Ultraboost 21 - First Run (vs UB20 vs UB19) 

Finally the review I was waiting for

Such a classic, good-looking, comfy shoe! -Massive Nike fan

When will they make a boost shoe that doesn't ignore the forefoot cushion? Yeah you have a ton of stack in the back, but what about the forefoot?

Engineer: how much more boost should we add to every Ultraboost model? Adidas: yes

Thank you Kofuzi, that was helpful. Very good review and straight to the point. I don't think this shoe is for me. I prefer to continue training in my Boston 9 shoes for speed workouts. The shoe looks like it's more suitable for heel strikers.

Great review! I just got mine last week in triple black. I had to size up half a size compared to my usual Ultraboost sizing. While just walking around it gives the impression that it's a lighter shoe (even though we know that it's not) than the Ultraboost 20, maybe due to the LEP or the slightly firmer boost. It doesn't have as much "squish" as the 20.

You helped me make up my mind. It'll be a second pair of UB 20s for me 👍🏼. Great video. Thanks.

I love boost but cant afford them because ı live in a 3rd world country so ı watch all the videos about boost lol thanks for this great review ı watched this video like 6 times

It is a beautiful shoe to me, was superb on the 13.1 effort last weekend. It does now look like a grey than the white it was!

Great review, informative and has attention to details. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. I have four pairs of UB 19's i'm considering buying a new UB but haven't decided yet which route to take, the UB 20 or UB 2. Or maybe i just wait for some months and see what UB22 will bring to the table, i'll be here watching the review.

Nothing can beat running down Lake Shore, anyone living in Chicago knows what I’m talking about. Great footwear review as always! Love the high quality content.

Great review thx. I wish shoe companies would put more cushion in the forefoot.

Subscribed for your honesty 🥸😎🥶

Nice Review! Makes me wanna get a pair or two!

Finally! Someone pointing out what I've thought for a long time! Proper running form is generally on the mid foot. How then is the heel portion of a shoe important beyond a certain point? Obviously, comfort is key. But, I've owned a number of top-rated running shoes including the Nike Next % and where I felt the biggest difference was when WALKING not running. Additionally, whatever negligible difference I felt with regards to speed was short-lived given how quickly the shoe lost its "snap."

best sneaker in depth review channel. Subscribed

The foam (which really doesn’t reduce impact anyways) seems to be the sell here but it’s all in the back where they don’t really want you to land, but if you land on the outside of the forefoot (4&5 meta) the toe box is narrow and sloped inward. Back asswards

Just got into running and I liked my first pair so much I bought another. Great shoe for me

Your review is on point. I just tried this out last night and I like the chunkiness but the forefoot is lacking. Primeblue feels meh for sure. Just subbed. Excited to see more of your reviews. Keep it up bro!

Update, I just got the UB 21 today and so excited to take it out on a run. Will see if it compares to the Boston 10 on my run shoe rotation roster. The video above influenced me to get the UB 21s.

Great review! Pure aesthetic ⚡🔥🔥🔥.

I love my UB 20 and purchased another pair just recently. Some really good deals at Adidas lately. Glad I stuck with last years model. Thanks for the video.

The heel is incredible looking. I need to get me a pair and see if it can perform physically for as good as it looks.

Great review!

I am running with the new Solar boost 3 and the main difference with the UB is the propulsion top sole rail technology. Seems like the Solar has the most of all the new technologies from Adidas running shoes.

