# Adidas boots - worth trying? achilles heel?



## muzzyahoy (Nov 19, 2016)

Zero Issues. I have a wide forefoot and narrow heel, so I've never been able to find a boot to fit in 21 years of riding. Everything always had too much heel lift, or had to step up a half or full size just to get my flippers in (275 mondo, 10.8cms wide). I have the Tactical ADV's (last years), but tried on the Blauvelt's (now Accera), which were a little narrower in the toe box for me (these were what I wanted), and also the Superstar's, which were too wide (I remember laughing out loud in the store at that fact).
Can't tell you what a pleasure it was to have a season of zero foot pain and proper responsiveness (20 days in the boots). Now I know what those people with regular feet feel like!! 
Zero breakdown so far, still super comfy, and I'm 6'1, 220lbs and a pretty aggressive rider, riding Canadian Rockies and BC POW, whenever possible.
Couldn't pump Adidas' tires anymore if I tried...


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## Petrichor (Oct 5, 2017)

I found that the Adidas Samba instep area of the boot would uncomfortably press against the inferior extensor retinaculum of the foot. 

My feet are not wide nor slim.


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## frankyfc (Aug 11, 2017)

[


muzzyahoy said:


> Zero Issues. I have a wide forefoot and narrow heel, so I've never been able to find a boot to fit in 21 years of riding. Everything always had too much heel lift, or had to step up a half or full size just to get my flippers in (275 mondo, 10.8cms wide). I have the Tactical ADV's (last years), but tried on the Blauvelt's (now Accera), which were a little narrower in the toe box for me (these were what I wanted), and also the Superstar's, which were too wide (I remember laughing out loud in the store at that fact).
> Can't tell you what a pleasure it was to have a season of zero foot pain and proper responsiveness (20 days in the boots). Now I know what those people with regular feet feel like!!
> Zero breakdown so far, still super comfy, and I'm 6'1, 220lbs and a pretty aggressive rider, riding Canadian Rockies and BC POW, whenever possible.
> Couldn't pump Adidas' tires anymore if I tried...


AWESOME
Similar feet
I have tried on a pair of the responses at a trade show and do remember thinking that the achilles "lock-in" felt a little odd...
i can imagine it hurting after hiking but probably/hopefully not if they fit well.

how stiff you find the tactical?


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## boardingboarder (Oct 20, 2017)

I'm interested in the Adidas boots too. May get some new boots this season so the samba and tactical look like some viable options. Would they be ok for pipe/park riding?


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## ek9max (Apr 8, 2013)

I love the look of adidas boots. 

I bought a pair of tactical ADV last year. Not he first day I Was having major pain on my achilles. Took them back and when to my go-to nitro boots. (most comfortable boot around, and I've tried them all)

This season adidas renamed their liner to a Silver liner. So I tried on teh ADV and the response. Both gave me pain in teh achilles in the store, now that I knew what I was looking for. 

Other that they they seem like good comfortable boots, if they fit you. My buddy ordered the adidas with the gold liners and he said they fit will with a bit of pressure points on the top of the foot.


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## frankyfc (Aug 11, 2017)

ek9max said:


> I love the look of adidas boots.
> 
> I bought a pair of tactical ADV last year. Not he first day I Was having major pain on my achilles. Took them back and when to my go-to nitro boots. (most comfortable boot around, and I've tried them all)
> 
> ...


Hmm think I read your review. And couple of posts on here.
Anyone else you know had the Achilles issue? Think that?s where I?ve read it. 

When I tried them on I can feel that the Achilles area is locked down, more than the ankles like on other boots. So can see where the issue might arise. 

Maybe if I wear them in the house for an hour or so I?ll identify whether the pain will effect me. Thanks


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## Nivek (Jan 24, 2008)

The issue stems from the original Boost model. People called it bulky and big. So, for the Tactical they made the footprint as small as possible. Part of that was fucking with the liner. They're using a better foam than they were, but the heel counter is made of neoprene. You actually drive a fair amount of pressure into the back of your heel when you flex forward and with that thin neoprene you just compress right through it effectively contacting the shell. Even as a boot fitter is was something I could not remedy outside of just replacing the liner. The other issue is the shell shape. You'll notice from a side view a distinct lack of heel shape. The helps to push your whole foot forward making the boot fit a 1/4 to a 1/2 size smaller. So getting a liner in their that will fix the heel issue will require too much material shrinking your boot a half size. Thus was my issue. I wear 8s. 8s would have fit me if not for the heel issue. With a better aftermarket liner the boot fit too small. Sold the boots.

