What replaced the Adidas Adizero Boston 12?
Updated September 10, 2026. Specs are men's US 9.
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THE SHORT ANSWER
The Adizero Boston 13 replaced the Boston 12 in May 2025 at the same $160, after Adidas skipped 2024 entirely. It is a consolidation rather than a rethink: 13.8% more Lightstrike Pro, a padded tongue and collar, a slightly lower 36 mm heel at a 6 mm drop, and the best reception of the modern line.
- Adidas Adizero Boston 12Women's
- Adidas Adizero Boston 13Men's at AmazonWomen's
Availability last checked Sep 10, 2026. Prices and stock change without notice.
At a glance
- The Adizero Boston 13 is 0.2 oz lighter
- 1 mm less heel stack
- Drop moved from 6.5 mm to 6 mm
- New midsole foam
Every spec side by side, with the reason behind each change: Adizero Boston 12 vs 13.
Stay on your shoe, or switch?
Refined, same shoeThe matured version of the rebooted Boston rather than another correction. Road Trail Run scored it 9.4 and said the deeper forefoot Lightstrike Pro takes some of the over-serious edges off, and Believe in the Run called it the most versatile shoe in the Adidas running lineup. Four years after the reboot, the argument is over; the 13 is simply a good plated trainer.
Stick with the Adizero Boston 12 if
- Closeout 12s undercut the 13 by $40 or more and the ride change is small
- You prefer a barely-there tongue and collar; the 13 adds padding
- The 12's firmer forefoot suits your workouts
Old stock is gone; see alternatives below.
Move to the Adizero Boston 13 if
- The 12's collar rubbed your heel or Achilles
- You want the softest, most flexible forefoot the modern Boston has had
- You are buying at list anyway; the same $160 buys the better shoe
What loyalists said about the update
The best-received modern Boston by a distance: 75% positive on redditrecs across roughly 275 aggregated reviews, with heavier runners and high-mileage tempo runners the happiest ('I'd recommend them to anyone but particularly anyone who's heavier'). The standing complaints are arch pain for some feet, a narrow fit with no width options, and a heel some testers found unstable for committed heel strikers.
Still want the original?
Buy remaining Adizero Boston 12 stock
Stocked at AmazonMen's stock is gone.
Women's: Check price at AmazonAvailability last checked Sep 10, 2026.
Ready to move on?
Beyond the Adizero Boston 13, these come closest to what the Adizero Boston 12 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 12: 1.4 oz lighter, 2 mm more heel stack, 1.5 mm more 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 12: 1.3 oz lighter, 1.5 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 12: 0.4 oz lighter, 4.5 mm more heel stack, 1.5 mm more drop, $5 less at list.
Questions runners ask
- Is the Adidas Adizero Boston 12 still available?
- Partially. Women's sizes still turn up on Amazon, but men's stock is gone. If your size shows up, decide quickly; discontinued stock only shrinks.
- Is the Adizero Boston 13 a downgrade from the Adidas Adizero Boston 12?
- No. Most runners rate the Adizero Boston 13 as the same shoe done slightly better. The changes are real but none of them alter what the shoe is.
- How much lighter is the Adizero Boston 13?
- 0.2 oz lighter in a men's US 9: 9 oz against the Adidas Adizero Boston 12's 9.2 oz.
- Did the drop change from the Adidas Adizero Boston 12 to the Adizero Boston 13?
- Yes, from 6.5 mm to 6 mm. A drop change this size affects where your foot loads at landing, so plan a few easy runs to adapt.
- What is the closest current alternative to the Adidas Adizero Boston 12?
- 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.