adidas Barricade 2015 Boost Men's Shoe Review

Comfort - Score: 4.7

Our playtesters found the Barricade 2015 Boost to be extremely comfortable, and the introduction of adidas' Boost technology under the heel added noticeable cushioning and responsiveness. Chris was already a big fan of the original Barricade 2015 and liked the Boost version even more! He raved, "I loved the fit, feel and comfort of these shoes. I found the same increased upper comfort and faster break-in I had in the Barricade 2015, but the Boost cushioning took the overall comfort to another level. I've not played in any other shoes that offered this much of a cushioned feel yet still felt fast and responsive. The comfort level of versions 6 through 8+ left a lot to be desired, so this was a huge step forward for the Barricade line for me. With these shoes, everything was spot on for me in regards to comfort. They felt super cushioned on tough landings, yet I could still feel the court so I felt connected to what was going on. There was just enough venting to keep my feet cool, and the arch support was perfect. Top marks from me here."

Andy had a similarly glowing opinion of the Barricade Boosts. He shared, "Just like the regular Barricade 2015s, I was impressed with how ready to go these shoes are right out of box considering how long it's taken to break in Barricades in the past. The uppers are soft, and my feet sit naturally within the newly designed Barricade chassis. Oh yeah, and how about that Boost?! The cushioning and energy return underfoot (specifically under the heel) has been taken to a whole new level. There's no sting from harsh landings and the shoes are noticeably more responsive. The ample support through the arch provides relief for ailing backs and knees. Ventilation is good, but not quite as good as the adizero Ubersonic."

Marco enjoyed the snug fit and plush cushioning of these shoes. He said, "The Boost technology was noticeable every time I planted my feet -- a nice, plush feel in the heel to cushion my landings. The fit was snug, but there was a little bit of room in the forefoot that helped the shoes vent. There was good cushioning in the heel that extended throughout the midfoot and really cinched up to lock my foot in when the laces were tied."

Foot Support/Stability - Score: 4.8

In typical Barricade fashion, the Barricade 2015 Boost offered exceptional support and stability for our testers when they were moving aggressively around the court. "I didn't have any issues with support or stability," Marco exclaimed. "I always felt as though these shoes provided the rigidity to keep my feet from twisting or turning. The sturdy outsole and TPU lining around the heel and lateral side gave me the confidence to really take sharp and hard directional changes, while still feeling ample stability."

"It doesn't get better than a Barricade when it comes to support and stability," Andy praised. "My feet rest comfortably and securely within the Barricade chassis, and I felt totally protected moving at top speeds and making aggressive lateral cuts on the hard courts. I felt totally locked in even when going for an aggressive hard court slide out to a wide shot on the baseline. Nearly top marks here!"

Given his long history with previous versions of the Barricade, it came as no surprise that Chris was totally satisfied here. He once again raved, "I have always been a huge fan of the support and stability Barricade shoes offer, and that trend continued here. I felt very locked in when moving aggressively around the court in these shoes. These shoes held my feet very well when I was moving side to side and when I was coming to a fast stop. The support further improved the comfort since my feet weren't sliding around inside the shoes, and it reduced any rubbing to a bare minimum. On the stability front, these shoes feature a solid midfoot shank and a stiff chassis to prevent any undue twisting. Again, another perfect score from me."

Durability - Score: 4.6

Even though they may not be quite as durable as past iterations, the Barricade 2015 Boost shoes proved to be some of the most durable shoes you can buy. "Once again, it doesn't get much better than a Barricade when it comes to durability," Andy praised. "These shoes held up extremely well throughout the entire course of the playtest. The outsoles show very few signs of wear and have tons of life left in them, even after 20 tough hours on the court. The medial protection for players who slide is also very good -- there are signs of wear, but nothing that's going to affect the performance of the shoes. While they may not be quite as durable as past Barricades, they are still going to be among the most durable shoes on the market today."

Echoing Andy's sentiments, Chris shared, "As I found in the Barricade 2015 we tested earlier, the level of durability was very good, but not quite as durable as the 8+. These shoes feel lighter and move better on court (less clunky), and it felt like the outsoles were thinner. These are still some of the most durable shoes one can buy, but they're a slight step down compared to previous versions."

Marco was also very impressed by how well these shoes held up over the course of the test. He raved, "I was pretty hard on these shoes and wore them extensively in match play and training drills, and they didn't show much damage at all on the outsole. The toe area, where I'll usually see some scrape marks from when I drag it on slices, showed no damage at all."

Traction - Score: 4.6

All of our testers were very pleased with the amount of traction the Barricade 2015 Boost offered. Marco noticed (and appreciated) that the lateral outrigger gave him even more security for his side-to-side movements. He explained, "There was a good mixture of grip and give, with the full herringbone sole pattern providing good traction on various surfaces. I like the way the sole extends out a little bit on the lateral side at the base of my small toes; it created a little more surface area that provided even more traction."

"The level of traction was perfect," Chris exclaimed. "I found all the grip needed to push off aggressively. When coming to a stop the shoes had enough give to allow me to ease out of a quick stop with a slight slide. I liked how the blend of grip and give allowed me to move at top speed without fear of slipping or stressing my knees and ankles too much."

Andy found a near perfect blend of grip and give from the outsole. He praised, "These shoes offer a slightly stickier outsole that grabs the court extremely well. However, there was enough give to allow me to go for aggressive hard court slides without fear of sticking to the court and toppling over. I've always thought that adidas has done a great job with the rubber compound of the outsole and how it relates to traction, and this version of the Barricade confirms my opinion."

Weight - Score: 4.1

Although they feel lighter and faster than previous versions, our playtesters still consider the Barricade 2015 Boost to be on the heavier side of the performance tennis shoe spectrum. "To start, these are much lighter and faster than previous Barricades," Andy noted. "I felt very connected to my movement, and in no way did I feel hampered by the weight of these shoes on court. However, they're still Barricades, so they're still going to be on the bulkier side. The weight is improved over previous versions in this category, but I would still consider them one of the more substantial performance shoes on the market."

Even though he usually opts for lighter shoes, Marco grew comfortable with the heft of these shoes as the test wore on. He shared, "I do prefer lighter and faster shoes, so these shoes felt a little heavy and slightly clunky at times. The exceptional durability is a good trade-off, and after the first couple of hits I wasn't noticing the weight as much."

Chris felt extremely comfortable with the weight of the Barricade 2015 Boosts and never felt like they slowed him down on court. He said, "I actually felt faster in the Boosts than I did in the regular Barricade 2015. While the glove-like fit is the same, I felt like I was getting better response from the Boost cushioning. The improved cushioning, traction, fit and fast transition from heel to toe had me moving as fast as I could."

Overall - Score: 4.6