There are sneakers for every type of session: easy runs, long jogs, brisk walks, full-body circuits, and heavy strength days. If you wear one meant for each of them, well, that could mean an entire collection of sneakers. So a husband who can do it all can definitely be worth the investment.
Enter: the Adidas Ultraboost Light, the cooler version of Adidas’ classic Ultraboost line. Made for everyday running, the shoe offers an added benefit: It’s just as good for all the other times you’re on your feet, too. Read on to find out which workouts worked best with these cool and comfortable everyday sneakers.
How did you test
I wore the Adidas Ultraboost Light on and off for about a month during a range of activities, including 20- to 60-minute runs, hour-long interval sessions on the elliptical, upper-body strength training, and hours of walking. The majority of my runs have been on the road, though I did take the Ultraboosts on a few miles of heavily packed, non-technical trails to check them out on a slightly different type of terrain.
Then I evaluated the Adidas Ultraboost Light based on the criteria our experts set for looking at running shoes, stressing things like fit, feel, look, and physical feel during and after each activity.
suitable
One of the great things about the Ultraboost Light is that it’s specifically designed for a woman’s foot: It has a narrower heel counter, which Adidas says helps prevent slipping. The specialized fit might explain why the Ultraboosts fit me better than other running shoes. I’m no 6 into street shoes, but I always do a half size in sneakers. I took the Ultraboosts for a few rounds in the 6.5s, but they felt a bit too big. I ended up going back to my usual street shoe size, which ended up being a much better fit.
The Primeknit material in the upper is stretchy, so there’s quite a bit of give as well. I’m a huge fan of this sock-like design because I really feel like it keeps you secure without feeling too tight. It actually reminded me of the original Nike Infinity Reacts, the shoe I wore to train for my first marathon.
Another great thing about the fit? The Ultraboost Light is a neutral running shoe—meaning it’s not specifically designed for people who overpronate (meaning your foot rolls inward with each stride) or overpronate (your foot rolls outward)—but I felt it provided a solid hold. This may be caused by the thick foam pods on either side of the heel, which can prevent side-to-side movement of the ankle. In fact, my sports medicine doctor mentioned that the shoes kept me stable during tests like single-leg jumps and squats, despite my natural tendency to wiggle the ankle.
Christa Sjoba
appearance
Running shoes have been looking a little small lately, and the Ultraboost are no exception: They have a whole lot of foam under the foot (more on what’s going on in a moment), and even more of them extend around the heel, giving it that nice little point at the back.
