Nils: Pünktlich zum Start der letztjährigen Herbstmarathon-Saison nutzte adidas mit dem Berlin Marathon eine der größten Bühnen, die es im Laufsport gibt, um gleich zwei neue Modelle einzuführen. Auf den neuen adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 hat die Läufer:innen-gemeinde schon sehnsüchtig gewartet, handelte es sich doch bei den Vorgängermodellen nicht nur um den erfolgreichsten Marathonschuh der letzten Jahre (gemessen an World Marathon Majors Siegen), sondern war doch insbesondere der Adios Pro 3 ein Publikumsliebling. Gleichzeitig überrascht die Marke mit den drei Streifen mit einem gänzlich neuen Modell. Der adidas Adizero Evo SL soll als schnelles Trainingsmodell, das vom Rekorde brechenden Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 inspiriert ist, Athlet:innen bestmöglich bei der Wettkampfvorbereitung unterstützen.
Ich durfte letzten September an einem tollen Launch-Event zu beiden Modellen teilnehmen, das in der Berliner Fotografiska stattgefunden hat. Das war für mich der perfekte Auftakt in mein Marathonwochenende und hat mich insbesondere in Bezug auf den Adios Pro 4 wahnsinnig gehyped. Ich durfte Prototypen und Einzelteile in der Hand halten und die Entwickler:innen mit all meinen Fragen löchern. Das einzige Manko war: Den Adios Pro 4 habe ich an diesem Wochenende nicht erhalten.
Boston, the Boston Marathon and Adidas Boston and I have a long history together. I have run the marathon many times including back in 2014 when I ran the race in the Boston Boost fresh out of the box after it was released in very limited quantities at that marathon’s Expo.
The Boston has always been the Adizero for the longer and faster runs and for many, pre supershoes, an ideal marathon racer on hillier courses (i.e..Boston).
With the Boston 13 the tradition continues with a more refined and comfort focused edition. The Boston 12 saw the style go up in stack height, get at least some Lightstrike Pro supercritical foam with rest of the midsole, a new softer Lightstrike 2.0 and with Energy Rods derived from the Adios Pro.
Quite firm and rigid, especially the Boston 11 although the 12 improved, with race shoe inspired quite minimal uppers they somewhat lagged the trends towards more forgiving and energetic cushion and more comfort even in “fast” shoes.
With the Boston 13, adidas increases the proportion of springy supercritical Lightstrike Pro by 13.8% (love the precision!) on the lateral side of the shoe and upfront while increasing the padding on the achilles collar and tongue.
The outsole moves to a combination of Continental rubber and a new Lighttraxxion compound, my sense a CPU type rubber said to be lighter and shared with the Adios Pro 4.
And of course the Energy Rods continue and are hinted at in the medial cutout.
The weight essentially stays the same, increasing bit while the stack height remains at a relatively moderate 36mm heel / 30mm forefoot..The pricing at $160 remains unchanged and I think represents a strong value for such a sophisticated construction and latest technologies. Let’s see how it all comes together. Please read on.
Pros:
Strong value: $160 for a super foam and carbon rods trainer and for sure racer
Serious: consistent, linear riding and stable
Versatile: faster pace long run and daily training and even racing
Friendler: deeper soft front Lightstrike Pro and reasonable not over sprung Energy Rods lead to a dynamic ride with snappy flex
Improved fit over Boston 11 and 12: more comfort and more secure
Cons:
Sized large? My whole size down from my normal is close to fitting correctly if a bit tight in volume
Wish for slightly more forgiving feeling heel cushion, not particularly slow paces friendly but improved
A bit mechanical in feel
Decent weight but wish lighter: complex construction adds to weight
Stats
Spec Weight: men's 9.1oz / 258g (US9) Boston 12: men's 8.7 oz / 247g (US9)
Please find the testers full run bios at the end of the article after Comparisons.
First Impressions, Fit and Upper
My early release pair is in adidas EQT colorway, very sharp and a nice contrast to the current mono bright colored racers with bold black stripes. Clean, classic and simple in upper style, the eye is immediately drawn to the midsole and outsole, to the engine of the shoe where the tan deep deep and plunging Lightstrike Pro at the front really stands out promising an energetic toe off. Flipping them over one sees the dual compound (Continental and Lightraxxion) outsole
I must make some caveats right up front about the fit. My sample (and I am expecting a true to size pair soon) is US7.5 whereas my standard size is US8.5… I thought no way they would be runnable more than a bit but with thin socks it turned while volume snug they are actually fine, not ideal but OK. So I suspect they may run a half size large as I found the recent EVO SL.
Back to the upper itself. Adidas told us in their presentation that the Boston 12 upper was too “simple”, too race-like and for the 13 they wanted to increase comfort and improve hold, something that was not ideal in the 12 towards the rear of the shoe for me with its race shoe like inner bolsters construction.
