adidas PureBoost Xpose Running Shoes

Designed specifically for women, the adidas PureBoost Xpose neutral running shoes promises a responsive, smooth, natural and powerful ride.

Key features

The key features of the PureBoost Xpose shoes are a Boost™ midsole to release the energy at foot strike, so that you can propel forward powerfully at push off as well as an adaptive arch to mould to the shape of your foot and support it at each stage of the gait cycle as you are running forwards.

The adaptive arch design, according to adidas, is supposed to cater specifically to a woman’s foot, which is generally narrower in the heel and arch and wider in the ball than a man’s foot.

The PureBoost Xpose shoes are an updated version of the earlier PureBoost X shoes, which had been launched towards the beginning of last year.

Won a pair at the Launch Event of the Great Eastern Women’s Run

I won a pair of the adidas PureBoost Xpose shoes at the recent Launch Event of the Great Eastern Women’s Run and since then I have been going on several runs wearing these. The longest run I had gone on with the adidas PureBoost Xpose shoes had been roughly about 12km and the shortest one was around 5km.

Here are my thoughts and comments about the PureBoost Xpose shoes by adidas.

Three different colours

There are three different colours to choose from for these shoes: black, white and blue. I had opted for the blue one because I had wanted to have something a bit more colourful.

However for women who may prefer neutral colours that are easier to match with their clothing though, then the black or the white ones may be more suitable for them.

Adaptive arch

The first thing that had caught my eye about these shoes had been the adaptive arch, which makes it appear as though there is a small hole in the running shoes. But then again, this interesting feature makes the shoes look rather distinctive in terms of its design.

And when I put the shoes on for the first time, I found the fit to be quite snug and the instep area hugs the feet quite tightly. So if you prefer to have a wider cutting for your running shoes or if you have broad feet, it may be best to choose a slightly bigger size.

Due to the sock-like design of the PureBoost Xpose shoes, I also noticed that the shoes have no tongue. Instead, the shoes slip onto the feet just like socks, moulding itself to the foot.

The adaptive arch design of the shoe also wraps snugly around the feet – this feature makes the PureBoost Xpose shoes great to provide support and protection especially for those who have high arches.

Supportive shoe that hugs the feet tightly

Running with the shoes was quite an interesting experience. The adaptive arch design gives the feet plenty of support and hugs the feet tightly. At the same time the welded overlays at the quarter panel also help to support my mid foot area. Thus there is protection all around.

And due to these features, the foot sits quite snugly inside the shoe and does not move around inside, thus reducing the chances of sustaining blisters, black toenails or other problems when you are running.

The air mesh upper, at the same time, also allows the foot to breathe easily and also remain cool and dry during my run. This is especially important when running in hot and humid Singapore where I tend to perspire quite easily and as a result, my socks often get quite wet after my runs.

Firm yet responsive shoes

Thanks to the adidas boost™ midsole which is supposed to release energy to propel me forward when I run, I can feel that these shoes give me a relatively firm ride, yet they are responsive at the same time, and there is also enough cushioning to protect the legs and feet from feeling the impact from the hard cement pavements or roads, when you are running. This is good in terms of reducing your chances of sustaining injuries from running.

Shoes suited for light runs and gym trainers

As the sole of these shoes are made of foam though, do note that if you are looking for a comfortable and cushioned pair of shoes for short, light runs, probably in the range of around 5km to 10km, then the comfort and responsiveness of the PureBoost Xpose shoes will suit you perfectly.

These shoes may not be built for long distance running such as marathon training and racing, though.

And besides running, these also serve as a good multi-purpose trainer for your gym workouts or aerobics classes. So they are quite versatile.