Adidas Then & Now
adistar Boost & Country circa 1970

The first runner I knew was my grandfather Jack Saylor and he ran in the Adidas Country in the early 1970's. The first pair of "real" running shoes I ever owned was the Adidas Squire* and my first pair of spikes was the Adidas Interval. This history always lends a little nostalgia when it comes to Adidas.

Since that first pair I have seen a few Adidas running shoes and their technologies come and go. Do you remember any of these; Tuning Pegs, Computer Chip (Take 1), Dellinger Web, Torsion, Pods, Feet You Wear, or Computer Chip (Take 2)? With each technology comes more knowledge. Sometimes it is a stepping stone to the next thing or what not to do or something helpful in the manufacturing process.

The not so latest thing from Adidas is "Boost". This was introduced a year ago with limited distribution because the new manufacturing process of melting together pea sized thermoplastic polyurethane capsules into a midsole could not be done at the same rate as EVA based midsoles. The price tag of the Boost line shoes was also a little limiting.

So why now? Because the holy grail in running shoe development is a midsole that is lighter, better cushioned with better energy return, and more durable. That is what Boost promises and with my aging legs and the fact that Adidas has opened up distribution and progressing with Boost in more shoes I wanted to give it a try so I went to see my friend Jesse Davis who set me up with a pair.

My wear test of the adistar Boost will focus on their comfort, cushioning, durability, and how my legs feel compared to other shoes. This may take a while because I now run very modest mileage and like to rotate shoes but I will give periodic updates on the Personal Best Running Club Facebook page.

*The shoe was named after the Greater Boston Track Club coach Bill Squires and in 1980 sold for the retail price of $22.95.