The adidas Ultra Boost is the flagship running and lifestyle silhouette built around Boost cushioning — a thermoplastic polyurethane foam co-developed by adidas and BASF. Launched in February 2015, the Ultra Boost was positioned as "the greatest running shoe ever" and immediately became adidas's highest-selling performance silhouette.
The Boost technology
Boost cushioning is made from expanded TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) pellets steam-molded into foam. Unlike EVA foam (which softens under repeated impact), Boost retains its responsiveness over longer distances and temperature extremes. Boost technology first appeared in the adidas Energy Boost (2013) before getting its showcase silhouette in the Ultra Boost.
Ultra Boost generations
- Ultra Boost 1.0 (2015) — original silhouette with Primeknit upper and external plastic heel cage
- Ultra Boost 2.0 (2016) — refined upper pattern
- Ultra Boost 3.0 (2017) — sock-like Primeknit, no external stripes on some iterations
- Ultra Boost 4.0 (2018) — refined Primeknit pattern
- Ultra Boost 19 (2019) — first to use repurposed ocean plastic
- Ultra Boost 20 (2020) — space-inspired LEP torsion system
- Ultra Boost 21/22 (2021-22) — stiffer midsole for everyday runners
- Ultra Boost Light (2023) — lighter next-gen Boost foam
- Ultra Boost 5 (2024) — return to 1.0-style aesthetic
Key collaborations
- Parley × Ultra Boost — ongoing sustainability partnership using recycled ocean plastic
- Kolor × Ultra Boost (2015) — one of the first major Ultra Boost collabs
- Wood Wood × Ultra Boost
- Undefeated × Ultra Boost — multiple releases across military/tactical themes
- Consortium × Ultra Boost — adidas's premium capsule line has produced countless Ultra Boost variants
- Gucci × Ultra Boost (2018) — luxury crossover
- Stella McCartney × Ultra Boost — sustainable capsule
Cultural moment
Kanye West was famously photographed wearing Ultra Boosts to NBA games in 2015, predating the Yeezy partnership but associated with his early adidas era. The Ultra Boost became an early 2010s "dress-shoe-compatible" sneaker worn in business-casual settings — part of a broader sneaker-to-professional crossover moment.