Adidas believes the Boston Adizero 13 should be considered as the ideal training shoe for those who race in the Adizero Adios Pro 4 super-shoe. And this claim holds up well. However, there’s more to the Boston 13 than just being the brother to the golden child. Indeed, the Boston 13 is quick, nicely stacked and sure to benefit those looking to up the pace for training runs or go all the way on race day.

UPPERS & FIT

At 270 g per shoe (UK10), the Boston 13 is a relatively light shoe. Adidas obviously found a design that works, since the Boston and Adios range are quite similar in appearance. Much like the Adios range, the uppers are sparse, flanked with the iconic three stripes printed down the side.

The textile upper allows for decent breathability, although the winter testing window did not exactly push the heat during training sessions. The padded tongue is a welcome addition for comfort under the laces, and it's kept in place with stretch gussets on both sides. The heel area is nicely cushioned, and I experienced no issues with lockdown.

The Boston 13 is not a particularly comfortable shoe, and while my UK10 didn’t chafe, it’s recommended to perhaps go half a size up for a smoother ride. As a minor qualm, the thinner laces tended to get knotted up when being untied.

That said, these niggles aren’t dealbreakers, and when hitting the road, even less so.

ON THE ROAD, MIDSOLE

There is no doubt the Boston 13 is a shoe that benefits from, and is a benefit to, a quicker pace.

With a chunky 36 mm midsole, proudly displayed on the side, the Boston 13 provides a solid amount of bounce without feeling unruly. As a heel striker, it felt as if the midsole of the Boston 13 fuelled a speedy transition through to the midfoot, and in general the shoe produced a more balanced footfall, leaning more towards midfoot than heel.

The midsole around the heel consists mainly of Lightstrike 2.0 foam, measuring 85 mm in width (in comparison, the new Puma Velocity Nitro 4 is 93 mm). I’ve read other reviews that noted the shoe was less stable for heel strikers, but I did not feel this to be the case. Despite its speed, the Boston 13 did not come across as a shoe where you need to be mindful of how you land in case your foot is off balance.

It’s around the midfoot and forefoot where you’ll find more of Adidas’ top-of-the-line Lightstrike Pro super foam, 13% more than the previous model according to Adidas. As footfall progresses, it activates the EnergyRods 2.0, which combined with Ligthstrike Pro propels the foot forward, especially so when you turn on the afterburners. And the Boston 13 will maintain this pace for as long as you can. 

To me, the biggest benefit from Boston 13 came when I concentrated on improving cadence, and it felt far easier to do this than to increase stride length to up the speed.

I’m currently pulling the scales at 96 kg, and on longer runs the Boston 13 was definitely supportive, with only downhills feeling a bit sparse around the toes. It need not be said, but the Boston 13 is not really meant for relaxing recovery runs – pace is key.

OUTSOLE

On the bottom of the shoe, Adidas incorporated a Lighttraxion patterned outsole alongside Continental Rubber. While information on Lighttraxion is quite sparse, it’s apparently a new type of outsole material, applied to all areas apart from the Continental Rubber patch you’ll find under the ball of the foot. 

A dry, wintery Joburg meant I did not run in the wet, so I can’t comment on traction, however the wear on the back of heel and front toe area was a bit more than expected.

AT THE FINISH LINE

When reading about shoe rotation, especially from our American friends who seem to have several pairs of running shoes in the closet, I can’t help but feel that South Africa’s economic circumstances often don't allow for more than one pair of shoes.

In this case, if you are after running shoes that will help you up your pace when training, or push you towards PBs during a race, then it’s quite easy to recommend the Adidas Adizero Boston 13. It comes with a chunky midsole, a larger helping of Adidas’ super foam, carbon rods, and they are not too heavy. It’s a shoe that loves speed, and is best recommended after a certain fitness level and pace have been reached.

If you can rotate your shoes, then the Supernova Rise 2 (read our glowing review here) as a training shoe will work well if you want to preserve the Boston 13 for race day. Or if you are at that level, do as Doctor Adidas ordered, and use the Boston 13 as your training partner, with the Adizero Adios Pro 4 super shoe prescribed for race day pace.

At R3 300, the Adidas Adizero Boston 13 is R300 more expensive than the Supernova Rise 2, and a solid R2 200 less expensive than the Adizero Adios Pro 4. 

DISCLAIMER: Shoes were received from Adidas South Africa for review and not returned.