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Sizing

The Dorado Boost fits true to size.

Durability

The adidas Dorado Boost consists of 2 parts. However, the most important one is the outer upper that spans from toe to the heel. The durability of the model is good due to several reasons: The one piece upper had no seams, was made of a solid material that consisted of suede which left us a high quality impression. and both the laces and three stripe logo (fused on) were well protected from abrasion. All these parts are basic protectoral factors which sum up to a very impressive durability. Additionally, the sole also proved to be extremely durable during our weartest.

Cushioning

Adidas uses the same sole in the Dorado Boost as for the Boost ADV, with a main focus on cushioning in both models. The Boost technology consists of thousands of small thermoplastic polyurethane balls which provide exceptional impact absorption and compression rebound compared to the traditionally used EVA foam. The sole is begins quite thin in the toe cap area, and starts getting thicker in the midfoot area and ends with the heel area protected with a 1 – 1.2 centimeter thin Boost layer. As a result, the sole gets thicker the further you get to the middle and heel part of the shoe, which helps improve cushioning and creates an overall comfortable feel for the foot. In addition, the sockliner adds a well-suited cushioning effect. However, a weakness in this kind of sole construction is the lack of cushioning and impact support in the toe area. Although the Boost technology clearly shows its impact advantages for the heel area, the toe area itself was just too thin. As a result, to sum up, boardfeel was the victor over cushioning here.

Shape

The Dorado Boost ADV is cut close to your foot, especially in the mid foot area. However, a weakness was pinpointed in the toe area and heel area, both areas had a bit too much space. For the heel area, there wasn’t a good heel lock and since the the toe area had too much space it resulted in developing waves due to a lack of stability. With that said, the toe cap area is still pretty long and pointy, which ensures a great control over your flick for flip tricks.

Boardfeel and grip

Boardfeel is influenced by the thickness of the sole in the toe area. As you can see in the half cut picture, the sole is very thin in the frontal area and combined with incisions in the sole, the model results in excellent boardfeel and grip. The thinness of the sole also makes the sole very flexible so it can adapt to the board’s concave extremely well. Grip was very consistent during the whole time of the test, nearly comparable to vulcanized models without being to “gooey“.

Comfort and stability

Comfort of the Dorado Boost is only average. The weight itself leaves no positive nor negative impression, it lays somewhere in the middle of today’s cupsole shoes. The inner lining, however, is quite nice because there are no pressure spots. Ventilation is another factor that improves the comfort in a skate shoe and in this case, the Dorado Boost features three big ventilation holes in the inner side, replacing the actual stripes. As a result, the midfoot area’s breathability is great, but the heat and the moisture of the toe area has no ventilation holes to escape out of.

Stability is evaluated as ok. The shoe fits very close to the feet in the mid foot area and basically hugs the feet which adds to a secure and stable feeling. However, the shoe did not keep its shape so well in the toe area, where waves in the suede appeared.

Summary

The adidas Dorado Boost is a shoe that uses innovative sole technology to create a great balance between grip and boardfeel and cushioning in the heel area. Mediocre stability and fit in the toe area are balanced out by great durability.

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Check out the adidas Dorado Boost ARROW&BEAST

ARROW&BEAST adidas Dorado Boost

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We had the pleasure of testing the adidas Boost ADV; lets find out what the hype is about.

Sizing

The Boost ADV fits true to size.

Durability

The adidas Boost ADV consists of 2 parts: an inner sock construction and an outer upper. The durability of the model is good due to four main reasons. The first reason is adidas’ decision to use a seamless one-piece upper that is safe from griptape contact. Secondly, the material used in the upper is a solid material consisted of a type of suede that left a high quality impression on us. Thirdly, the positioning of the laces was well thought-out. The lacing is quite close together and drawn far back, which effectively protects against griptape contact. The fourth reason was the welded three-stripe logo, which was impossible to tear off unlike the usual stitched-on stripes. The sole also proved to be extremely durable with great grip.

Cushioning

The main focus of the Boost ADV lies in its cushioning. The Boost technology consists of thousands of small thermoplastic polyurethane balls which provides better impact absorption and compression rebound compared to traditional EVA foam. The sole is relatively thin in the toecap area; it starts getting thicker in the midfoot area and the heel area is protected with a 1 – 1.2 centimeter thin Boost layer. So the sole gets thicker the further you get to the middle and heel part of the shoe, improving cushioning and creating a comfortable feel for the foot. In addition, the sockliner adds a cushioning effect, too. A weakness of this kind of sole construction however, is the lack of cushioning and impact support in the toe area. Although the Boost technology clearly shows its impact advantages for the heel area, the toe area was far too thin. To sum it up, boardfeel was the victorious over cushioning in this Boost model.

Shape

The Boost ADV is cut extremely close to your foot. As mentioned before, the shoe is built up in two parts, the outer part is a one piece upper and the inner part is similar to a sock. The inner sock and the slimly shape silhouette ensures a tight and snug fit for the toes in frontfoot as well as for the midfoot and heel area. The toe cap area is quite long and pointy, which ensures a great control over your flick for flip tricks.

Boardfeel and grip

Good or bad boardfeel typically depends on the thickness of the sole around the toe area. As you can see in the sagittal cut, the sole is very thin in the frontal area. But with the incisions in the sole combined, the model features great boardfeel and grip. The thinness of the sole also makes the sole very flexible so it can adapt to the board’s concave extremely well. Grip was very consistent during the whole time of the test, nearly comparable to vulcanized models without being to “gooey”.

Comfort and stability

Adidas put a lot of effort into designing a comfortable shoe with the Boost ADV. The weight of the shoe itself is a very positive element; thanks to the minimalistic design, this shoe feels extremely light. The shoe-in-shoe technology is another feature; there are almost no seams inside and the shoe fits very snug to your feet. Ventilation is another factor that improves comfort in a skate shoe. The Boost ADV features two big ventilation holes in the inner side that ensure maximum breathability in this area. In the toe area, however, hot and moist air is trapped and cannot leave the shoe.

Stability is evaluated as average. The shoe fits very close to the feet and basically hugs the feet, which adds to the secure and stable feeling. However, the shoe did not keep its shape so well in the toe area, where waves in the suede appeared. In addition, the whole shoe got too soft within our test period of 10 hours. 

Summary

The adidas Boost ADV is a shoe that uses innovative sole technology to create a great balance between grip and boardfeel and cushioning in the heel area. Mediocre stability and a sole slightly too thin in the toe area are balanced out by its’ great durability and flick.

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