Adidas Hyperboost Edge Review
By Matthew Klein and David Salas
Adidas Hyperboost EdgePrice: $199.95 at Running Warehouse
Weight: 8.9 oz, 255 g (men's size 8.5), 9.45 oz, 268 g (men's measured size 10)
Stack Height: 45 mm heel / 39 mm forefoot
Drop: 6 mm
Shoe Purpose: Maximal Daily Trainer/Performance Trainer
Pros: Highly cushioned for weight, great forefoot rocker, midsole offers some responsiveness and versatitliy
Cons: Heel flare with lack of large heel bevel makes the heel clunky, thin and narrow heel collar can dig into the lateral ankle.
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Adidas Hyperboost Edge is a maximum cushioned daily trainer that still offers some versatility to uptempo efforts and long runs. The Hyperboost Edge debuts a new midsole by the name of Hyperboost. This midsole is much lighter than the original Boost foam and offers a noticeable bounce when it is loaded. The Hyperboost Edge operates off a rocker platform with the forefoot rocker being much more noticeable. This shoe will be best for daily miles, long runs, and long tempo runs.
SIMILAR SHOES: ASICS Superblast 3, Diadora Atomo Star
PAST MODEL: new model
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Matt: The Adidas Hyperboost Edge fits me true to size in my normal men's US size 10. The width is fairly normal but the volume is lower. There are quite a few thick overlays on the upper, which add a solid amount of stiffness and security. The toe box is only slightly tapered and the forefoot fits normal in width. The volume sits low over the toes and across the shoe in general. The midfoot fits normal to slightly snug thanks to a full length tongue gusset. The midfoot volume is also low and those with a high instep/arch may notice the upper pinches on the top of their foot. Fortunately, the midfoot is secure because I had to loosen the laces to avoid this.
The heel has a unique design with two high pads on the posterior medial and lateral sides of the ankle. This creates space for the Achilles tendon, which has felt awesome. It also features Adidas's rare split heel counter design, where the posterior-most section is flexible and there are two heel counters on either side. This has been great for when my Achilles tendon insertion or Haglund deformity has been irritated, so anyone with those pathologies will do well here. The stiffer upper provides a locked in feel. The tongue gusseting contributes to this and I did not have to tighten the laces much to get a secure fit. Turning from an upper perspective is fine, although the tall midsole makes you want to tip over if you turn too quickly.
Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Matt well: On Cloudboom Strike, Hoka Gaviota 6, Xero HFS, Topo Cyclone 3, Saucony Azura, Salomon Aero Glide 3
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Brooks Launch 11, Diadora Mythos Vigore 3
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2, Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra
David: The Adidas Hyperboost Edge fits true to size in my men's 9.5. Despite being true to size, there were some things that I noticed. The volume is quite low through the midfoot. At step in, it can be a little difficult to get your foot into the shoe. The gusseted tongue holds very close to the dorsal part of your foot. Thankfully the tongue has decent padding, but it does feel a bit tight through that area. Ironically, the volume through the forefoot felt fine. There is plenty of space up front for swelling accommodation or toe splay. The width throughout the shoe is slightly narrow in the heel, normal in the midfoot, and slightly wide in the forefoot. The heel collar comes up pretty high and is pretty thin and rigid. I did get some rubbing on my lateral ankle on both sides because of this. This is a shoe that I definitely have to wear thin socks for that specifically. The mesh material of the upper itself is decently comfortable. It feels synthetic and slightly geared towards performance. It is lightweight and breathes pretty well, despite feeling like it is on the thicker end. There is a stiff heel counter. There is some very mild padding that does a good enough job of preventing rubbing posteriorly. The upper for the Hyperboost Edge is not bad, but they do need to rework that heel collar.
David's Typical Size: Men's US Size 9.5
Shoes that have fit David well: Nike Vomero 17, Saucony Ride 16, Puma Velocity Nitro 3
Shoes that have fit snug: HOKA Arahi 7
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon Aero Glide
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: No
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: Average
Is the Forefoot Flexible: No
How Flexible is the Shoe: Not flexible
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: No
Recommended for Haglunds: Yes
Is This Shoe Orthotic Friendly: No
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: High Durability
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The Adidas Hyperboost Edge is a maximal, non-plated but stiff super trainer. It features a massive 45 mm / 39 mm stack height of Hyperboost Pro, a new update to Boost. The material is soft and highly responsive underfoot. Despite the large size of the shoe, it can move quicker than expected when you put a ton of force into the shoe. The bounce/spring is noticeable when walking and provides an incredibly cushioned underfoot experience with zero ground feel. However, the posterior heel flare and lack of a significant heel bevel make for a clunky heel transition. My anterior shin muscles have been sore after every run in these shoes. Even longer walking left me sore. While the midsole is soft, it causes an early landing and accelerated transition forward. It feels much better if you land farther forward, so midfoot/forefoot strikers may do better heel. In contrast, the forefoot is incredibly smooth and snappy. The forefoot rocker is slightly late, which creates a snappy ride that responds best at uptempo efforts. Those with toe mobility deficits should do fine here as there is no flexibility in this shoe. The only caution is that the soft midsole will compress and allow mild toe extension, so this is a try-before-you-buy shoe for those with limited toe mobility.
