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Adidas Adizero Boston 12 - Women's Review

This shoe is responsive enough for solid paces, though it lacks some of the comfort features some runners crave
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Adidas Adizero Boston 12 - Women's Review (Though it has a few unique features, the Adizero Boston is an all-around solid shoe.)
Though it has a few unique features, the Adizero Boston is an all-around solid shoe.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
Price:  $160 List
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Manufacturer:   Adidas
By Ally Arcuri ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Jun 12, 2024
66
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#16 of 24
  • Cushioning and Landing Comfort - 25% 7.0
  • Responsiveness - 25% 7.5
  • Stability - 20% 6.0
  • Upper Comfort - 15% 4.5
  • Weight - 15% 7.3

Our Verdict

The Adidas Adizero Boston 12 is a snappy road shoe that is equipped for daily running and racing. Though it doesn't shine in any single metric, the sum of its parts makes it a worthy contender for runners on the hunt for a responsive daily runner. With its 34mm total stack and 3mm drop, it rides comfortably while also allowing you to pick up the pace. It doesn't feel as rigid as many plated shoes do underfoot, making it a comfortable daily trainer. It runs a bit large, making it suitable for runners seeking a bit of toebox space in a traditional-fitting shoe.
REASONS TO BUY
Responsive
Strong underfoot comfort
True neutral stability
Fun and useful heel tab
REASONS TO AVOID
Upper lacks comfort
Strange lacing system
Runs large

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Running Shoe for Women
Top Pick Award
Most Versatile Road Running Shoe
Top Pick Award
Best Balance of Comfort and Responsiveness
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for Your Buck
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Bottom Line While not an outright winner, the combination of comfort and responsiveness is pretty spot-onThis running shoe offers the performance technology and comfort needed to be your go-to shoe, no matter your running goalsFor epic versatility in a single shoe, we recommend this lightweight superstarWith strong responsive bounce and enough comfort for long runs, this shoe will suit marathon hopefuls and speed demons alikeWhile not a race-focused shoe, this affordable and bouncy option will keep your legs turning over quickly and easily
Rating Categories Adidas Adizero Bost... Asics Novablast 4 -... Hoka Mach 6 - Women's Puma Deviate Nitro... Saucony Kinvara 14...
Cushioning and Landing Comfort (25%)
7.0
9.0
8.0
7.0
7.5
Responsiveness (25%)
7.5
7.5
7.0
8.5
7.5
Stability (20%)
6.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
5.5
Upper Comfort (15%)
4.5
8.0
7.5
7.0
6.5
Weight (15%)
7.3
7.4
8.5
7.7
9.5
Specs Adidas Adizero Bost... Asics Novablast 4 -... Hoka Mach 6 - Women's Puma Deviate Nitro... Saucony Kinvara 14...
Sizes Available 5 - 12 US, regular 5 - 12 US, regular 5 - 11 US, regular & wide 5.5 - 11 US, regular 5 - 12 US, regular & wide
Style Plated daily Neutral Daily Neutral/race Neutral
Measured Heel Stack Height 34 mm 40 mm 34 mm 34 mm 30 mm
Measured Heel-to-Toe Drop 3 mm 9 mm 2 mm 8 mm 5 mm
Plate Type Energy rods 2.0 None None Carbon None
Rocker Angle 22.5 deg 22.0 deg 24.5 deg 12.5 deg 26.0 deg
Rocker Apex Location 67.92% 69.48% 65.38% 68.82% 68.15%
Measured Weight 7.45 oz 7.36 oz 6.27 oz 7.02 oz 5.55 oz
Upper Engineered mesh Engineered knit mesh Creel jaqquard Mesh Mesh
Midsole Lightstrike 2.0/Lightstrike Pro FF Blast Plus Eco Supercritical EVA Nitro/Nitro-Elite PWRRUN, PWRRUN+
Outsole Continental Rubber AHAR outsole Rubber PumaGrip ATR Rubber XT-900 rubber
Heel Tab Type Flap Finger loop Extended heel pull None Finger loop

Our Analysis and Test Results

The balance between speed and daily training capabilities of Adidas Adizero Boston 12 is great for runners seeking an energetic shoe that weighs in on the lighter end of the spectrum. Each women's size 6.5 weighs 7.45 ounces.