I'm glad you still occasionally reviewed Adidas Boost shoes, despite the midsole apparently being relegated to the lifestyle sneaker lineup by Adidas. I'm still using my Solar Glides as my recovery shoes, even after 300+ miles. The outsole won't last much longer, but Boost never seems to lose its Boostiness, and the first year upper was very durable, and comfortable in cold weather. Can't say I ever notice the little extra weight over my other shoes, at least for recovery and daily trainer running. And Boost is great for walking when I've strained or bruised my heel, Achilles tendon or metatarsals. Easily the most comfy shoe in my closet for those conditions. There hasn't been an interesting new Adidas *running* shoe with Boost since they stopped using it in the Takumi Sen, Adizero and Boston lineup a couple of years ago. I had hopes for the Supernova, but the pair I tried at a local shop seemed a little off somehow, not quite a lifestyle leisure shoe, but not quite a running shoe either. Unless Adidas introduces something interesting in Boost I'll probably buy a new old stock pair of Solar Boost, or maybe one of the Adizero Boston or Takumi Sen shoes from a few years ago. Those still show up on Amazon occasionally, for a fraction of the original price. Otherwise, maybe I'll switch to something like the Saucony Triumph. The midsoles in my Endorphin Speed and Pro feel like super-Boost, so maybe the Triumph 19 or 20 will do as replacement for my aging Solar Boost.

My first running shoe was adidas duramo (one of their entry level, budget lines), and it had that midfoot cage, looking pretty similar to this. I loved that about the shoe!...they still make those duramo shoes, but it seems like they made it more of a speedy budget line...before, it was more like a budget ultraboost

I'm still getting used to the weight. I'm a mid foot striker and I can somewhat feel the weight of all that boost in the heel, especially after mile 3-4 when I start to get sloppy with my strikes. The design is 🔥 though.

I love my pair of my ultraboost 4.0 even though its not that light i love using it during my long runs, its comfortable, breathable and responsive.

“More boostier” well played 🙌🏾

The heel stack on this UB21 model reminds me of the Apha boost models way back 2018, I just noticed that boost is harder if it were molded that way. I have tried the Supernova 2017 and the Pureboost Go 2018 whilst running. They provide great energy return with the molded responsive boost pattern.

makes me not regret purchasing the sl20's a week ago one bit

I just love my 19's!

I was waiting for it

How does lightstrike pro feel? Any guesses on durability? I feel like saucony with pb is what adidas should have done.

I've been wearing the Ultra 20 and have almost 300 miles on them and the sole shows little wear. I really like this shoe and since it's winter, the weight doesn't make much of a difference because I'm just putting in the steady mileage. After reading this review, I doubt I'll spend the $ 180 for this new version of the UB. Probably go to the Nimbus 23 for a daily/easy run trainer.

I can't unsee the Orville now 😂

@Kofuzi what the brand of the shirt 👕 u have on in this review ? ? .. .

I wish adidas would bring back the supernova boost from back in the day..... best shoe ever for me! You ever wore them?

I only run on UB since I’m a heavy, you say this aren’t Max cushion as 19-20’s will you still recommend them towards heavy runners? Should I get them as a heavy runner used to run on UB DNA, 19, ATR, energy boost, will 21’s have a different effect?

Ultraboost are like the ultimate everyday walking / casual shoes for me? Definitely not the ultimate running shoes out there. Saucony, Brooks, Asics, even Nike puts out better running focused shoes but imo Ultraboosts are some of the most comfortable shoes in the market just not the runners dream

Can you compare solar-boost 3 with ultra-boost 21? Thanks

for you ' what shoe is the best ? nike zoomX invincible run, new balance 1080, asics novablast or adidas ultraboost 21?

Reminds me a bit of the novablast when seen from the outsole 🤔

Nice comparison between the two. I have the UB19 which I don't use too much as I find it abit heavy. I did have a pair of UB20 but sold them as just didn't use them after I got my Triumph 18's. I'm a big fan of Adidas so really wanted the UB21 to be good.

Great job!

I absolutely loved the Ultraboost 19 but due to injury I was forced to stop running last year so I missed out on the Ultraboost 20. Glad to know that if you liked the 19 you will enjoy the 21.

