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The Ultraboost19 will encourage both runners and subtle style statements, writes Veer Arjun Singh.
Adidas officially dropped the much-hyped Ultraboost 19 on February 21.
It was one of those rare launches that had runners and sneakerheads equally psyched.
But the UB19 is built with a clear preference in mind.
American model and Adidas brand ambassador Kendall Jenner was among the first to be seen in the pair.
She wore them with a pair of plain blue jeans and a white tank top, leisurely soaking up some sunshine at a park.
Anybody who follows her would know that such simplicity is quite unusual for her.
Then again, it's an unusual pair of shoes.
The rest of the celebrity endorsements are drowned in a sea of posts by fitness junkies running, jumping, dancing, sleeping and basically living in them.
The thousands of runners that Adidas says it worked with to create the UB19 are leading the promotion, and with good reason.
The Ultraboost 19 has one of the most understated designs for a launch of this magnitude.
It could be because Adidas says it wanted to build the world's best running shoe.
So it deconstructed the 17 parts of the last version of the Ultraboost, the 4.0, and built a new shoe from ground up focusing on just four essential parts.
First is the Boost midsole, which has proven its mettle on the track as excellently responsive footwear tech.
The company says the UB19 packs in 20 per cent more Boost than its predecessor.
Ultraboost was never the lightest running shoe, but a visibly chunkier Boost midsole at the same weight should feel like an achievement.
The second is that the UB19 takes Adidas' PrimeKnit a step forward.
The PrimeKnit 360 upper is also a single-piece knit but one that takes the shape of your foot.
In effect, it feels like wearing a pair of thick socks.
It's characteristic of a good running shoe to lock the foot and give it space at the same time.
The PrimeKnit 360 holds the foot down to sync with the midsole, but you can also wiggle your toes with ease.
It's a wonderful balance of comfort, flexibility and protection, especially great for distance runners.
It does, however, take some time to get used to a shoe that wraps around your foot that snugly.
I wore the UB19 for quick sprints on grass, casual night runs on pavement and 5K runs on the road, where I struggled to control my pace (I was running faster than I intended).
If you're landing right -- somewhere on the top half of your foot -- the UB19 propels you forward like no other shoe, which brings me to the shoe's third essential component: the torsion spring.
It's even more flexible than the Adidas Solar Boost, provides great overall stability and also increases the energy return.
The last piece of tech is the heel cup, which has been stripped to just a frame.
It's attractive, minimalistic and ideal for quick turns.
While the PrimeKnit 360 expands with your foot on landing, the frame supports the heel.
The UB19 is not that dapper sneaker that would accentuate even the drabbest look.
While the 'Dark Pixel' (black over multicolour), the 'Oreo' (black over white), the 'Bat Orchid' (Pink over black) and the 'Clear Brown' (black over brown) are versatile, the colourways that are heavy on white are to be carefully paired.
They look the best with running shorts and tights.
But a note of caution: even scrubbing won't help after a few careless runs.
There was always a risk recoding a pair that is loved all over the world for both its design and performance.
But the Ultraboost 4.0 had slipped into the dangerous territory of lifestyle sneakers and Adidas wanted to reclaim the top spot in running.
And it believes it has.
For a price of Rs 16,999, the UB19 is a waste of money for just strolling about.
It's a pure performance shoe.
Not your everyday sneakers, it's more like that secret weapon that you might want to gear up in when the clock starts ticking.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Kendall Jenner/Twitter
