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“Impossible is nothing” is the fitting slogan of one of the world’s top footwear brands, adidas. Sure, some might say that adidas’ goal of crafting the Adizero performance line to deliver optimal experiences for competitive runners from every day to race day was an impossible goal. But for a brand grounded in an ethos that refuses to accept anything less than being the very best, that was entirely the point.
The brand’s ongoing dedication to improving the Adizero Boston model is proof in the pudding. A cult favorite of distance runners since its introduction in 1982, adidas has had missteps in the Boston shoes’ recent evolution. The Boston 10 — the brand’s first attempt to move the icon firmly into the realm of performance footwear — received some criticism. The Adizero Boston 11 shoes, while significantly better in this writer’s mind, still left room for improvement. Was creating a top adidas running shoe that could do it all as an everyday trainer and still deliver high-end performance appropriate for race day too ambitious of a goal? Was it, in fact, impossible?
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The redesign of the Boston 12 is a testament to the fact that this tenacious brand can conquer any challenge. The designers have continued to push the boundaries they had begun to nudge with the Boston 10 and 11 and — we’re happy to report — they have broken through with these mid- to long-distance running shoes.
The Adizero Boston 12, with subtle, yet extensive improvements to the cushioning system, might appear similar to the 11 on the surface, but underfoot it’s a whole different ball game. We put the sneakers to the test during runs on different terrains and of varying distances. Read on for our honest review.
How We Tested the adidas Adizero Boston 12 Running Shoes
- Product tested: adidas Adizero Boston 12 Running Shoe
- Testing period: One week
- Testing methods: Daily runs of distances varying from three to ten miles
- Testing surfaces: Primarily pavement (not always dry) with small distances across dirt, gravel, sand and mud.
- Pros: There are big time improvements to the midsole. It’s lighter, and more flexible. The cushioning system lends a much more comfortable ride.
- Cons: The tongue construction is much less rigid which makes the shoe easier to get on than the Boston 11. But for some the new construction might verge on flimsy. Regardless, the upper remains very easy on the eye.
- Best for: Mid- to long-distance runs on flat, paved surfaces. Look elsewhere for trail running shoes (like our list of the best adidas trail shoes).
- Testing Verdict: The Boston 12 sneakers are an excellent, lightweight mid-distance trainer that provides the feel of race day. These are great for longer training runs, but especially long tempo runs.
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Design That Still Screams Speed
The upper of the adidas Adizero Boston 11 was a revelation in aesthetic appeal. It was almost too good looking and, thankfully, that design has carried through to the Boston 12. From the engineered recycled-materials mesh upper, through the elegant molded foam midsole, all the way down to the racing tire inspired outsole, these top adidas sneakers reflect a design that screams speed. It could almost convince you that this German powerhouse of a shoe could go off the line with its motor powered brethren on the Autobahn.
A Revised Fit That Leaves You Snug, Not Strangled
I had a love-hate experience with the upper of the Boston 11. It was beautiful, but the tongue was so stiff and awkward that I often had to convince myself it was worth the effort to wrangle my high arches into the shoe. Luckily, that issue has been fully resolved with the Boston 12. The tongue construction is so much less rigid that you could almost accuse it of being flimsy. Personally, I wouldn’t go that far. I appreciate that the shoe requires so much less effort to get my foot inside.
And boy is it worth putting this comfortable shoe for men and women on. Once your foot is in, the fit carries on the heritage of the Boston and builds on one of the successes of its immediate predecessor. Across all of my runs, I appreciated the excellent security in the forefoot which really ramped up my energy transfer and the surprisingly roomy toe box that kept my foot feeling great across even my longest runs.
Enhanced Cushioning for a Goldilocks Feel
One of the primary gripes against the Boston 11, and one that I noticed myself through continued use after my initial testing period, was that it really lacked in the cushioning department. That accusation was a bit harsh for a shoe that does not lay any overt claims for cushioning as a primary objective, but it was also not invalid. You felt too much of the pavement underfoot. The Boston 11 was not cushy.
The Boston 12 took that feedback in stride and now offers a substantially improved cushioning system. Is there a real difference between Lightstrike and Lightstrike Pro? Absolutely. The upgraded midsole in these cushioned running shoes is lightyears ahead of the previous model. For me, it strikes that perfect Goldilocks balance. Soft, but not so soft that it becomes mushy. If you’re looking for a cloud-like ride, this is still not your shoe. But if you want to feel connected to the ground without feeling like you are repeatedly slamming into it, welcome home.
ENERGYRODS Deliver Performance Without the Price Tag
The ENERGYRODS of the Boston 12 have been reworked slightly from the Boston 11 with this 2.0 version. The configuration of the ENERGYRODS is actually now very comparable to that in the brand’s high-end carbon fiber flagship, the Adios Pro 3. The result is a shoe that is a bit more flexible in the forefoot than its forebear but still delivers on performance. The energy return remains excellent. Having run in high-end carbon fiber racers before, I’d be hard-pressed to tell you these top running shoes weren’t made from the same material.
An Outsole That Grips the Road Like a Tire
As with the Boston 11, I tried the Adizero Boston 12’s across a range of distances, tempos and — thanks to my proximity to the beach and summer afternoon thunderstorms — surfaces. I was again impressed by the Continental rubber outsole. The tread pattern carries obvious references to the heritage of tire design and you feel the difference on the pavement. These shoes stick to the road and almost any surface. I lost minimal traction on gravel, dry dirt, and even sand, but mud was a very different story. They postpone F1 races for rain for a reason, after all. You wouldn’t want to drive performance tires on wet roads, and I also would prefer to keep this outsole on drier surfaces.
Final Impressions
The adidas Adizero Boston 12 fixes many, if not all, of the problems with the past two iterations of this iconic shoe. I found the Boston 11 to be a good shoe for training but — thanks mostly to the enormous improvements to the cushioning — the Boston 12 verges on being an excellent shoe. It’s a great option for middle- to long-distance runners looking for a lightweight performance shoe but not quite ready to jump up in price bracket to a true carbon fiber racer. The Boston 12 is a shoe that, once again, lives up to its heritage.
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For this story, the writer was gifted the Adizero Boston 12 Shoes by adidas for an honest product review.
Meet The Author
Peter Tittiger is a freelance journalist and content consultant. He is also an avid runner and a slave to his feet. A firm believer in “No Days Off,” he regularly logs at least five runs a week and cross-trains in the pool or on a bike. He has trained for and run in nearly a hundred races, including the New York City Marathon, and near annual completion of the full, 5-borough, NYRR half-marathon circuit. Learn more about Footwear News here.
