Adidas Ultra Boost ST Review

April 27, 2016
Adidas Ultra Boost ST
GEAR INSTITUTE RATINGS
86
Comfort
9
Fit
6
Responsiveness
7
Speed
6
Ride Quality
8

The Good

  • Over-the-top comfort
  • Rock solid durability
  • Excellent shock absorption

The Bad

  • Excessively pricey
  • Very heavy
  • Fits a bit big
THE VERDICT

It’s not often a shoe can be soft yet springy, flexible yet provide ample support, and heavy but feel fast. Somehow the Adidas Ultra Boost st is all that and more. Classified as a comfort stability everyday trainer the Adidas Ultra Boost ST provides cloud-like cushioning in a durable, responsive package. The Ultra Boost st rose to the top of its class in comfort and ride quality with Adidas’ Boost Technology however its large fit kept it from receiving near-perfect scores across the board. Despite the ill fit and hefty price tag, the Ultra Boost st was still a favorite with all our testers.

FULL REVIEW

The Adidas Ultra Boost ST is a stability shoe designed to be an everyday trainer and is perfect for the runner who needs a bit of stability and cushioning. Adidas uses their trademarked boost technology foam coupled with a Torsion System to help with midfoot stability. With 32mm of cushioning under the heel and 24mm under the toes the Ultra Boost st weighs in at 11.1oz for men and 9.8oz for women.

Comfort
The Adidas Ultra Boost ST was hands down the most comfortable shoe tested. Any shoe with Adidas’ boost foam is a pair you won’t want to take off. As one tester noted, “Ever feel like you’re walking on clouds—yes, you’ll feel that way in these shoes. The upper is made of Adidas’ seamless Primeknit, which I would compare to Nike’s Knit upper. It’s soft, playable and extremely breathable. 

Fit
You’ll want to wear your extra thick socks in the Ultra Boost ST’s because they size a bit big in both length and width. All of our testers mentioned how large the Ultra Boost ST were, with a few of them developing blisters due to excess movement while running. The heel collar was also unusually high compared to most shoes, which took some getting used to.

Responsiveness
At face value every stat on the Ultra Boost ST indicates it should feel slow, mushy and lack responsiveness however the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Typically softer foam has poor energy return with each foot strike making you work harder during push off but Adidas’ Boost technology is an exception to that rule offering the best of both worlds—superior shock absorption and excellent energy return.   

Speed
Weighting in at 11.1 oz for men and 9.8 oz for women the Adidas Ultra Boost ST was one of the heaviest shoes tested which should make it feel sluggish and slow, however that wasn’t the case. Despite the heavy weight the Ultra Boost ST felt just as fast as shoes that weighted almost 2oz lighter. Adidas sums it up perfectly with how they describe boost, “boost’s energy-returning properties keep every step charged with an endless supply of light, fast energy.”  

Ride Quality
Overall the Adidas Ultra Boost ST was one of the more enjoyable shoes to run in. A soft upper coupled with a smooth and soft yet spring landing made the Ultra Boost ST a pleasure put on and head out the door. 

 


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