For years, nothing came close to rivaling Nike’s Air sole technology. The now legendary tech was practically on everyone’s feet and Nike dominated the footwear industry for decades. But in 2015, adidas released the UltraBoost line which has changed the landscape of the sneaker world.
In the year of UltraBoost's fifth anniversary, we take a look at the history of the coveted shoe line. But the history of the UltraBoost isn’t as straightforward as one might think. To start talking about these shoes, we need to reach all the way back to 2009, when a rival company began working on their own version of a Boost-like material.
Here’s a timeline of how the UltraBoost came to be.
2009 - A rival shoemaker starts work on a new type of material
Puma started working on a new type of material that could provide better energy return for runners. They partnered with BASF, a German company that manufactures industrial products such as chemicals, plastics, and foam.
2011 - adidas grabs an opportunity
The reports are unclear about the exact reasons, but Puma and BASF terminated their partnership in 2011. Soon after, BASF entered into an exclusive partnership with adidas.
2013 - A new compound is announced and appears on the Energy Boost
BASF unveils Infinergy — the world’s first expanded thermoplastic polyurethane. The new material promises to be durable and provide more energy return than rubber while being a lot lighter.
Adidas announces the Energy Boost on February 14, 2013, the first shoe that makes use of this new material. The running shoe becomes available to the public 2 weeks after.
2014 - The Boost tech gets some real world testing
The Boost technology was proven effective in the real world when runner Dennis Kimetto ran the 2014 Berlin marathon in 2 hours, 2 minutes, and 57 seconds with the adizero Adios Boost. That was 26 seconds faster than the previous world record.
Adidas also launches the Pure Boost, the first shoe to feature an entirely Boost midsole.
2015 - The birth of the UltraBoost (and the Puma NRGY)
Remember Puma? Two years after the Boost tech first made an appearance in an Adidas shoe, they launched their own version called NRGY.
Working with a different chemical company, Puma was able to completely develop their own “Boost-like” material for use in their own shoes. A legal battle would ensue between the two brands over the ownership of the technology which would eventually end in a stalemate as the courts would eventually allow both brands to sell their own versions.
Amidst the controversy, Adidas unveiled their newest Boost powered sneaker — the UltraBoost. Designed with technology that NASA used to test the structure of space shuttles, the UltraBoost was launched in January 2015 which utilized a Primeknit upper and a separate lace cage to go along with the full length Boost sole.
Adidas quickly doubled down on the launch and announced the UltraBoost collective in February of the same year which brought together five designers including Stella McCartney, Kris Van Assche, and Junichi Abe to create a handful of unique UltraBoost colorways.
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And if those names don’t ring a bell, then this one might: Kanye West. The polarizing rapper started wearing UltraBoosts and the appearance of the Triple White colorway on Yeezy’s feet during a Billboard Music Awards performance cemented its place near the top of the sneaker heirarchy.
2016 - The UltraBoost continues to shine
2016 saw two massive changes to the UltraBoost silhouette, namely the arrival of the Uncaged variant which removes the separate lace cage and the introduction of the colored Boost midsoles with the Triple Black colorway.
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This year also saw some of the best UltraBoost collabs we’ve seen such as the UltraBoost Uncaged solebox, Kith’s UltraBoost White F&F, and Parley’s UltraBoost Uncaged For The Oceans.
2019 to the present - Continued evolution
Adidas kept on innovating the UltraBoost throughout the years and had released the fourth generation of the sneaker line by late 2017. But it was only in 2019 where an almost complete redesign of the original silhouette was seen in stores.
The UltraBoost 19 (and currently the 20) is probably the best iteration we’ve seen of the UltraBoost and features a ton of upgrades over the OG version which includes a new 3D printed heel frame, better material for the lace cage, and more Boost material in the midsole.
Though Nike is still the number one shoe brand in the world, Adidas is slowly narrowing the gap with the help of the Boost technology. Ever since Adidas launched the UltraBoost in 2015, the shoemaker has averaged an annual growth rate of 11.3% in revenues versus Nike’s 6.5%.. The UltraBoost continues to be one of the most sought after lifestyle sneakers in the market with the most covetable releases fetching up to P200,000.
And with its unique tech and sleek silhouette, the UltraBoost will continue to be seen on people’s feet for years to come.
Source: Spin PH
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