What replaced the Adidas Adizero Boston 11?
Updated August 11, 2026. Specs are men's US 9.
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THE SHORT ANSWER
The Adizero Boston 12 replaced the Boston 11 in June 2023 at the same $160. It finally answered the two generations of firmness complaints: a much softer Lightstrike 2.0 base, more Lightstrike Pro, EnergyRods 2.0, and a lower 37 mm heel at a 6.5 mm drop. Reviewers called the Boston back.
- Adidas Adizero Boston 11Sizes running outMen's at AmazonWomen's
- Adidas Adizero Boston 12Women's
Availability last checked Sep 10, 2026. Prices and stock change without notice.
At a glance
- The Adizero Boston 12 is 0.4 oz lighter
- 2.5 mm less heel stack
- Drop moved from 8.5 mm to 6.5 mm
- New midsole foam
Every spec side by side, with the reason behind each change: Adizero Boston 11 vs 12.
Stay on your shoe, or switch?
Changed characterThe redemption, and it is real: Believe in the Run titled its review 'The Boston is Back', RunRepeat scored it 86 and called it a welcomed return to the shoe's roots, and Doctors of Running called it a massive update and improvement. One honesty note: it is the 10's concept done right, not a return to the Boost-era Boston, and the ride still runs firm by daily-trainer standards.
Stick with the Adizero Boston 11 if
- You are one of the 11's fans; the 12 is softer and less of a brick, which was your feature
- You heel strike hard and want the 8.5 mm drop; the 12 sits at 6.5
- Clearance 11s are deeply discounted and you tolerate the break-in
Move to the Adizero Boston 12 if
- The break-in ritual was the dealbreaker; the 12 runs soft enough out of the box
- You want the rods with some actual bounce under them
- The same $160 buys a lighter shoe with a better ride
Where the Adidas Adizero Boston is now
Two updates on, the Adizero Boston 13 (2025) is what sits on shelves today. Against the shoe you own rather than the one that directly replaced it:
- The Adizero Boston 13 is 0.6 oz lighter
- 3.5 mm less heel stack
- Drop moved from 8.5 mm to 6 mm
- New midsole foam
What loyalists said about the update
Warmer than the 10 and 11, but the community never quite matched the reviewers' relief: redditrecs sits at 64% positive across roughly 150 aggregated reviews. The praise is concrete, 400-plus miles and strong energy return at pace. The gripes are the old family: stiff out of the box ('after the 200 km mark, they hit the sweet spot'), narrow, and punishing at easy paces ('excellent at sub-7:30 pace, terrible at 9:00-plus').
Still want the original?
Buy remaining Adizero Boston 11 stock
Sizes running outDiscontinued at retail. Amazon carries what remains, so treat an in-stock size as a closing window, and expect prices to swing.
Availability last checked Aug 11, 2026.
Ready to move on?
Beyond the Adizero Boston 12, these come closest to what the Adizero Boston 11 did.
- 7.8 oz
- 8 mm drop
- 39 mm heel
- $175 list
The Endorphin Speed is the modern Boston's one real category peer: a plated tempo trainer soft enough for daily miles. Its PEBA foam is bouncier and more forgiving than Lightstrike; the Boston counters with outsole durability and a lower list price.
Against your Adidas Adizero Boston 11: 1.8 oz lighter, 0.5 mm less drop, $15 more at list.
Adidas Adizero Boston vs Saucony Endorphin Speed, side by side
- 7.9 oz
- 5 mm drop
- 37 mm heel
- $145 list
The Mach runs the same daily-plus-tempo brief with no plate, softer foam, and $15 less at list. The usual landing spot when the Boston's firmness is the problem rather than the point.
Against your Adidas Adizero Boston 11: 1.7 oz lighter, 2.5 mm less heel stack, 3.5 mm less drop, $15 less at list.
- 8.8 oz
- 8 mm drop
- 41.5 mm heel
- $155 list
The Novablast answers the same one-fast-trainer question with no plate and much softer foam, and it is far happier at easy paces. Runners who find the Boston punishing below tempo pace tend to land here.
Against your Adidas Adizero Boston 11: 0.8 oz lighter, 2 mm more heel stack, 0.5 mm less drop, $5 less at list.
Questions runners ask
- Is the Adidas Adizero Boston 11 still available?
- For now. Amazon still lists the Adidas Adizero Boston 11, but the size run is thinning and prices swing with remaining stock. If your size is there, this is the late window, not the early one.
- Is the Adizero Boston 12 a downgrade from the Adidas Adizero Boston 11?
- Not a downgrade, but a different shoe. The Adizero Boston 12 scores well with new buyers while changing the ride that Adidas Adizero Boston 11 loyalists bought it for. Read the spec changes before assuming it will feel familiar.
- How much lighter is the Adizero Boston 12?
- 0.4 oz lighter in a men's US 9: 9.2 oz against the Adidas Adizero Boston 11's 9.6 oz.
- Did the drop change from the Adidas Adizero Boston 11 to the Adizero Boston 12?
- Yes, from 8.5 mm to 6.5 mm. A drop change this size affects where your foot loads at landing, so plan a few easy runs to adapt.
- Is the Adidas Adizero Boston still made?
- Yes. The current version is the Adidas Adizero Boston 13, released in 2025, 2 versions on from the Adidas Adizero Boston 11.
- What is the closest current alternative to the Adidas Adizero Boston 11?
- The Saucony Endorphin Speed 6. The Endorphin Speed is the modern Boston's one real category peer: a plated tempo trainer soft enough for daily miles. Its PEBA foam is bouncier and more forgiving than Lightstrike; the Boston counters with outsole durability and a lower list price.