What do you get when you mix Adidas Boost, PrimeKnit and Torsion technology? In short, best Adidas running sneakers that deserves title “ultra”.

Adidas Ultra Boost brings a lot of new features and technology and is a true successor of Energy Boost sneakers. Generation 1.0 was presented for the first time in 2013.

Design

The first novelty which is certainly welcomed is upper part of a shoe made with PrimeKnit technology. For those not familiar with PrimeKnit technology, it is a special way of knitting fabric that allows to fine-tune the exact amount of flexibility and support needed in every part of the shoe.

How this actually looks in reality? Sneakers entirely adapt to the form of the foot and there is a feeling that there is only a sole under the feet, while you can’t feel upper part. This feeling is present only during the first run and later becomes “normal”. As PrimeKnit material expands and adapts to the foot, it will be beneficial to the people with wide feet.

At first I was a bit skeptical as to whether shoes made by knitted material can provide enough support and is strong enough to withstand daily runs. With a track of more than 130 kilometers I can confirm that the PrimeKnit upper is very durable and sneakers look identical to the first day when they were purchased. I would certainly recommend that after each run one should put a cardboard insert that comes with running sneakers because with them they will longer retain original shape.

Thanks to PrimeKnit technology, Ultra Boost are very airy and during a run (especially during windy weather) you can feel how air flows and cools the feet. When running in rainy weather, the feet will be very quickly soaked because of a porous material. For this reason I wouldn’t recommend running in Ultra Boost during very rainy weather.

Plastic cage in the middle part and plastic inserts on the heel area provides additional stability while running and also holds foot firmly locked. One thing that should be pointed out is to pay attention to the tightness of the laces. While running PrimeKnit material is stretched so if laces are too tight, the plastic cage can cause blisters which happened to me during the first run.

Adidas Ultra Boost sneakers comes in a combination of black/purple color and is more for people who like subtle colors. But if you are fan of vivid color they will be released over the next few months.

Soles

Ultra Boost delivers second-generation Boost foam that is according to the Adidas 20% thicker which can be seen when compared to Energy Boost 2 soles. Ultra contains more Boost capsules and the sole is wider at the heel.

Because the extra Boost material around heel area I have feeling that running in Ultra Boost is softer than compared to running in Energy Boost sole. New Boost foam is also good in absorbing all impacts during running which is very important for all urban runners.

To improve stability Adidas uses Torsion system that is imprinted in the middle of the soles.

What makes the biggest difference between Ultra Boost and Energy Boost soles are use of Stretch Web technology that extends over the bottom of the soles. The good thing about this Strech Web rubber is that it adapts to the running surface.

Stretch Web has good traction and I didn’t have problems with the slip. The only thing that could be a problem is durability. When running on hard surfaces like asphalt, Stretch Web wears off much more quickly than say Continental rubber used on the soles on other models in Boost family.

Final word

Ultra Boost shoes introduced a lot of innovations in the Boost line, especially PrimeKnit technology which makes this running sneaker very flexible and adjustable to all types of feet. New generation of Boost foam also adds nice touch to the whole Ultra Boost story. If you want the best running sneaker from Boost family, look no further.

What is not going to benefit Adidas Ultra Boost shoes is certainly their relatively high price, which is much higher than for some competing products.

Retail price: around $180

A big thanks to Adidas Croatia for providing this product.