ADIDAS ULTRABOOST 19

£159.95 Boost by name, but can they boost you to a race PB?

There are no two ways about it, run shoes are getting increasingly pricey. But when you consider the amount we spend on marginal gains in the swim (wetsuit) and bike (erm, everything carbon) the near £160 for these runners – given they claim to be able to springboard you to your best race ever – looks a little less hard on the wallet.

So do they deliver? Well, Adidas’ Boost technology has long been a favourite of triathletes and in this version it’s optimised with an extra 20% more in the midsole to give you extra bounce, plus a new torsion spring in the sole to boing you forward. That it works is evidenced by the fact that from our first run we felt like Tigger after a double espresso and knocked a good 15secs per km off our regular 5km kit test loop. Over longer runs these shoes are ridiculously comfortable too, with the Primeknit 360 upper feeling like a comfy pair of socks with no chafing even when worn barefoot (even if it was slow to dry out after rainy runs), while the lace closure hugs the foot and joins the 3D heel frame in keeping your foot secure. Continental rubber ensured we didn’t slip, even during rainy runs across a mix of surfaces.

These shoes are plush and with a 10mm drop won’t suit those who like to feel the ground, but for comfort and bounce they’re the best we’ve tried. One note: the colourway shown here is the limited edition Bat Orchid, a red/cream colourway will be the one on general sale. HW adidas.co.uk