Adidas have recently released their new ‘breakthrough’ running shoe the Energy Boost. Using a novel replacement for the traditional EVA midsole called Boost, adidas claims the new Boost material transfers more energy to your legs as you run, combining soft comfort with responsive energy for the ultimate running experience. It claims the material is more durable and doesn’t lose its cushioning properties like normal EVA.At first glances the shoe looks quite bizarre. With a neoprene feel upper (TechFit) and a midsole that resembles Styrofoam, it certainly is a shift from a conventional running shoe. The upper looks and feels like a Nike Free but despite its light weight that is where the similarities end. The first thing I noticed when I put them on was how comfortable they immediately felt. The combination of the flexible, soft upper plus the spongy midsole provide a very plush feel when initially standing in them.The adidas marketing campaign have used a comparison of ball bearing bouncing higher off the Boost material compared to normal EVA and despite my cynicism as to whether this is applicable to running, I can immediately feel I have an extra spring in my stride. One thing I try to practice when I run is improving my heel to toe transition to keep my cadence high and this shoe despite its soft feel is incredibly responsive and according to adidas should remain that way for a lot longer than my other running shoes.
My first impression of this shoe is that despite flying in the face of a great deal of shoe research, adidas may have designed a shoe that supports some of their seemingly outrageous claims. Some people will find the midsole material ugly and it does discolour quickly, but if it helps you run better and provides longer lasting cushioning than your other shoes then it will be a popular choice for runners everywhere.
Andrew Maitland is a sports podiatrist at the Melbourne Podiatry Clinic. Having worked closely with many elite and amateur runners over the years he has helped many people in the prevention and treatment of running injuries.
