adidas adizero Boston 13 Review
Specifications & Fit
Shoe Specs
| Weight | Men's: 9.0 oz (size 9) | Women's: 8.0 oz (size 8) |
| Stack Height | 37 mm (Heel), 30 mm (Forefoot) | 7 mm Heel-Toe Offset |
| Terrain | Road |
| Stability | Neutral |
| Sizing | True to Size |
Our In-Depth Look
The adidas adizero Boston 13 is for you if...
You want a fun shoe for faster-paced running—it's well-suited for 10k to marathon pace training
You're seeking versatility with a focus on speed and underfoot protection
You need a shoe for long runs and tempo runs
What is the adidas adizero Boston 13 made for?
The adidas Boston has been around for a while, and it’s only gotten better with age. Originally built as a cushioned road shoe, it took on a new life when it joined the Adizero lineup. At first, it was intended to be the shoe to race the Boston Marathon. A little over a decade later, it has shifted to be training-focused and known to be light, responsive, and versatile, making it a great shoe to reach to for tempo runs.
Overall, we found the Boston 13 to be an improvement over version 12. The top layer features more Lightstrike Pro foam, which has been updated to be lighter and softer, resulting in greater comfort over longer distances compared to the previous version. The upper has also been updated to be less rigid, making the midfoot area more adaptable; however, those with wider feet may still find it a bit snug.
All in all, version 13 has some solid updates that make it a great shoe for your tempo or long run days. While this shoe may be slightly heavier and have less cushioning than some competitors in the same category, it is a fun shoe to grab when you want to pick up the pace, especially if you’re training for a Boston Qualifier.
Comfort
For a performance-focused shoe, the Boston 13 is very comfortable, especially compared to the previous version. This version feels great at a wide variety of paces—it has enough compression to feel good at slower paces, but feels light and quick on foot at faster ones. The ride feels smooth, and the net bases are fairly wide, which helps it feel inherently stable, even with a medial midfoot cutout.
The comfort of the upper is a mixed bag. While it’s more accommodating than the previous version, it feels stuck in the middle of trying to be too versatile. For the weight, we would expect a plusher upper, or would prefer it to be more stripped back to save on weight.
Performance
The best word to describe the Boston 13 is efficient. It’s one of those shoes that can do it all and makes running feel easier and fun. With more Lightstrike Pro foam, version 13 feels bouncier, making it well-tuned for 10k to marathon pace efforts. It’s a shoe that once you get going, it’s going to feel difficult to slow down.
Fit
Adizero shoes have historically been quite narrow and limiting in the fit. Over the last couple of years, this began to shift, and this is noticeable in this version of Boston. The upper material is more forgiving, and the forefoot now fits like a true medium. It’s secure, but not quite like a race day fit. Both of our testers have medium-width feet and did not experience any hotspots. With that said, this shoe is not wide, and those with wider feet might run into some fit issues.
Individual Thoughts
The adidas adizero Boston 13 is a better shoe than the 12, and I really liked the 12. It has a softer feel underfoot, and the fit is improved. There is more Lightstrike Pro, and it has been reformulated for a softer feel while retaining high rebound. The improved foam provides a more compliant ride but is still quick. Greater stiffness in the forefoot would enhance performance at a 5k pace and faster. The shoe is best suited for progression runs, tempo runs, and long intervals. Lighter, faster runs could expand the use of the shoe to include some steady training pace miles.
The adidas Boston is a shoe I always look forward to testing due to its fun ride that can perform well on nearly any day. Year after year, it has maintained its highly cushioned design, and it has continued to make small tweaks with each version, and now with v13, I think we have the best feeling Boston has to date. The shoe just wants to pick up the pace during faster runs while the design feels even more comfortable when you choose to cruise. It’s just a fun shoe and something I feel runners of all levels can enjoy. The shoe has the bounce and aggressive design needed for faster sessions but also offers plenty of underfoot protection to go long. Past versions of the Boston have been solid training options, but I found certain years (especially Boston 10 and 11) took a little time to break in. You no longer need to log 80 kilometres in your pair for optimal comfort since the Boston 13 runs great right out of the box. It continues to deliver even more bouncy superfoam, and I feel the blend of Lightstrike 3.0 and the rod setup helps provide a little bit more inherent stability. The shoe is a performance workhorse, and if you are a fan of shoes that can do many things well, a jack of all trades, the Boston 13 is definitely worth trying!