They rode well the 4 days I rode them though.


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## muzzyahoy (Nov 19, 2016)

The Only issue I've had with them is with the small strap attached to the tongue that acts as a "heel lock". If you cinch in too tight, it creates issues, but i figured that out after the first day. I know lots of people have talked about the Achilles issues, and I won't lie, it is there, but for my foot shape, it's not an issue. 
I find the are a mid-stiff boot, but with the ankle articulation, you do get a good range of movement, just not so much laterally.
I'm a rad dad now, so charging hard and sidehits is about as freestyle I get, and like i said in my previous post, if you have a wide foot, theyre definitely a better alternative than Burton Ruler Wide's, IMO.
I really wanted the Salomon HIFI Wide's but couldn't find them, and they were too pricey anyway...


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

Nivek said:


> The issue stems from the original Boost model. People called it bulky and big. So, for the Tactical they made the footprint as small as possible. Part of that was fucking with the liner. They're using a better foam than they were, but the heel counter is made of neoprene. You actually drive a fair amount of pressure into the back of your heel when you flex forward and with that thin neoprene you just compress right through it effectively contacting the shell. Even as a boot fitter is was something I could not remedy outside of just replacing the liner. The other issue is the shell shape. You'll notice from a side view a distinct lack of heel shape. The helps to push your whole foot forward making the boot fit a 1/4 to a 1/2 size smaller. So getting a liner in their that will fix the heel issue will require too much material shrinking your boot a half size. Thus was my issue. I wear 8s. 8s would have fit me if not for the heel issue. With a better aftermarket liner the boot fit too small. Sold the boots.
> 
> They rode well the 4 days I rode them though.


hey nivek have u ever put like ski boot intuitiotions (sp lol) into a sb boot? curious, my ski buddies sploog on these things'

i'd actually pursue the one from remind but hear they run narrow, i need alot of forefoot volume (imagine a foot mimicking the belly above it)

i've thrown this once before at you or angry specifically but its been a couple years and i'm curious. also after all the "these addidas are shit" knowledge they are getting some love, is it because they are just fucking squishy? which i get, a squishy boot is gonna appeal to like 90% of customer base

after further measuring it seems i need a ruler wide, was ready to move to the stiffest in boots this year (been in tm2s headed toward primes) and wondering if these will provide the aggressive flex I desire or how to get there.


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## frankyfc (Aug 11, 2017)

Nivek said:


> The issue stems from the original Boost model. People called it bulky and big. So, for the Tactical they made the footprint as small as possible. Part of that was fucking with the liner. They're using a better foam than they were, but the heel counter is made of neoprene. You actually drive a fair amount of pressure into the back of your heel when you flex forward and with that thin neoprene you just compress right through it effectively contacting the shell. Even as a boot fitter is was something I could not remedy outside of just replacing the liner. The other issue is the shell shape. You'll notice from a side view a distinct lack of heel shape. The helps to push your whole foot forward making the boot fit a 1/4 to a 1/2 size smaller. So getting a liner in their that will fix the heel issue will require too much material shrinking your boot a half size. Thus was my issue. I wear 8s. 8s would have fit me if not for the heel issue. With a better aftermarket liner the boot fit too small. Sold the boots.
> 
> They rode well the 4 days I rode them though.


Aww.dam
thought i may have found a solution... been trying on boots for aaaages now.

Know if they fixed this issue on the 2018 models?


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## frankyfc (Aug 11, 2017)

ek9max said:


> I love the look of adidas boots.
> 
> I bought a pair of tactical ADV last year. Not he first day I Was having major pain on my achilles. Took them back and when to my go-to nitro boots. (most comfortable boot around, and I've tried them all)
> 
> ...


Hey, what was the achilles pain like?
got the boots to try on at home - getting a mild like burning sensation like friction. Have sat with them on for an hour or so... i can't ride with them or have to keep them.

Looks like a bad sign if this is what you had?

Otherwise they felt super plush when i put them on. I was really happy until now


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## ek9max (Apr 8, 2013)

That sounds about right. It was at the top of my Achilles. The motion was replicated as if doing a deep toe side carve with knees and ankles flexed.


