adidas Ultraboost Light

Review Score
80%
🏅 Highly Rated
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adidas Ultraboost Light: Review

“A lighter, more reactive running shoe for daily training.”

Overview


The Adidas Ultraboost Light is a running shoe designed to revolutionize the famous Ultraboost series, with a focus on reducing weight and enhancing running performance. This new generation of Ultraboost is known for its unique Light BOOST midsole, making it the lightest BOOST foam to date.

Key Features:

  • Light BOOST Midsole: The Adidas Ultraboost Light introduces the innovative Light BOOST midsole, which incorporates a unique molecule design to achieve remarkable lightweight properties, ensuring a more agile and responsive running experience.
  • Enhanced Comfort: Hundreds of BOOST capsules within the midsole provide exceptional cushioning, offering a balance of comfort and energy return, allowing for longer and more enjoyable runs.
  • Improved Heel Lockdown: The Ultraboost Light features a modified heel counter that enhances heel lockdown, resulting in better stability and support during runs.
  • 30% Lighter: Thanks to the 'new generation' of Boost foam, the Ultraboost Light is approximately 30% lighter than previous iterations, making it ideal for runners who prioritize a lightweight shoe.

The Adidas Ultraboost Light is an ideal choice for runners looking to reduce weight without compromising performance. Its Light BOOST midsole and enhanced heel lockdown offer a more responsive and stable running experience, making it suitable for those who seek a lightweight and efficient running shoe for various distances and training needs.

With an average review score of 80%, it's rated just below the median rating of similar running shoes. Based on our monitoring of prices across the internet, it's currently in the most expensive 10% of running shoes today.

Verdict

The consensus on the adidas Ultraboost Light


The adidas Ultraboost Light is a firm-riding, cushioned trainer which has smooth transitions and very good stability. It’s better suited to moderately-paced runs rather than easy runs due to its firm ride but its weight and upper prevent it from being a proper performance daily trainer. This version of the Ultraboost has a new Light Boost midsole foam which makes it lighter than its predecessor but gives it a firmer ride. It also has improved heel lockdown due to the modified heel counter. Overall, the Ultraboost Light is a durable and comfortable shoe for daily running, but may not be the best choice for those seeking a soft, flexible ride.

adidas Ultraboost Light: Base model


The adidas Ultraboost Light is a special version of the adidas Ultraboost. The main difference between the two is that the Ultraboost Light features a new LightBoost midsole, which combines Boost and Lightstrike materials for greater cushioning capacity and reactivity. This makes the shoe lighter than its predecessor but gives it a firmer ride.

Comparable Shoes


The adidas Ultraboost Light and the ASICS Gel Nimbus 25 are both running shoes designed for maximum cushioning. However, while the Ultraboost Light is lighter and more reactive, the Gel Nimbus 25 is well cushioned throughout, making it a better choice for mid/forefoot striking runners.

7 adidas Ultraboost Light Pros & Cons


4 Pros

Lighter than the Ultraboost 22
Improved heel lockdown
Smooth ride transitions
Better stability

3 Cons

More expensive than competitors
Firmer ride
Boring ride

In Depth


Upper

The upper of the adidas Ultraboost Light is made of a thick Primeknit+ material, similar to last year’s version. This provides a relaxed fit that focuses more on comfort than performance. The upper construction has also changed, with more pronounced toe lines and a reduced heel size, offering improved comfort and increased stability during running. The design of the trainer's upper adapts to the contours of your foot, improving comfort and increasing stability during running.

Midsole

The midsole of the adidas Ultraboost Light features a new compound called LightBoost, which combines Boost and Lightstrike materials for greater cushioning capacity and reactivity. This makes the shoe lighter than its predecessor but gives it a firmer ride. The midsole provides much less cushioning at the forefoot, so mid/forefoot striking runners will find the shoe to feel much more firm underfoot.

Outsole

The outsole of the adidas Ultraboost Light offers good grip on a variety of surfaces. However, the running feel tends to be quite firm, which could be improved. The Ultraboost Light's outsole offers good grip on a variety of surfaces.

Size/fit

The adidas Ultraboost Light offers a relaxed fit that focuses more on comfort than performance. The upper construction has also changed, with more pronounced toe lines and a reduced heel size, offering improved comfort and increased stability during running. The design of the trainer's upper adapts to the contours of your foot, improving comfort and increasing stability during running.

Comfort

The adidas Ultraboost Light is known for its comfort, with a relaxed fit that focuses more on comfort than performance. The upper construction has also changed, with more pronounced toe lines and a reduced heel size, offering improved comfort and increased stability during running. The design of the trainer's upper adapts to the contours of your foot, improving comfort and increasing stability during running.

Who should buy the adidas Ultraboost Light?


