Adidas updated its best-selling running shoe, the Ultraboost, with the 19th version, which first launched back in early December. It quickly sold out and then re-released in late February in a handful of new colors. The sneaker has a cult-like following — so much so that the brand brought back the original colorway (from 2015) also in late December, which quickly sold out, too. But how does number 19 compare to its previous iterations? I’ve been running in the Ultraboost 19 since late December. It’s a shoe for neutral runners or people who just want a sneaker they can wear all day long. While I enjoyed running in the original Ultraboost, the 19 earned its spot in my rotation of shoes for my upcoming race season thanks to its ability to work for both long runs and speed runs.
The Good: The Adidas team rebuilt the Ultraboost 19 from the ground up with just 17 individual new parts — typically it takes more than 30 to make one running shoe. There’s the updated Boost foam (which is apparently 20 percent bouncier and more energy-returning than the original), a visible 3D heel frame (the bright red pentagon that’s visible on the heel) that’s flexible yet supportive, and a torsion spring (the connector between your forefoot and heel that lets them each move independently without too much flexing and straining) underfoot to help with snappier turnover. The Primeknit upper gets a stretch upgrade that’s Goldilocks-approved — not too soft and not too firm. You’ll find the same Continental rubber outsole that’s grippy over snow and ice, both on the road and on the track. Despite all the changes, the shoe is the same price as the original. The original Ultraboost didn’t have as much Boost foam, so each footfall wasn’t as soft as it is in the Ultraboost 19. The original also had a more structured upper with not as much stretch and less breathability.
Who It’s For: The Adidas Ultraboost is for committed fans who want the latest upgrade as well as neutral runners who enjoy having enough room for splay their toes. During training, I logged upwards of 30 miles in the shoe, and it felt light and bouncy from the first mile to the last. It’s also great for casual runners and people who want to wear a good-looking sneaker all day long.
Watch Out For: I’m a neutral runner, meaning I don’t need too much support to keep my feet from over or under pronating, but on one of my long runs, my left arch started to nag me while wearing this shoe. I cranked down on the laces, which pulled the mesh-like saddle tighter and got me through the end. However, if you need a lot of arch support, this is not the shoe for you. If you hate the colorway (laser red looks too similar to pink, in my opinion), wait for darker colors this spring.
The shoe is also 10.9 ounces (for a size 9) which is middle of the road for neutral runners but will be too heavy for someone who is used to training in shoes typically built for track days. For reference, in Best New Sneakers in 2018, we picked shoes in these optimal ranges: 6.4 to 7.2 ounces for speed days, 7.5 to 10.8 ounces for easy runs and 8 to 12 ounces for long runs. Also, at $180, these shoes aren’t cheap.