Thanks! Excellent review. I am glad that you addressed the issue of whether to get the 21 if you have the 20's and waiting for a price drop. I have the 20's and have been trying to figure out if I should get the 21's. I use these shoes for working out and I do a lot of walking exercises videos so I am looking for shoes that allow for daily comfort and side to side movement etc. Do yo think this shoe fits that bill? It seems like the lateral movement may have diminished based on the shape of the shoes. Your thoughts? And also have you done a review on the Solarboost 3 because I am thinking about that rather than the 21's. Thanks and I hope I see a response.

if you're using it for running and not a heel striker, it's not a great option. running heel striker or using it for fast pace walking it is great 👍

Hi, what about the size, you choose the same as the 19 and 20? Whats your size and whats the length of your foot in cm?

I feel like the drop should be more 6-8 mm instead of 10 just because of the types of runs you would most likely do in them

They made the UB21 boost more firmer compared to the previous iterations.

How is the fit compared to the 20s go with same size or half bigger or smaller

I just got those after wearing my ultraboost 19 for over 2 years and the Ultraboost 21 feels stiffer when walking but more springy while running and the ultraboost 21 feels like it wraps around your feet more and I feel like it’s definitely going for more performance. Still love my ultraboost 19 as it stills looks as good as new after a clean expect for the yellowing on the stripes as I got the og color when it just came out

Does it good arch support for people with arch feet that need it ?

I love the Ultraboost from last year, just not as a running shoe. Too heavy for my taste.

Nice 1 bro

Great review. I'm an ultraboost fan so I don't need a lot of convincing but hearing you about the grip is a good thing. Lep sounds like another marketing spin for me but, okay lol. Thank you.

I like the shoes but there's a piece of material right under my ankle bone that hits it and is kinda painful. Anybody else experiencing this?

Not sure if it is the weight, but every time I tried to run on my UB19, it felt sluggish and firm. Not sure where is the energy return everybody is talking about. So far I only ran less than 30 miles on my UB19 compares to 350 miles on my Skechers hyper Max Road.

This shoe I had to get because it’s so beautiful and wanted to use it for easy days but I find it perform better at tempo pace as it’s not squishy enough for my easy days so I use it for tempo runs on TM

Are these shoes comfortable to be on your feet for 8-10 hours straight?

I am considering ascis nimbus 23 or this one from adidas.I want something that is durable and can be used on road or trail running.any idea which would be good and durable?

With the UB20's I could feel the pavement and the outsole in the forefoot and not in a good way. Weight is mostly centered in the heel area, gets really noticeable after a long run. Finally saw the UB21 in person, after my experience with the 20's I'll pass after seeing that big chunk of boost were it doesn't really belong. Also think the shoe is colour sensitive, looks best when when the boost midsole is painted in dark colours to hide the imbalance.

Ended up with injuries running in prior boost, between the weight and the design these didn’t work for my running. I love them for daily wear tho.

I like the Primeknit of the 19 more than the 20's and the 21's I like the most. As for the boost, the majority of the people will run the way you're running, landing on the front and basically not using most of the boost and the heel which means that all that additional boost is pretty much useless or simply not required. My pair doesn't even look like I've been running in them, and I've been using them for runs for almost 2 months. They look the best, though, but that's a matter of personal taste. As for my favourite pair for running, and this is strictly my pov, I love my ZX 2K. I like them for everyday use also. They're really comfortable and definitely more so than the Ultraboost lineup, but again, strictly from my perspective.

From reviews, they seem to be a bit heavy, so they haven't learnt lessons from the 20. I'll be sticking to the 19, the best in the range still IMO and the best running shoes I've ever had. When the 21 come down from £160 I'll probably buy them tho. I've had every other version lol.

What’s the fit on this shoe for you, does it fit true to size

Thanks for the video. One question, How do you compare cushioning between ultraboost 21 and clifton 7-8? And with carbon x2? Thanks!

Although it certainly is impressive looking for me as a mid/forefoot striker all that boost in the heel is pretty much just dead weight. That coupled with the price will have me sticking with my Solar boosts for my easy/long runs.

how is this compared to the Endorphin Speed?

