Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 112, November 2018 | Page 36

TRIED & TESTED
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Shoes
When I heard about the adidas
UltraBoost Parley, I immediately asked
the team at adidas for a sample pair to
wear-test, because as anybody who reads
this mag knows, I am passionate about the
environment. Now I feel even better about
my running when I lace up.
– BY SEAN FALCONER
I think it’s fantastic what the recycling engineers can
now achieve, because 95% of the UltraBoost Parley’s
Primeknit textile mesh upper is constructed with thread
made from recycled plastic bottles, and they’ve also
incorporated recycled plastic into the shoe’s laces, heel
webbing, heel lining, and sock liner covers, as well as
recycled rubber in the outsole. Adidas says that it takes
11 plastic bottles to make each pair, and the company
has set itself the goal of producing six million Parley
pairs by the end of 2018, which would mean 66 million
plastic bottles removed from the oceans!
COMFORT & PERFORMANCE
I absolutely love the concept behind these shoes, but
the big question was how would they feel on the run?
With recycled plastic thread in the upper, would it
feel different to other shoes, and would the upper be
harder and less flexible than other nylon threads? The
good news is not at all. In fact, I am positive that if
you gave this shoe to somebody who didn’t know the
back-story, they would be none the wiser about the
upper material. That said, the upper did feel a bit tight
around my forefoot at first, especially around my little
toe and just behind my big toe, but more good news
is that the upper soon stretches out just enough to
take the shape of your foot comfortably.
The adidas UltraBOOST Parley is available
online and in selected stores, retailing at
R2999. For more information and to place
orders, please visit adidas.co.za.
36
The other noticeable feature of the upper is the
high back heel lip, which some runners have found
uncomfortable, especially if wearing hidden socks, but
I didn’t have any problems here, probably because
the hidden socks I prefer have their own cushioned
ISSUE 112 NOVEMBER 2018 / www.modernathlete.co.za
lip in that same area. Instead, the extended upper
just increased the snug fit of the upper and really
gripped my Achilles securely. On the other hand, a
great feature of the design is the Fitcounter heel – the
moulded plastic support structure that cups the heel –
with its cut-away Achilles area allowing the foot some
movement and extra comfort. In short, my feet loved
these shoes.
Now, I’m a massive fan of the Boost technology in
the midsole – I have run in several Boost shoes since
adidas unveiled this energy-return foam rubber about
four or five years ago – and this shoe is as cushioned,
responsive and bouncy as other adidas models I
have worn and loved running in. This model has a
10mm heel drop and is meant for runners with neutral
biomechanics, even though there is a small stabilising
plastic torsion shank running from the inner heel area
to the centre of the midfoot. The size of this shank
is not going to stop heavy over-pronation, but it will
provide extra support to a neutral foot as you become
fatigued in longer runs.
This is a fairly lightweight model, so you could easily
use it as a racing shoe, but I have found it wears well
on longer runs. I also found the Stretchweb outsole
flexes well, but still provides solid grip on the road.
And just to round it all off, I happen to think this one
good-looking shoe!
STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
Now back to the trash problem. Each year another
eight million tons of plastic ends up in the oceans,
and it is estimated that there are now over 5.25
trillion pieces of plastic clogging our oceans. Bigger
pieces of plastic are routinely swallowed by animals
and birds, who either die or face a range of health
problems, and as the plastic slowly breaks down into
smaller pieces, it leaches toxic chemicals into the
water and is ingested by organisms up and down the
food chain. So, the Parley range of products may only
be making a small dent in the problem, but it is still a
brilliant step in the right direction. For that alone I love
these shoes, but they are great to run in as well, and
well worth trying out.
Y
ou see, adidas and the environmental
organisation Parley for the Oceans are
collaborating on the adidas Parley line of
products that strive to address the threat of plastic
pollution to our oceans. These products are therefore
produced using thread and other materials actually
made from recycled plastic ocean debris fished
out of the seas around the Maldive Islands in the
Indian Ocean, and the range includes the soccer
kits of major clubs Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and
Manchester United, as well as running shoes such as
the UltraBoost Parley.