First Impression: The adidas Crazy Light Boost

Check out an on-court take of the adidas Crazy Light Boost.

words // Zac Dubasik

Sunday afternoon, following adidas’ launch of Boost in basketball, with the D Rose 5, and Crazy Light Boost, and the chance to learn more about each, media were able to run a few games in the latter sneaker, along with the help of some of adidas’ top athletes.

The run was held on a full court which was set up on the floor of the MGM Grand Garden Arena – a venue best known as the home to many of the boxing and MMA events held in Las Vegas. Teams of three took turns facing, and typically losing, to the adidas teams of Tim Hardaway Jr., Jrue Holiday and Marcus Smart on one end, and Aaron Afflalo, Joakim Noah and Jeff Teague on the other.

While we typically play in a shoe for weeks prior to reviewing them, we wanted to give you some first impressions on how the Crazy Light Boost held up on the hardwood. There’s a look at five specific areas of the shoe, along with my overall impressions from the first run.

Weight: 

The numbers don’t lie. The newest Crazy Light is, in fact, the heaviest Crazy Light ever. While that may seem counterintuitive (and maybe it is, based on the shoe’s name), it’s not necessarily a bad thing, thanks to the balance adidas has struck between support and weight. It doesn’t have the shockingly light feel that the original gave me the first time I tried it on, but it certainly isn’t heavy. Thanks to its smooth transition, the shoe plays even lighter than it’s 11.6 ounces would imply.

Cushioning:

Boost is the name of the game when it comes to the newest shoe in the Crazy Light line. Unfortunately though, it’s limited to the heel, where it functions primarily as a crash pad. And at that, it does its job. There’s a very perceivable energy and elasticity to it. Unfortunately, the shoe’s forefoot, where I really want that feeling, is firm in comparison, with standard foam holding down the cushioning there. While I do expect it to soften after a few more runs, it just doesn’t have the responsiveness or energy return of the heel Boost.

Traction:

I still judge all traction based on the benchmark set by the original Crazy Light, which is probably my favorite traction in any hoops shoe. The Crazy Light Boost doesn’t match the original, but it may be the closest a shoe has come since. To be fair though, the hardwood floor of the MGM Garden Arena that we played on during the launch was in pristine condition, so this is subject to change under real-world court conditions.

Cut:

At a time when low-tops took over the hoops world, the Crazy Light took its cut in the opposite direction. While it managed to never be restrictive, the Crazy Light’s height has never offered that wider range of motion that can be found on something lower. The offset collar of the Crazy Light Boost offers the biggest departure from its predecessors, swooping down to almost a true low cut in the heel, the rising towards the tongue. I found the cut to give an outstanding support, to range-of-motion ratio, and was probably my favorite element of the entire shoe.

Fit and Comfort:

The mesh upper of the Crazy Light Boost, which has been reinforced with adidas’ new ShockWeb overlays, offered excellent fit, and allowed for unrestricted flexibility. It also felt supportive enough for even bigger players. The tongue however, despite having a protective later of GEOFIT padding at the top, was way too thin through its four-way stretch TECHFIT bootie. It felt great when sliding my foot in, but offered zero protection from lace pressure when fully tied. I have a high instep though, so you may not have the same issues, depending on your foot. It wasn’t a deal-breaker even for me, but it did present comfort issues.

Overall:

I found a lot to like during my first run in the Crazy Light Boost. Thanks to the cut and traction, the shoe has an exceptionally fast feel. I’m looking forward to seeing how the forefoot cushioning breaks in, as well as to how the traction holds up on more typical gyms. Be sure to check back for a full performance once I’ve had the chance to play in the shoe more extensively in the weeks ahead.