The Adidas Hyperboost Edge feels best for me at uptempo and tempo efforts. Running slow is fine but the clunky heel is noticeable. Picking up the pace allows the midsole to come alive more, although heel strikers will experience quite a bit of stress through their shin muscles. Uptempo and tempo efforts allow a signficant amount of bounce, but the size of the shoe and the clunky heel really limit the shoe from going any faster. The rockered forefoot does far better transitioning over longer, uptempo efforts and the midsole feels like it could go faster in a lighter, more moderate stack height shoe (which makes me excited for other models).
Durability-wise this shoe has been excellent. I have 50 miles on my pair and there is barely any wear on the outsole. The midsole has not lost its bounce and I expect a TON of miles out of this shoe. The heel has also not broken in, which unfortunately means that heel strikers will either have to deal with the transition or look elsewhere. The traction is fair on smooth man-made surfaces and should not be used on trails. While the ribbed outsole grips well on track, it has little traction on dirt or mud. So this is a road/track only shoe.
David: The Adidas Hyperboost Edge was an interesting experience. Being at 45mm of stack height, it feels similar to a lot of super trainers, but still different in its own way. The Hyperboost midsole has a noticeable bounce to it while maintaining a very soft and cushioned underfoot experience. Despite feeling soft, the foam does not feel like it has much compliance to it when you load it. The result is a highly cushioned and springy feel. You do not feel like you are sinking into the shoe. Hyperboost also maintains a lightweight profile, giving it some upside for uptempo workouts. I did take this shoe onto the track... but I would definitely stick to longer road efforts for daily training, long runs, and tempo runs.
The geometry is built off of a rocker profile. The forefoot rocker is much more noticeable than the heel rocker. The heel rocker is very gentle and comes off a posterior heel flare. If you are a big heel striker and sensitive to that... it might be a deal breaker, but you would have to try it on. I am not as sensitive to that, but I can notice it. It makes the heel feel a little bumpy at initial contact. The forefoot experience is great though. The forefoot rocker feels like it is early stage, and it is rounded in a way that you feel like you are rolling and bouncing into your next step. The Hyperboost Edge also uses a full-length outsole of LIGHTTRAXION. The softer nature of the shoe and the ridged outsole make the shoe feel very grippy under the foot. The platform width underfoot is decently wide. The shoe does not feel unstable when you are running in it. I am not sure that I would classify it is as stable neutral, but you are still pretty sure footed in this shoe.
The Adidas Hyperboost Edge is a fun super trainer that can certainly handle big road miles. The geometry will lend itself more to those that like heavily involved forefoot rockers in their training shoes. The Hyperboost midsole is soft, but noticeably springy as well. If the shoe works well for you, it can easily tackle daily miles, long runs, and recreational marathons.
VIDEO: Matt reviews the Hyperboost Edge, Compares with Evo SL
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Matt: The Adidas Hyperboost Edge is a neutral shoe. There are no sidewalls and the soft midsole is not stable. The lack of a heel bevel and posterior flare causes an aggressive medial transition at heel strike. This has pushed me over the medial side of the somewhat narrowed midfoot. The forefoot is wider, but there is more lateral flare than medial, which also creates medial bias at the forefoot. So those with lateral forefoot guidance needs that want to be pushed medially and those with neutral mechanics will do best in this shoe.
David: The Adidas Hyperboost Edge is definitely a neutral shoe. The 45 mm stack height puts it pretty high up on a soft bed of full length Hyperboost. However, there are a couple of things it does well to counterbalance that. The platform width is slightly wide and does help with stability. The outsole traction underfoot is good. The upper is secure and keeps your foot on the platform well.
Thoughts as a DPT: The Consequences of Missing Heel Bevels In Maximal Shoes
By Matthew Klein
Your heel bone is curved for a reason. This component of your body is called the "heel rocker" as it naturally helps roll you forward upon heel strike during both running and walking gait. This rounded curve facilitates a smoother transition from heel strike to foot flat position, reducing the workload on the anterior shin muscles to control the front of the foot down to the ground and improve efficiency with gait. A loss of a heel rocker is problematic as it increases the workload through the lower leg muscles, reduces efficiency and reduces forward progression during gait.
While lower stack height shoes can get away with not mimicking this mechanism due to the proximity to the ground, the taller the shoe's midsole is, the more important it is to have an artificial heel rocker present. Without one, or in the case of the Hyperboost Edge where there is the exact opposite, a posteriorly flared midsole, the 75-85% of the population that are heel strikers will hit the ground early (Bovalino & Kingsley, 2021). Muscles naturally tense up before landing to prepare for shock absorption. Hitting the ground prior to that means more passive shock absorption into inert tissues rather than active shock absorption into muscles. This creates undo stress into areas that should be protected.
