There are basically two types of golf shoe companies. Firstly, those that started as golf shoe makers and come at it from a single sport background.
Then there are the global multi-sport shoe manufacturers who bring ideas from other sports and apply them to golf and this is where Adidas come from.
Over the last few years they have given us natural motion shoes like the PureMotion and then the minimalist AdiZero Tour with its football heritage. This was a bold look, super light, great waterproof performance, but virtually no cushioning as it aimed to get your feet as close to the ground as possible.
After two years of that, Adidas has decided that cushioning is back in with the Adidas Adipower Boost and I for one am grateful for that.
However rather than using EVA, what we have now is a new material called Boost that Adidas has brought to golf from running and basketball, which is a plus for the game given the demand within Adidas from other sports to use it first.
If you watch the Boost Technology video at the foot of the page, you will see that when you push against it, Boost returns more energy than other materials, like a trampoline under your foot.
Boost is actually made up of thousands of TPU capsules that are bound together using a high pressure steam moulding process. They then expand and contract as you move to store and release energy during the swing and as you walk.
When you see it in the shoe it looks like looks like polystyrene and you don't think it can possibly last, as you can easily poke it to see it flex. However I can vouch for the fact that it is much more durable than it looks and boy, is it comfortable.
In the Adipower shoe the Boost is only in the white heel section, but that is exactly where it should be to absorb the impact as your heel hits the ground when you walk. From some angles it looks like the Boost heel is offset at an angle, but this is an optical illusion created by the black line on the back, as the insole is perfectly neutral with a medium heel to forefoot drop.
You may think you will be bouncing along and being all floaty like a 1980's running shoe, but that is not the case as the energy return is noticeable and a joy to feel below your feet.
The upper is a high quality man made material that is robust and flexible and the Adipower Boost is one of the most comfortable shoes to wear straight out of the box I have tried.
The upper gives a good high fit around the ankle using a padded collar that provides excellent comfort and grip.
The forefoot is a nice width with a semi-pointed toe that is a little wider than recent Adidas shoes, especially in the heel section, so if you are between a medium and a wide in Adidas, try the medium first.
The stability during the swing is excellent thanks to the 'floating' 3 stripes on each side that are not only the brand markings, but also form part of the lacing system as they wrap around the foot and hold it tight.
I found the Adipower Boost to be more comfortable on the top of the foot than the entry level Adipower Sport Boost pictured below, because it has 5 eyelets compared to the Sport's 4, wider laces and a better quality tongue.
The Adipower Boost tongue has more padding and a contoured and slightly firmer top to fit around the base of your ankle that provides more cushioning against the laces under where the bow would be.
There is also a BOA version that uses a wiring system to secure the shoe via a dial on the front of the shoe. This does not have the wires going behind the heel like the FootJoy version, but I still expect it to grip the back of the foot better than laces.
The other key thing for me is the next evolution of the Gripmore sole that we first saw on the Adidas Adicross Gripmore. This is a special PU rubber that will outlast the rest of the rubber on the sole and has a channel down the length of the sole to allow your foot to move laterally during the swing and I like that feature.
I also like the concept of the Gripmore soles for spikeless shoes and in the Adipower Boost, Adidas has taken this to the next stage by creating a range of different sized spikes using Gripmore, so you get the spikeless comfort, but with extra traction of a larger spike design.
Like the original Gripmore sole, the Adipower Boost Gripmore sole really does a very good job of gripping the ground as well as complementing the comfort provided by the Boost material. Complimenting the various sizes of Gripmore spikes are some chunky, but flexible moulded grips in the toe and heel.
The Gripmore spikes do sit off the sole a lot more than before and on a links course I did feel like I was 'on top' of the ground rather than being at one with it, if you know what I mean.
It did not affect the traction in any way and on a parkland course you would not notice it, but on a firmer surface, or a practice range mat, it may change the feeling a little.
There is a choice of 4 colours which are basically two white, a silver and a black and Adidas has been quite conservative in their designs. The shoe has quite a sporty look and the white slab of Boost in each heel gives it a distinctive look, so maybe they are going for a wider general appeal.
Unlike most spikeless shoes, the Adipower Boost is not cheap at well over £100 at launch and you will have to pay around an extra £20 for the BOA version, but even so, I would have to say that it is worth it.
The comfort is excellent, the stability is very good and the grip is solid. It's interesting that this is the first shoe Adidas has done for a while where the key technology focuses on what your feet do 99% of the time on a golf course, which is walk, rather than majoring on swing benefits like grip and stability.
From experience I know that if your feet are more comfortable and have less stress on them, then your legs, your back and your mind all benefit towards the end of the round and that will certainly give your golf a Boost just when you need it.