The adidas Ultraboost Light is a good option for runners looking for a casual or modern-looking gym shoe that they can use for occasional runs. It’s also a very durable trainer and it has excellent build quality. This shoe is ideal for runners who prioritize comfort and stability for daily running. Its LightBoost midsole offers responsive cushioning, making it suitable for medium to long-distance training.

Who should not buy the adidas Ultraboost Light?


The adidas Ultraboost Light may not be the best choice for runners seeking a super soft, flexible ride. It’s also not a very versatile shoe so it can’t be used for a variety of runs. While heel-strikers have plenty of plush foam to land on, the midsole provides much less cushioning at the forefoot, so mid/forefoot striking runners will find the shoe to feel much more firm underfoot.

adidas Ultraboost Light: What's it good for?


The adidas Ultraboost Light is good for daily running and long distance efforts. It's also suitable for runners with mildly pronating strides.

3 adidas Ultraboost Light FAQs


What is the main difference between the adidas Ultraboost and the Ultraboost Light?

The main difference between the adidas Ultraboost and the Ultraboost Light is the midsole. The Ultraboost Light features a new LightBoost midsole, which combines Boost and Lightstrike materials for greater cushioning capacity and reactivity. This makes the shoe lighter than its predecessor but gives it a firmer ride.

Is the adidas Ultraboost Light good for daily running?

Yes, the adidas Ultraboost Light is a good option for daily running. It’s also a very durable trainer and it has excellent build quality. Its LightBoost midsole offers responsive cushioning, making it suitable for medium to long-distance training.

Is the adidas Ultraboost Light suitable for mid/forefoot striking runners?

While heel-strikers have plenty of plush foam to land on, the midsole of the adidas Ultraboost Light provides much less cushioning at the forefoot, so mid/forefoot striking runners will find the shoe to feel much more firm underfoot.

adidas Ultraboost Light alternatives



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Weight
Weight
298 g
M: 309 g
W: 252 g
283 g
315 g
Forefoot
Forefoot
20 mm
29 mm
30 mm
Heel to toe drop
Heel to toe drop
10 mm
8 mm
10 mm
9 mm
Heel
Heel
30 mm
39 mm
39 mm
Brand
Brand
adidas
New BalanceOnSauconyNikeadidas
Strike Type
Strike Type
Heel strike
Fore/Midfoot strikeHeel strikeFore/Midfoot strikeHeel strikeHeel strikeFore/Midfoot strikeHeel strikeFore/Midfoot strikeHeel strike
Shoe Type
Shoe Type
Comfortable
ComfortableMaximalist
ComfortableMaximalistComfortable
Breathable
Breathable
Rocker
Rocker
Techs
Techs
adidas Boost Lightadidas Continentaladidas Ultraboost
New Balance Fresh FoamNew Balance Fresh FoamXNew Balance FuelCellOn CloudTecOn HelionSaucony PWRRUNNike React
Environmental Characteristics
Environmental Characteristics
Sustainable
SustainableSustainable
SustainableSustainable
0

adidas Ultraboost Light: what the experts say (3 reviews)

adidas Ultraboost Light: 7 Expert video reviews

adidas Ultraboost Light characteristics and specifications

Characteristics
SportsRunning (+2049)
TerrainRoad (+1362)
UsagesDaily running (+1132)
Brandadidas (+292)
Support TypeNeutral (+1603)
Strike TypeHeel strike (+1097)
Shoe TypeComfortable (+239)
FitWide toe box (+273)
FeaturesOrthotic friendly (+456)Removable insole (+439)
MaterialsKnit (+212)
Techsadidas Boost Lightadidas Continental (+5)adidas Ultraboost (+42)
Environmental CharacteristicsSustainable (+175)
ColorwaysBeige, Better Scarlet Better Scarlet / Cloud White, Better Scarlet Better Scarlet / Solar Red, Black, Black / Black / Crystal White, Black / Bright Yellow / White, Black / Lucid Pink / Blue Dawn, Black / White / Bright Royal, Black Black / Off White, Blue Dawn / Coral Fusion / Blue Fusion
Specificationsvs Average
Model
Light
Released
Mar 2023
Measurements
Weight
298 g
Heel to toe drop
10 mm
Heel
30 mm
Forefoot
20 mm

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AuthorTom Green
Tom is the founder of geerly. Based in West London, he found his passion for running in his mid-30s. He’s best at longer distances, and is a regular at the London Marathon, where he's edging closer to sub-2.40. He started geerly because he found it frustrating when shopping for running shoes spending ages trying to find the best deal in his size, and wading through verbose, waffling reviews clearly designed to appeal to search engines rather than be helpful to users. For geerly he's passionate about writing reviews that get straight to the point, and helping runners find the right gear at the best price.
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