Additionally, the extended sole creates an external moment that accelerates the front of the foot down onto the ground during heel contact. A heel rocker or heel bevel would slow this transition and keep movement forward, whereas the lack of one accelerates movement down into the ground. This greatly increases the stress through the dorsiflexor muscles which all attach on the anterior and lateral portion of the shin (tibia and fibula bones). The sharp, posterior midsole increases the speed at which the foot transitions, which creates a fast eccentric load on these muscles and tissues, which is the highest muscle contraction type. This contraction typically has the greatest risk of injury, particularly among new runners, which can contribute to the higher incidence of shin splints or medial tibial stress syndrome. A heel rocker or heel bevel (curve) slows this transition down while maintaining forward movement. It is for the above reasons that a heel bevel is non-negotiable when designing a maximal shoe. If not, you will dramatically increase the stress through the muscles on the shin, which may have consequences for people who do not slowly transition into these shoes or in general.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: There is so much I want to be able to enjoy about the Hyperboost Edge. I love upper heel design, which sits nicely around my Achilles tendon and calcaneus. The upper is stiffer and lower volume than it needs to be and likely adds unnecessary weight. I would love if the Adizero department could collaborate to light up the upper. The midsole is fantastic with so much bounce, but the heel design is killing me. My ankle/anterior shins have ached after every run in this shoe. As mentioned above, it is unacceptable for a shoe of this height to not have a heel bevel. I don't care how much the sole compresses, it still causes an awkward early initial contact. This must be beveled to adequately preserve the normal heel rocker. Outside of that minor and major issue, this is a solid start to what I hope is an expansion of the use of Hyperboost Pro.
David: I did enjoy the Adidas Hyperboost Edge, but I have two big recommendations. The first being the heel collar. The heel collar rides up pretty high, and is very thin and rigid. I did find it rubbing into my lateral ankle during all of my efforts. If I stayed on long and linear roads it was fine, but when I was turning on the track it actually cut into my skin. Making that area softer or more padded would help. The second would be to either decrease the posterior heel flare or make the heel bevel in that area much more prominent. That would ease the transition at initial stance and make for a much smoother landing at the heel.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Matt: The Adidas Hyperboost Edge is a super trainer for those who want a maximal, bouncy ride. It will work best for those who land farther forward, who have lower volume feet, have neutral mechanics and want a daily training, uptempo/tempo and long run shoe. It will not work well for heel strikers, those sensitive to posterior heel flare, those with medial stability needs and those with higher volume and wider feet. Outside of the poorly designed heel midsole (compared to the well-designed heel upper), the Hyperboost is an exciting update for Boost that has me interested in the future. The fantastic durability of this shoe justifies the cost, particularly with how many other comparable maximal super trainers are more expensive than this. For those who this shoe matches, it is definitely an interesting shoe.
David: The Adidas Hyperboost Edge is a super trainer for those that want a lively forefoot experience. The rocker profile is much more noticeable in the forefoot and the Hyperboost midsole provides a lot of spring. However, those sensitive to posterior heel flare may want to look elsewhere, as it is present in this model. The weight and responsiveness of the foam does create a versatile super trainer that can tackle long tempo runs, but it is best suited for daily training and long runs.
GRADES
Matt
Fit: B (Normal width fit with lower volume. Thicker, stiffer upper provides security. Split heel counter great for Haglund deformities)
Performance: B+ (Bouncy, resilient, high cushioned ride great for long runs, uptempo/tempo runs. Clunky heel puts a ton of pressure on shin muscles, so better for those who land farther forward)
Stability: B- [Neutral, Forefoot Medial Bias] (Soft, tall midsole with lateral forefoot flare and narrowed midfoot make this shoe best for those with neutral mechanics)
Value: B+ (High Durability and fantastic midsole make this a great value but offset by clunky transition that may limit shoe for majority of population being heel strikers)
Personal: B- (I really want to love this shoe for the midsole and rearfoot heel design, but my shins ache ever time I run in it due to the massive posterior flare. A shoe this tall without a heel bevel is borderline unacceptable, but forefoot strikers will be fine)
Overall Design: B
David
Fit: B- (Heel collar is thin and rigid and dug into my lateral ankle, gusseted tongue a bit tight, otherwise good.)
Performance: B+ (Great responsiveness that is complemented by great cushioning and good weight. Forefoot very lively. Heel bevel/posterior flare make for a bumpy heel.)
Stability: B (Very neutral throughout but full contact outsole, upper lockdown, and slightly wide platform all help.)
Value: A- (If the upper and heel work for you, the shoe offers a lot of upside in versatility. $200 is a fair price.)
Personal: B (I love the forefoot and the midsole is very fun. The heel collar makes it tough for me to give it anything higher than a B.)
Overall Design: B
SHOP | SUPPORT DORAdidas Hyperboost EdgePrice: $199.95 at Running Warehouse
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FURTHER READING
On's max cushion everyday.
The Cloudmonster with more pep and cushion.
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