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## MrDavey2Shoes (Mar 5, 2018)

I have around 20-25 days on addidas Acerra boots. I’ve been having this issue for the last 5-7 days. Only back leg. Feels like friction but it can’t be, I’m locked in tight with 0 heel lift. Aaaaarrrgggghhhh


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## fzst (Jan 3, 2019)

MrDavey2Shoes said:


> I have around 20-25 days on addidas Acerra boots. I’ve been having this issue for the last 5-7 days. Only back leg. Feels like friction but it can’t be, I’m locked in tight with 0 heel lift. Aaaaarrrgggghhhh


Do you use aftermarket insoles? I had this problems with may Tacticals as well (2016/17 model) after the first few days this issue occured but it got solved after I put in footprint gamechanger insoles. The insoles are alot thicker as the stock insoles which lifts my heels up abit. I suspected that this lifts my heels past the seam of the heel-neoprene bit of the liners. Maybe this seam is the problem.
I dont ride them anymore though, the boots broke down more every day. The shell collapses under the heelstrap and creases. This got continously worse and after about 35 days on them I retired them. The heel issue didn´t occur anymore though. This season I got an Acerra as well after I saw, that they changed the shell in this area. The fit is awesome just like the tactcal and the new shell design did fix the creasing-issue. I only feel a slight pressure on top of the foot on a forward flex. This is caused by liner though (I did heatmold them) and not the outer shell, so it most likely will get better after some time and not worse like the issue with the shell creasing on my older Tacticals. I only have about 10 days on them so far though so I can´t comment on the heel issue yet. Maybe it will occur after all...fingers crossed :-D

Adidas boots definatley still have some issues in their designs for example the lack of forward lean and heel shape - which I really don´t understand why they don´t implement it. If they would, the boots would fit into the heelcup of bindings way better and it therefore would also be easier to center the boots over the bindings. The boost outsole also causes some issues. It´s thicker than the midsoles of other manufactureres. This causes the boot aka your foot inside the boot to sit higher in the bindings. So if you got bindings without an option to change the height on the ankle strap mount (like unions) this causes the anklestrap to sit further down than intended and you lose some anklesupport. The fit of the boots is just awesome for my feet though, I have skinny ankles and calves with wider forefoots. I´m also a really big fan of the "hard" liner material, shure it´s not as plush and comfy as other liners but the respone and tight fit you get because of this is far superior than any other boot I tested so far. I can see why this thin and hard liner material can cause hotpsots though. Like @Nivek I think that they should sacrifice a bit of footprint reduction and put liners in there, which don´t have thin neoprene pieces in the heel and the toes, this would most likely make the boots fit a wider variety of people since the liner would be more "formable" and also more cushy int the heel area. But I don´t quite get why people are hating on adidas for that. Burton for example does the same thing, just with thinner liner material instead of neoprene, they also put footprint reduction very high on their priority list. And in Burtons I have more comfort issues than with the Adias because of that (I have also tried a Burton Ion - didn´t test them on slopes though).


So I would still recommand trying them. Especially if you have wider feet. And even if you don´t, it´s worth trying just for the reduced footprint and the boost-sole alone. This thing is not just marketing - it really works, most other boots feel like walking barefoot on concrete in comparison. And the footrpint reduction can be a gamechanger if you have big feet - well if they fit you ;-)


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## Legendaryl (Mar 31, 2020)

Hi guys,

Sorry OP, borrow your thread for a query.

My foot's Mondopoint is 27 (US 9)
with my width up to 101/102mm – an ‘E’ width.

I’ve tried (barefooted) 2 adidas regular shoes at US9.5 (and push my feet all the way forward where my toes lightly touch the tip, i can slide my index finger (snugly) at my heel area. 
Do you guys recommend getting adidas tactical advs at US9 or US9.5?

Thank you!


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## Lamedog (Apr 9, 2020)

fzst said:


> his causes the boot aka your foot inside the boot to sit higher in the bindings. So if you got bindings without an option to change the height on the ankle strap mount (like unions) this causes the anklestrap to sit further down than intended and you lose some anklesupport.


I have literally just found this out today!

Glad to see you think they're okay boots. I was getting paranoid as I have doubled up (despite not having ridden them - apparently Adidas are exiting snowboarding from 21/22 season.

So sounds like you suggest going for an aftermarket insole from day 1, is that correct?

What binding did you go with? I never noticed the lack of forward lean until today when I thought I would pair them up to adjust the binding. They're very straight at the back despite being billed as a super-responsive boot.

So now my 'just get some new boots' plan, which then became "oh well there are some good snowboard deals, might as well add a good price board" into a full damn setup since I now need bindings and am considering upgrading my outwear!

Sheesh. I have a problem.


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