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adidas

adizero Boston 12

adizero Boston 12
Daily trainer · Neutral · Road
Excellent (95/100)

Shoe details

Weight
9.4 oz
Release
2023 Q2
MSRP
$160
Stack Height
37mm heel - 31mm toe
Drop Height
6mm

Ratings & Reviews

Excellent (95/100)

Based on product-line history, external ratings, and runner reviews.
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Scores better than 94% of all shoes.

Our ratings use detailed reviews from knowledgeable runners, ratings for shoes in the same product line, and reliable product information from trusted retailers.

Rating breakdown

Better Shoes Rating. Shading shows the expected rating range.
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Rankings combine runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, direct comparisons to other shoes, related product-line performance, and trusted external ratings.

The darker band shows the central rating range. The lighter band shows a wider range of reasonable outcomes. More reviews for this shoe usually narrow both bands.

Overall

Excellent (95/100)

Overall rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Excellent (95/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 94% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Appearance

Exceptional (99/100)

Appearance rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Exceptional (99/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 99% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Durability

Exceptional (98/100)

Durability rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Exceptional (98/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 97% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Value

Very good (88/100)

Value rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Very good (88/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 86% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Cushioning

Good (78/100)

Cushioning rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Good (78/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 67% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

Comfort

Below average (58/100)

Comfort rating

We estimate how this shoe ranks by combining runner ratings, whether reviewers say they'd buy a shoe again, and direct comparisons to other shoes they've run in. We also consider related product-line performance and trusted external ratings. More review data helps narrow the likely rating range.

Better Shoes Rating

Below average (58/100)

Compared To Other Shoes

Scores better than 12% of shoes

Compared with all shoes

The shaded band shows the rating range we think is most likely.

60%

18/30

Prefer this shoe over another.

Reviewers said this shoe was better than another shoe they ran in.

All Running Shoes

Scores better than 94% of 2,617 running shoes.

Excellent

Supershoes

Scores better than 75% of 88 supershoes.

75%

adidas

Scores better than 94% of 202 adidas shoes.

94%

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Most reviewers like this shoe more than their last shoe.
  • Reviewers rate this shoe better than the adizero Boston 11.
  • One of the most popular shoes among LetsRun.com readers.
  • Rated among the top 10% of shoes on durability.

Cons

  • Rated below average overall.
  • Rated among the bottom 10% of shoes on comfort.
  • Rated below average on cushioning.

Compared to other shoes

See how this shoe compares to others like it.

adidas adizero Boston 12
adidas adizero Boston 13
Saucony Endorphin Speed 5
adizero Boston 12
adizero Boston 13
Endorphin Speed 5
Current shoe
Best durability / Best appearance
Lowest price
Lightest / Best overall / Best comfort
Shoe properties
Type
Supershoe
Daily trainer
Supershoe
Pronation
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Weight
9.4 oz M
8 oz M
7.3 oz M Lightest
Stack
37/31mm
37/30mm
37/29mm
Drop
6mm
7mm
7mm
Release
2023 Q2
2025 Q2
2025 Q2
MSRP
$160
$160
$175
Best price
—
$94.97 Lowest price
$129.96
Ratings
Overall
Excellent (94%)
Above average (63%)
Exceptional (98%) Best overall
Comfort
Bottom tier (12%)
Bottom tier (11%)
Excellent (95%) Best comfort
Cushioning
Above average (67%)
Bottom tier (7%)
Excellent (92%) Best cushioning
Durability
Exceptional (97%) Best durability
Excellent (94%)
Very good (84%)
Appearance
Exceptional (99%) Best appearance
Good (80%)
Excellent (94%)
Value
Very good (86%)
Very good (82%)
Excellent (91%) Best value
Specific shoe

Search for the exact model to add to this comparison.

Where to buy

No offers available

Better alternatives

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Reader Ratings

58 reader ratings

Review a shoe

Showing 1–5 of 31 written reviews

Great all-around shoe. Looks sharp too.

Anonymous runner · Aug 15, 2025

5/5

Overall

FWIW, I'm a 5'10'', 170 lb, 50 yo man. I found these a bit stiff at first, but after 20-30 miles they really start to shine. I think they look great too. They're very light for non-carbon plated super shoes.  I'll wear these for any run other than race day or track intervals. Some have complained about the uppers being too uncomfortable for longer runs, but that isn't the experience I have. 
No problem going 20 miles in these. Some have also stated these run large, but again I'm an 11 and they feel spot on for my foot.

Comfort
4/5
Cushioning
5/5
Durability
5/5
Appearance
5/5
Value
5/5

Boston 12

Anonymous runner · Nov 15, 2024

5/5

Overall

Great show bit toe box is large and has a break in period of 50-100 miles. Otherwise, great shoe. 

Comfort
5/5
Cushioning
5/5
Durability
5/5
Appearance
5/5
Value
5/5

Reasonably priced for a solid supershoe

Anonymous runner · Nov 9, 2024

5/5

Overall

Great for long runs and speed workouts. Bought them for road races and paved tempo workouts, but they preformed surprisingly well for grass speedwork and other XC training although that isn't their biggest strength. Most of the miles on these are from Long Runs, typically 17 miles around 6:00. Some of my teammates use them as a daily trainer and that works for them but I prefer to keep them for long runs and speedwork.

Comfort
4/5
Cushioning
5/5
Durability
4/5
Appearance
5/5
Value
5/5

Great every day trainer

Anonymous runner · Nov 7, 2024

5/5

Overall

I've been in Adidas shoes for decades. With the advent of higher stack height trainers, I just couldn't find something that didn't look chunky and didn't feel clunky on easy runs. As I've aged and gotten heavier, I need something with room for my forefoot to move and some decent cushioning. I was pining for the Response model from the 90s. Along came the Adios Boston. Great shoe. Great cushioning. Excellent comfort. And not too "chunky/clunky".

Comfort
5/5
Cushioning
5/5
Durability
4/5
Appearance
5/5
Value
5/5

Great for faster paces, but only in straight lines

Anonymous runner · Nov 7, 2024

5/5

Overall

I have approximately 200 miles in the Bostons, doing everything from short recovery runs to longer, faster runs (10 at half marathon pace), to track work (300s @ ~42). Out of these types of runs, they felt best for the longer and faster runs as they were too aggressive for easier runs. On the track stuff, they felt too unstable for going around the corners on the track and slightly too soft for sprinting. However, they really forced me up onto my toes which helped me to increase my cadence and decrease over striding. I would recommend these shoes for someone working to get their foot strike underneath them as it heavily rewards forefoot striking. This feeling does not properly kick in for about 30 miles, before which point they feel overly firm. I would recommend getting these shoes half a size down because they fit quite long and wide, so it is difficult to get a good lockdown.

Overall, these are an incredibly good long distance uptempo trainer that feels good even if you do end up doing reps closer to mile pace.

Comfort
3/5
Cushioning
4/5
Durability
5/5
Appearance
4/5
Value
4/5