adidas D Rose 5 Boost Initial Impression

About a month ago, adidas Philippines launched the much awaited fifth installment to Derrick Rose’s signature line, the adidas D Rose 5 Boost.

First seen during the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, the adidas D Rose 5 Boost had been one of the most anticipated sneaker for the 2014-2015 NBA Season. 

It's the first basketball sneaker to feature full-length Boost, the revolutionary and game changing cushioning system from adidas. Boost first debuted in basketball with the the adidas Crazylight Boost, but in that model was limited to the heel section. Consumer feedback leaned towards disappointment, with complaints about the forefoot having so little to give. adidas, however, made up for the miscues in the Crazylight Boost by beefing up the D Rose 5’s forefoot section. Although it is the heaviest Rose shoe to date, it is the most technologically advanced of his signature line and of adidas’s basketball lineup (But OG PureMotion will still be hard to top) 

The first thing anyone will notice about the shoe is the Styrofoam-looking midsole, which is God’s gift to athletes and the world. Boost is adidas' game changing cushioning set up made up of molded Boost pellets that retain its normal properties better than any other material. It has created a cult following and has converted a lot of sneaker enthusiasts to adidas due to both the performance and comfort factors.

It has a synthetic upper supported with adidas’s SprintWeb underneath for lightweight support and breathability. I decided to go with the “Away” colorway because the upper was so unique and eye catching. The other available colorway, the “Brenda,” looked like crease magnets, and some of my friends validated this by telling me that their pairs had creases after several uses.

Loving the sandpaper look on the upper.

Another point that stands out is the EVA Fit Cage. Basically an extension of the midsole, the Fit Cage wraps around both the lateral and medial sides of the ankle area and works in tandem with the TPU heel cup to provide maximum lockdown.

The D Rose 5 fits true to size and is a wonder for wide-footers like me. I have, however, found some people who say they went down a size on these due to the extra room in the forefoot area. This in my opinion will be on a case-to-case basis and will really depend on the foot type. I recommend trying different sizes on before deciding on the size to buy. Overall, I find the fit much better on the Rose 5s compared to the 4s and 4.5s. As much as I loved the two earlier models, the 5s just fit better and are easier to slip into and lace up.

The outsole is divided into three sections, with the forefoot made up of a typical wave herringbone pattern with D Rose’s signature embossed. The translucent midfoot and heel areas have a square pattern that I find to provides more grip, probably a different rubber composite. Right underneath the outsole is an enlarged TPU plate, most likely an updated version of the famed TORSION® SYSTEM. The X-shaped plate found underneath bridges the forefoot and the heel, allowing them to work independently without straining the foot through excess motion. This results in excellent, smooth, heel-to-toe transitions.

One of the things I love most about the D Rose 5 Boost is the attention the designers put into the details. I want to say that for the first time, we actually got a signature shoe that deserves to be called a signature shoe. The attention to detail is just through the roof. Shoutouts to his mom Brenda and son PJ, along with the phrase “everybody eats” on the outsole—symbolizing his desire to uplift those in his neighborhood of Englewood—are just some of the myriad of personal touches found on the shoe.

Comparing the Boost on the Crazylight Boost and D Rose 5, I’d say the Boost on the Crazylight is less dense compared to the Rose 5’s. I say this since there’s more “give” or “sandwiching” when I press into the Crazylight’s Boost foam.

A back injury has been holding me back in getting some court time in these, but so far, initial wear testing has yielded great feedback. It really just provides all my needs in a basketball sneaker. The forefoot, I believe, needs some break-in time. I also noticed that the Boost foam used in the Rose 5 is stiffer compared to my daily beaters, the adidas Energy Boost 2 ESMs, which has about 2,500 individual Boost pellets, which makes me think that the D Rose 5s have a much denser Boost midsole. Now, this is only the second adidas basketball shoe with Boost, so I expect improvements and innovations in future Boost-equipped models. For now, only the right amount of breaking in and actual in-game situations can tell us the story and fully unleash the D Rose 5 Boost’s potential.

Overall, its sturdy build, on point comfort and cushioning makes it more than capable of catering to all playing positions. The adidas D Rose 5 Boost is definitely a sneaker every baller should look into.