REASONS TO BUY
Responsive
Strong underfoot comfort
True neutral stability
Fun and useful heel tab
Great traction for a road shoe
REASONS TO AVOID
Upper lacks comfort
Strange lacing system
Runs large
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
Though it has a few unique features, the Adizero Boston is an all-around solid shoe.
Credit: Ally Arcuri
RELATED: Best Running Shoes for Women of 2024
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 reasonably responsive daily runner. With its 33 mm total stack and 6 mm 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 toe box space in a traditional-fitting shoe.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Adidas Adizero Boston 12 - Women's | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Overall Running Shoe for Women |  Best Value for a Women's Road Running Shoe |  Most Versatile Road Running Shoe | Best Stability-Focused Road Running Shoe | |
| Price | $116.98 at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers | $120.93 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $89.95 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $140.00 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $99.98 at Dick's Sporting Goods Compare at 4 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | While not an outright winner, the combination of comfort and responsiveness is pretty spot-on | This running shoe offers the performance technology and comfort needed to be your go-to shoe, no matter your running goals | Affordable and minimally-minded, the updated Kinvara is a great everyday shoe that is suitable for a myriad of running situations | For epic versatility in a single shoe, we recommend this lightweight superstar | The structure and comfort of this shoe make it a highly recommended option for long distance runners who want a reliable road running steed |
| Rating Categories | Adidas Adizero Bost... | Asics Novablast 4 -... | Saucony Kinvara 15... | Hoka Mach 6 - Women's | Brooks Adrenaline G... |
| Landing Comfort (30%) | |||||
| Responsiveness (20%) | |||||
| Stability (15%) | |||||
| Upper Comfort (15%) | |||||
| Weight (15%) | |||||
| Traction (5%) | |||||
| Specs | Adidas Adizero Bost... | Asics Novablast 4 -... | Saucony Kinvara 15... | Hoka Mach 6 - Women's | Brooks Adrenaline G... |
| Measured Weight | 7.45 oz | 7.36 oz | 5.44 oz | 6.27 oz | 8.21 oz |
| Measured Heel Stack Height | 33 mm | 38 mm | 27 mm | 33 mm | 33 mm |
| Measured Heel-to-Toe Drop | 6 mm | 8 mm | 3 mm | 7 mm | 10 mm |
| Plate Type | Energy rods 2.0 | None | None | None | None |
| Rocker Angle | 22.5 deg | 22.0 deg | 25.0 deg | 24.5 deg | 26.5 deg |
| Rocker Apex Location | 67.9% | 69.5% | 64.7% | 65.4% | 71.4% |
| Style | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer | Daily Trainer |
| Upper | Engineered mesh | Engineered knit mesh | Mesh | Creel jaqquard | Engineered air mesh |
| Midsole | Lightstrike 2.0 / Lightstrike Pro | FF Blast Plus Eco | PWRRUN | Supercritical EVA | DNA Loft v2 |
| Outsole | Continental rubber | AHAR outsole | Rubber | Rubber | Rubber |
| Heel Tab Type | Flap | Finger loop | None | Extended heel pull | None |
| Sizes Available | 5 - 12 US, regular | 5 - 12 US, regular | 5 - 12 US, regular |
5 - 11 US, regular & wide | 5 - 13 US, narrow, medium, wide & extra wide |
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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 shoe weighs 7.45 ounces.
Performance Comparision
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
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.
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.
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 toe box 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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Traction
The Continental rubber outsole of the Adidas Adizero Boston 12 rocks. Wet roads, dewy grass, and fall weather are on their way and this shoe is ready to tackle it all. Its neutral stability and grippy outsole combine for serious traction and control in variable road conditions.
While nothing impressive to behold, the grip of the Continental rubber outsole is serious.
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.
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 Brooks Hyperion Max 2 offers a strong balance of comfort and responsiveness. The Hyperion has a strong underfoot feel but is comfortable enough for extended efforts, offering just enough propulsion to keep your runs interesting. 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
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