The mesh itself is a single density and not particularly “soft” or stretchy. It provides a “serious” decently comfortable fit reflecting the faster up-tempo longer runs focus on the shoe more than comfort daily cruiser. For a somewhat more comfort type upper (and daily cruiser ride) in adidas look also to the Supernova Prima (RTR Review)
The upper gets more structure and improved hold.
The narrow entry achilles collar is now more conventional and is very comfortable and well but not excessively padded.
The heel counter is rigid with a translucent overlay towards the front. Hold is excellent.
The tongue is now also more padded and instead of attachednear the lacing area, we have a more conventional fuller wrapping tongue with gusset.
The toe box is moderately broad.
Overall, while not the most sophisticated of uppers or the most comfortable it gets the job done well enough for me allowing adidas to invest the “bigger bucks” underfoot.
Midsole & Platform
The Boston 13 clearly has a sophisticated underfoot platform and construction, surprisingly so for a $160 shoe.
We often see dual layer midsole and plates these days most often as layers (supercritical softer underfoot and firmer EVA blend or supercritical below) or a construction with an outer carrier of EVA type foam and inner core of supercritical foam.
Here we also have two foams: Lightstrike Pro (the tan), thought to be a TPEE based supercritical foam and Lightstrike 2.0 (white) likely an EVA blend.
Boston 13 Boston 12
They are not layered in the conventional sense but asymmetrical in layout, varying in thickness in different parts of the shoe as well as being different medially and laterally.
On the lateral side we see most clearly where the 13.8% increase in Lightstrike Pro comes from as unlike the Boston 12 we have LS Pro all the way to the outsole upfront on the outside edge as well as more LS Pro extending towards the midfoot.
Further towards the rear, the silver painted area with diagonal lines ahead of the sharp angle down at midfoot is now all LS Pro with towards the rear, even if painted silver we stay with Lightstrike.
’Pointing to the extended new area of Liightstrike Pro towards the midfoot.
The Boston 12 had a lower layer of regular LS below the Pro and on both sides.
Boston 12
The increased depth of Pro foam gives more cushion and return as the pace picks up with a decisive quicker return that is less dull feeling than at slower paces, or was overall in Boston 12.
On the medial side we see fewer foam layout changes with the lower layer of Lightstrike 2.0 upfront continuing and helping stabilize toe offs and providing response.
I do note a more carved out midfoot side wall in the 13 which could help explain the now greater flex starting at midfoot compared to the 12.
The net result compared to the 12 is an easier toe off but not to worry still an energetic and aggressive one.
We now have a more prominent medial heel bump out than in the 12 and more like the 11 which is clearly felt adding some stability to the far rear of the shoe.
Bottom Line: The Boston 12 platform and midsole is designed to deliver an energetic, stable, “serious” up tempo ride during daily and longer faster runs. Its combination of foams, Energy Rods and geometry give it a snappy and springy flex; it is not a rigid rocker shoe even with its Energy Rods.
Don’t come looking for a very soft and bouncy heel landing here but a steady stable and rapidly responding one. At a 36mm heel, relatively low for 2025, the focus is not slow pace heel striking but on faster pace daily training delivering stable consistency stride after stride.
Outsole
Continuing the sophisticated design the outsole features a combination of always reliable hard wearing Continental rubber with adi’s new lighter Traxxion compound on the lateral side up front and medial side at the heel. Traxxion is also used in the Adios Pro 4.
Durability should be outstanding. Grip on wet and dry roads has been just fine. Grip on crushed granite paths and wet grass is only so so.
Ride, Conclusions and Recommendations
The Boston stays true to form as the versatile, moderately cushioned, flexing snappy, up tempo plated daily trainer in the Adizero line. The more high strung, faster paced, more rigid and rocker based EVO SLi it is not, nor is the wildly energetic not particularly stable super max cushion Prime X.
As I ran them, the very first word I thought of was “serious” and later in the adidas briefing that is exactly the word they used to describe them. Yes serious, but more accessible and versatile for me than the 12 and certainly the 11.
The increased flexibility and deeper front Lightstrike Pro take some of the over serious (and rough) edges off of recent prior Boston.
I ran them at a variety of paces from about 11 minute miles down to below 9 minute miles and it was when I hit the 8’s that the shoe really came alive. The relatively firm heel increased in quick rebound, I really engaged the Rods, rolled forward with snappy flex and was able to rebound off the front of the shoe with the deep Lightstrike Pro there really activating.
The complex construction is somewhat mechanical in feel, reminding vaguely of the Nike Tempo Next% in a more muted, lower and more stable fashion. Once you wind them up the pieces all click in unison and become a bit less “machine” like feel and construction, a bit more smoothness would be nice to have.
Simplifying the construction while retaining the experience might also reduce the shoe’s weight of about 9 oz / 255g at its 36/30 stack height. Tthere are several shoes in its general category (such as the latest Magic Speed, Endorphin Speed and Zoom Fly) compared below with more stack height or equivalent stack height that weigh less.