Performance Comparision



adidas adizero boston 12 for women - this shoe takes complications out of the equation. it provides a...
This shoe takes complications out of the equation. It provides a densely-padded crash pad, breathability, and plenty of responsiveness without extra bells and whistles.
Credit: Ally Arcuri

Landing Comfort and Cushioning


When placed next to traditional, plush runners, the Adidas Adizero Boston 12 feels firm underfoot. When compared to plated, race-specific shoes, this shoe feels like you're running on clouds. The midsole is comprised of dense, thickly layered foam, which insulates the Energy Rod propulsion plate and provides a nice crashpad for your feet. The Adizero Boston offers one of the smoothest rides in recent history, transitioning seamlessly from landing to toe-off. The problem with this is that running in this shoe makes it very difficult to dial back your pace on recovery days.

adidas adizero boston 12 for women - the layered midsole and continental rubber provide a nice launch pad...
The layered midsole and Continental rubber provide a nice launch pad for your fast-pace endeavors.
Credit: Ally Arcuri

Responsiveness


The Boston 12 is a pretty responsive shoe, but in a way that feels quite understated. We did not expect much based on how this shoe felt when we slipped it on. We were impressed almost immediately by the inspiration we could feel on our feet. The Boston takes a no-nonsense approach to responsiveness, which makes it suitable as a daily trainer and a workout shoe. It doesn't offer the hard-soled pop of serious super shoes, but its dialed-back responsiveness is great for track workouts, tempo runs, and runners seeking a daily shoe that will inspire quick leg turnover.

adidas adizero boston 12 for women - the smooth transition from heel to toe helps set your paces on fire.
The smooth transition from heel to toe helps set your paces on fire.
Credit: Natalie Kafader

Stability


The Adidas Adizero Boston 12 is one of the most neutral-feeling neutral shoes we have tested. It has soft-sided lateral edging and an unusual lacebed, which makes it difficult to create stability through the upper. Its slightly wide toebox offers plenty of space for toes to splay, which allows your body to engage its intrinsic stability. Once the fit is dialed in, you can easily zoom around corners in this shoe, but it certainly is not going to be one we recommend to over-pronators.

adidas adizero boston 12 for women - this is a true neutral running shoe, providing stability when needed...
This is a true neutral running shoe, providing stability when needed without adding anything extra.
Credit: Ally Arcuri

Upper Comfort


We had some issues with the upper comfort of the Boston 12. First, the shoe runs about half a size larger than most standard running shoes. Our lead tester always buys shoes that are a half size larger than her true size to prevent the dreaded blackened toenail effect, but with the Boston, the half size up translated to significantly more toe space than we bargained for.

adidas adizero boston 12 for women - the heel collar of the boston is larger than most.
The heel collar of the Boston is larger than most.
Credit: Ally Arcuri

The tongue has a very slight amount of cushioning, which is comfortable, but the lace bed above it is rather unusual. Instead of weaving the laces through traditional eyelets, half of them thread through fabric loops, making it a bit difficult to find a precise fit. Furthermore, the heel collar of the Boston is a bit oversized. We threaded the laces through the extra eyelet for a tighter fit, ultimately allowing us to run more comfortably. The upper engineered mesh of the Boston is breathable but very stiff. This led to bilateral hot spots on our medial big toes. After a few runs, calluses formed, and we were able to run more smoothly, but as full-time shoe testers, it is unusual to have our skin rubbed raw. Finally, the extended heel tab of the Boston is great. You can leave it straight up, tuck it into the shoe, or toward the rear of the shoe. Aside from helping you pull the shoe on, it is a functional little detail that we enjoyed.

adidas adizero boston 12 for women - the achilles tab is an enjoyable detail. it is pictured here in its...
The Achilles tab is an enjoyable detail. It is pictured here in its folded-down position.
Credit: Ally Arcuri

Weight


At 7.45 ounces per women's size 6.5 shoe, the Adizero Boston is not profoundly lightweight. Much like its stability, we find this metric to be seriously average. The weight of the undercarriage is well distributed and offers a smooth ride, but for a speed shoe, the Boston doesn't feel noticeably lightweight.

adidas adizero boston 12 for women - with each women's size 6.5 weighing 7.45 ounces, the weight of the...
With each women's size 6.5 weighing 7.45 ounces, the weight of the Boston is around what we would expect for this style of shoe.
Credit: Ally Arcuri

Should You Buy the Adidas Adizero Boston 12?


We enjoyed our runs in the Boston and will keep running in it. It isn't an especially fun shoe, but it checks a lot of boxes and offers strong versatility. If you are in the market for a running shoe that can handle fast paces but is comfortable enough for more mellow efforts, this is definitely a shoe that we think is worth checking out.

adidas adizero boston 12 for women - the no-frills approach to running taken by the boston is a departure...
The no-frills approach to running taken by the Boston is a departure from the tech-heavy shoes we have been testing lately.
Credit: Ally Arcuri

What Other Road Running Shoes Should You Consider?


Two other options stand out in ways similar to those of the Boston. The Puma Deviate Nitro 2 offers a prime balance of comfort and responsiveness. The Deviate Nitro has a strong underfoot feel but is comfortable enough for extended efforts. The Hoka Mach 6 provides a lightweight ride but does not have a propulsive plate. Since it is a bit easier to execute meandering recovery runs in the Mach 6, it is slightly more versatile than the Boston.

Ally Arcuri