SOLD!

I hate that they don't put more cushion in the forefoot....they really just need to put a rocker like skechers does in the max road 4....

adidas has some strange math when it comes to measuring stack heights. The SL20.2 very clearly has more foam all around than the original, but they claim otherwise. It's similar here: the numbers put the 21 at almost double the stack of the 20. Side-by-side, judging by the front stack, they are clearly within 3 mm or less. Also, the 6% more Boost seems to be mostly in heel sculpting.

whats the intro song?

great review, I just wore off the sole of one of my 19s which I really liked. So I just ordered a pair of 21s based on your conclusion. 99€ on amazon so no risk. Oh and I work in plastic. Besides PET bottles hich have a dedicated collection and recycling stream, the rest of chemically recycled, bio based, bio circular, ocean waste plastics are just based on certificates traded by the petro chemical companies. There might be no actual atoms coming from ocean plastic in the shoe but a bit of oil getting into the steam cracker of the refinery have come from recycled source.

revisiting again this video.. I think I'm getting this (the GTX version) just as a walking shoe.

Generally I do not concern myself with the weight of a shoe but really, at some point, you have crossed over from a daily trainer to a daily walker.

Saucony triumph and ultra boost have same foam technically. But saucony feels bouncy. Ultra boost feels heavier than it is and not bouncy enough. May be it is torsion plate or may be the continental rubber, is absorbing the bounce. Not really sure. It has been consistent in 20 and 21. Not sure why adidas haven’t improved it.

I think they way it feels to me is the amount of boost on heel helps with stability and I did find it more bouncy the 20 it’s pretty responsive to me but heavy shoe 👍😬 I also love their upper better then other ultra boost making it better fit and comfy

What's the beat at the beginning i love it

To the guys who bought it . In which country was it made ?? I'm talking about the ultra boost 21 ...

Yes!

The yarn in the ub 21 is more fine and less pronounce than the ub 20,19, especially the og. But actually its most comfortable among them, it feels thin, minimal, less bulky and ventilate better.

Is it more stable then the other Ultraboost shoes ? I guess it is a lot more stable then an Asics Nova Blast ? I'm looking for a similar high stack shoe like the Nova but with good stability, for God's sake.

Taking “train heavy, race light” very far. I hope they use the LEP for some lighter, SL20-esque speed shoes

I’m a heel striker what shoe should I get ?

I’ve had a pretty good time running in my UB19 shoes, but these don’t look worth the money. When I need a new daily trainer I’m going to look for something less bulky.

👍🏻 solado com geometria do Hoka TenNine! 🤷‍♂️ UB de peso Adidas! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🇧🇷

be aware. The Ultraboost 20 was the same in terms of the forced arch landing and it caused me an injury.

tijuana mexico.. ya las comprastes increible

Cool!

I've always liked the UB, just wish they would make them more for people that run with good form. That chunk of boost in the heel is huuuuuge. And they should be removing weight with each version, not adding it. The '20 was/is a better shoe I think.

I can buy ultra boost 50% off price ?

Any one please help me, what is the weight of ULTRABOOST 21, size 11.5 US (11 UK).... Thanks in advance ☺

How does the boost feel versus the adidas boost hd version?

This shoe looks great! I actually don't mind a heavier shoe for training. But Adidas practically gives away the SL20 and then charges a fortune for the Ultraboost!🤪

baleaf.., give this man the endorsement deal

the back is like so cushioned, but when we run is like hardly hit that spot lol

Ever since the UB19 and later iterations, Adidas has been just putting as much Boost as possible in the back, thus increasing the quantity of it but it really doesn't matter how much they put couse if it ain't functional it ain't good. Just make a less of a drop and out some of it to the front. Also..dont put a lot of foam left/right of the shoe it probably doesn't help the runner accept for saying more boost (and upping the weight)