite a narrow fit, they walked (and ran) away blister free.

Fit

The mesh of the upper has increased flexibility compared to version 6, but the Adidas Adizero Boston 7 continues to fit on the narrow side. Although this shoe fits true to size, our testers found many may find this snug fit to be conducive to fast racing as it holds the foot well. Others with wider forefeet may find the narrow and shallow toe box a little too much over long distances. Some found that sizing up a half size relieved some of this pressure and with normal width socks got a perfect fit. Other testers went with their true size wanting a snug and racing style fit.

The heel is held well by a somewhat flexible counter but the remainder of the upper uses a breathable mesh. The three classic Adidas stripes, as always, connect with the laces to provide a secure hold on the midfoot. Testers noted that the shallow fit gave some concerns about the fit up front, but with more miles it began to break in a bit.  However, many noted that if not for the narrow fit, this would be the definition of a perfect lightweight trainer.

Responsiveness

The Boost used in the Adidas Adizero Boston 7 combined with the firmer EVA provides a very responsive ride that works well at high speed as well as at moderate paces.  This is a lightweight shoe that is protective but also begs to go fast. The Boston 7 works particularly well on road, where the Boost gives plenty of rebound and protection. There is a solid amount of Boost in this shoe especially in the heel. Those that landed farther back felt plenty of rebound that pushed them forward. Many attributed this to the Boost midfoot torsion system and the classic Adidas toe spring. Others attributed the firmer ride provided by the full length Continental outsole and durable AdiWear to provide grip and responsiveness, which is characteristic of many Adidas road shoes.

Speed

Testers found the Adidas Adizero Boston this shoe to be one of the faster long distance lightweight trainers/racers they tried. The Boston has the speed to run fast 400s on the track as well as long tempo runs and races up to the marathon. Those who like the Adidas Adizero Adios series but want more protection will love this shoe, this is the shoe for you. It begs to go fast and will make many search their calendar for their next 10k or half marathon race. Testers noted that this shoe responded very well to pace changes and whatever type of workout they wanted. Our testers were surprised at how well the shoe acted with sprints, attributing the stiffer forefoot to provide additional pop off the ground.

Ride Quality

The Boost and 10mm drop of the Adidas Adizero Boston 7 provides a good amount of protection, which combined with the speed makes this a great shoe for those needing just a bit more for long distance racing or workouts. The toe spring and heel bevel make the ride very smooth no matter where on their foot testers landed. Despite the higher drop, the shoe still feels fast over a variety of distances. The forefoot is somewhat firm and stiff due to more EVA and less Boost, but testers still found it easy to get up on their toes. The additional stiffness provided stability over long distance runs that kept calves fresh over long hard workouts.

Testers were impressed with the consistent ride over the test time of this shoe.  Adidas is known for durable shoes due to the long life of the Boost and Continental rubber outsole. The Adidas Adizero Boston 7 was no different. Even testers that tended to chew through outsoles were able to get long life out of these with the Boost retaining the original bouncy ride from day one to retirement 300-500 miles later. Testers were especially impressed that the speed was maintained even into higher mileage lifespans.

Testing of our lightweight road shoes was performed by a committee of testers, both male and female. Our group consists of eight testers who wore the shoes for total distances of approximately 20 to 80 miles. Single runs ranged in distance from three to 26 miles, and included casual training as well as speed workouts and road racing. The majority of our testing is conducted on asphalt roads or all-weather tracks, but we occasionally venture off-road onto jeep trails or smooth trails. Each tester prepares a summary overview of how each shoe performed in the criteria of fit, comfort, responsiveness, ride quality, and speed, and he or she also includes any additional thoughts or observations about the shoes during the test period.