Review: Adidas Solar Boost 3 – a comfortable and responsive allround shoe

If you are looking for a max. padded and responsive allround shoe for daily training, Adidas Solar Boost 3 could be a really good choice! Learn more about this shoe and its qualities in my complete review below.

A topmodel for the neutral runner

Solar Boost is Adidas’ topmodel for the neutral runner and may be compared to shoes like Nike Air Zoom Vomero, ASICS Nimbus and New Balance 1080. Solar Boost 3 is engineered with a resilient Boost-midsole, a 10 mm heeldrop, a recycled mesh upper, a durable Continental-rubber compound outsole and a weight of 290 g in my size 40. A super versatile running shoe providing the right amoung of stability, support and comfort on your runs.

Buy Solar Boost 3 here

Functional upper with lots of comfort

One of my favorite features in Solar Boost 3 is the specially engineered upper in recycled mesh with strategically placed reinforcements. These reinforcements are made to support the foot and make the shoe wrap itself firmly around your foot. At the same time the heel cap is extra high to provide great support for your Achilles tendon, while the instep is designed in a soft and padded material to provide max. comfort for your foot. A new addition to the shoe which makes Solar Boost incredibly comfortable. In addition it is designed with a HUGE attached tongue in a neoprene-like material which at first glance seemed very big. But its purpose is to close in around your foot to provide an even tighter fit which really succeeds when you tie the shoe.

The elastic laces also make a positive contribution as the elasticity tightens comfortably around your foot - without creating any discomfort or being too tight if your feet, like mine, have a tendency to swell up when they heat up during longer runs. As far as the laces are concerned, I would recommend using the top hole as it increases the support from the heel and provides an even better and tighter fit around your foot.

The reason why I love this upper so much is that it adjusts so well to the foot which is an important part of the running experience in Solar Boost 3. Its tight and supportive fit doesn´t only make it comfortable but also provides a more safe sensation as it wraps itself all around the foot.

A more responsive running experience

To provide an even better running experience in this shoe, Adidas have - in addition to the new luxurious upper - added as much as 5 procent boost to the midsole compared to the previous model, Adidas Solar Boost 19. BOOST is Adidas’ most responsive material designed from durable and flexible TPU-foam which ensures great cushioning and a more resilient workout.

Personally, I am crazy about this update as it makes this version more firm and responsive compared to the previous version. The fact that the shoe has become more firm means that you can use it for more different types of training which makes it more versatile than I had expected it to be.

Great performance with different pace on various distances

A short while ago, I tested the Nike Air Zoom Vomero 15, which is very similar to Solar Boost 3. But what separates these two shoes from each other is that the Vomero midsole provides a softer and more cushioned run which is especially well suited for longer runs as opposed to Solar Boost which seems more firm and therefore works better as an allround shoe for different paces and distances.

Personally, I can feel that it is designed for long distances, which it is also best suited for. But it can also easily handle more pacy runs on shorter distances. So if you want to own just one pair of running shoes, Solar Boost 3 is potentially a really good option.

Stability features in a neutral shoe

Solar Boost 3 seems more safe than the previous version thanks to the addition of Adidas’ Solar Propulsion Rails, which is a kind of stability feature reaching 360 degrees around the shoe to ensure that your foot stays in place. This is really a great feature in a max.padded shoe like Solar Boost, where you often feel like dropping out over the side of the shoe on your runs. These kind of "rails" helps to prevent this to keep your foot straight on top of the midsole. Its a really good support for a neutral shoe like Solar Boost, when you are venturing out into uneven terrain.

Safe grip on different types of surfaces

Last but not least its worth mentioning that Solarboost 3 is designed with a very durable Continental-rubber compound outsole which provides great durability and an extended life for the shoe so you can go for hundreds of miles before you need to replace it. In addition to the Continental-rubber compound, sticky elastic rubber has been added to the outsole seen here in the three blue areas. This contributes to providing an even better grip on different surfaces, so you can safely run along without the risk of sliding - even in the rain which I tested a couple of times, and it worked really well.

A great allround shoe for different runs

Personally I use Adidas Solar Boost 3 as a running shoe for different workouts. It has enough padding for longer runs at an easy-going pace, but at the same time its firm enough to perform really well for short-stretch pacy runs.

In total Solar Boost 3 is a really good running shoe for the neutral runner who wants a trainer which offers enough cushioning which is neither too soft nor too firm. A great allround shoe for various distances - and especially the long ones.

Buy Solar Boost 3 here

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