While my pair was not my size, the increased support and comfort and support of the rear of the shoe (midfoot collars, tongue and overlays) was noticeable and appreciated.
All in all, the Boston 13 stays true to form as a faster paces daily trainer. While not a major redo, It has improved mechanics for me as well as improved comfort on and under foot.
It evolves the formula of a direct fast uptempo trainer without changing the shoe’s character. Loyalists should be happy and those seeking more moderate stack heights and more responsive direct rides now have an alternative to consider,` and one that is at a very reasonable $160
Sam’s Score: 9.2 /10
Strengths: versatility, stability, dynamic ride and value
Deductions: weight at its stack height and somewhat mechanical overly serious ride
The other Adizero daily trainer, the SL has an all Lightstrike Pro midsole with a combination of a small directly under foot shank like plate and continuous front rubber outsole which puts the platform in tension combining to create a more rigid rocker daily trainer option. It is less slower pace friendly than the Boston 13. It is considerably lighter at 7.9 oz and is also higher in stack height at 38.5mm / 32mm. I was in my true to size 8.5 and found the upper (no gusset tongue) less supportive than the Boston’s. If you have any pronation control needs , need a shoe for long steady faster paced runs and prefer at least some flex the Boston will be a better option. If you want a shorter distance pure fast trainer with a rigid rocker then the SL.
Cross town rival Puma’s Deviate is slightly higher in stack height and weight but essentially identical by the numbers. The Puma has a simpler construction of 2 layers of Nitro supercritical foam (firmer at the ground as LS is in the Boston) and softer underfoot with a full length carbon plate sandwiched between. The Puma ride is somewhat bouncier and a touch softer overall whereas the Boston is more sharply reacting in feel. Uppers are similar in fit and construction
A bit lighter with the same heel height and a 2mm lower forefoot (8mm vs 6mm drop for the Boston) the Saucony has a softer friendlier upper, a simpler quite a bit softer one supercritical foam construction and a more flexible plastic plate. While in the same category as the Boston, it is a more mellow take on the uptempo trainer with a bouncier midsole and less overall quickness of response. It is also considerably less stable than the Boston. Very pleasant and more fun, it is not as “serious “ or as consistent riding.
Higher stack, more aggressively plated and rigid, the latest Zoom Fly is more racer than trainer for me while the Boston is a more versatile trainer for faster days. Priced the same at $160 the Nike has a superior upper while for my tastes the adidas has a friendlier if not quite as fast ride.
ASICS contender in the bigger stack height longer uptempo run category, the Magic, as with the Boston, has a dual foam construction with EVA blend towards the ground and supercritical FF Turbo foam towards the foot with a full carbon plate between the two layers.
Considerably higher stack height at 43.5 mm heel / 35.5mm forefoot and also significantly lighter weight at 8.38 oz / 237g US9 it is a lot of shoe for its reasonable $170 price ($10 more than the Boston). It is plenty stable even at its heights of stack. Its upper is smoother fitting, at least as secure and with similar volume to the Boston. While not quite as slower paces friendly as the Boston, or as smoothly running, it still leads for me in the category with the added bonus that its lower weight makes it a more viable racer.
The Prima is a more plush, more mellow riding cousin to the Boston 13. Instead of a composite plate as in the Boston, its Support Rods are hardened EVA sitting closer to the ground just above the outsole. Its main midsole foam is supercritical Dreamstrike, a bit denser in feel than LS Pro and heavier as the Prima checks in about 1 oz / 28g on a slightly higher platform. Stable and versatile, if you are seeking a more general daily trainer with a more conventional ride I would pick it over the Boston. Take the Boston if you need a speedy steady long run trainer.
In the same uptempo longer run category as the Boston. Considerably lighter at 8.5 oz / 241 on a higher 44/39 stack height, the Mach midsole has a lower EVA layer and upper PEBA layer midsole with a full-length PEBAX plastic plate. Its upper is more minimal and less comfortable, especially at the heel counter and collars. While admirable for its big stack and lower weight (noticed), I found its ride more sluggish and rigid than the adidas with the Boston, an easy pick for me.
The Adizero Boston 13 will be available from May 5, 2025
in-store, on adidas.com and via the adidas flagship app, with additional colorways of
the Adizero Boston 13 available from June 4, 2025
Tester Profile
Sam is the Editor and Founder of Road Trail Run. He is in his 60’s with 2025 Sam’s 53th year of running roads and trails. He has a decades old 2:28 marathon PR. These days he runs halves in the just sub 1:40 range if he gets very, very lucky. Sam trains 30-40 miles per week mostly at moderate paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Utah be it on the run, hiking or on nordic skis. He is 5’9” tall and weighs about 160 lbs, if he is not enjoying too many fine New England IPA’s.
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