Adidas Response 3MC ADV Review

Hello and welcome to my Adidas Response 3MC ADV review.

In this review I will take a look at the Response as all-mountain snowboard boots.

As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the Response a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how they compare with other all-mountain boots.

NOTE: The 2022 model was the last model of this boot, so, naturally, this review has not been updated beyond the 2022 model. 

Overall Rating

Boots: Adidas Response 3MC ADV

Price: $320 (USD recommended retail)

Style: All-Mountain 

Flex Rating: Medium

Flex Feel: Medium (6/10)

Rating Score: 90.2/100

Compared to other All-Mountain Boots

Out of the 35 all-mountain boots that I rated:

Who are the Response ADV Most Suited to?

The Response are best matched with 4/10 to 6/10 flexing boards, IMO. 

They're also good if you have a quiver of boards and only want one pair of boots - something with that in between response and of course for those who like the Boa system, particularly those who likes their two boa's to tighten completely independent areas of the boot (complete separation between upper and lower boot). 

And also for those who want a boot that's comfortable from day 1 and either want or need a boot that's really low profile. I find that I fit in Adidas in 1/2 size smaller than my typical boot, so that adds even more to how small a footprint you can go. Really handy for those who are in 10.5s or 11s and are on the cuff of regular and wide boards. 

Board Demoed With: YES Greats 2019

Bindings Demoed With: Burton Malavita 2019

Outersole Length:  29.7cm (mondo 27.5cm)

Difference between Mondo & Outersole: 2.2cm

Backstay Height: 28.5cm

Weight: 1080 grams*

* Average of a sample of boots I weighed was 1006 grams, so a bit heavier than the average, but not overly heavy. Heaviest were 1320 grams and lightest were 740 grams. 

Flex

I was using Tactical ADVs as my control boots, before riding these and the Response feel exactly the same flex as them. They're just that little bit on the stiffer side of boots I would consider 5/10, but certainly not as stiff as those that are mid-stiff, like 7/10, so 6/10 is bang on, by my feel. 

Fit

Width: I don't have wide or narrow feet, they're right in the middle, but I could feel plenty of room around the widest part of my foot. I wouldn't say they were ultra wide, but certainly wider than the average boot. 

True to Size?: My "typical" size is a 10. But some boots I'm a 9.5 and some a 10.5. For Adidas boots, I'm squarely in the 9.5 camp. So I would say these boots fit large - as in go 1/2 size down from what you would typically wear. 

High or Low Arch: The boots were snug on the tops of my feet, but no real pressure or pain and that eased even further after riding. 

I didn't feel the need to heat mold these boots as they fit well right out of the box. Good firm overall fit but with no pressure points or pain.  

Responsiveness

They felt almost identical to ride as the Tactical ADV when it came to carving and maneuverability at slow speeds. A really good balance between being easy to ride at slower speeds, but still being able to lean into a deep carve.

They're not carving monsters, like a stiff pair of boots might be, but strike that balance that you're looking for from a mid flex boot of being forgiving enough and being able to ride slow and casual or being able to lay into more aggressive carves and handle higher speed carves well too. 

Heel Hold

Really good heel hold. Heel hold comes down to a few things including the shape and size of your ankles and heels, how well the boot does to specifically address heel lift and how well the boot fits you. 

In my case the boots fit really well, which helps for sure. I do sometimes get heel lift issues and don't have the biggest ankles/heels, but in this case there was very minimal heel lift. 

Adjustability

The double BOA on these boots both work on the outersole and each BOA is completely independent. The side BOA operates the cables that tighten the lower portion of the boot and the BOA on the front of the tongue operates the cables that tighten the upper portion of the boot. There's no overlap, so that helps to get complete separation for customizing your fit. 

On the liner there is velcro on the sides of the top of the liner as well as a standard liner lacing harness, that predominantly works around the ankle. The Velcro seems to work well and helps to keep the liner tightened. To re-tightened the liner harness, you have to open up the boot of course, but all-round these are boots that have good adjustability. 

Let’s Break up this text with a Video

Comfort

I found these boots comfortable right from the first run. They felt comfortable from the first time I tried them on. Usually I heat mold but didn't feel the need in these boots. They had a nice firm, snug feel but with no pressure or discomfort, which was perfect. 

Shock Absorption

This is one area where they're not quite as good as their close relative, the Tactical ADV, but the Tactical ADV are like the most shock absorbing boots I've tried, so it's a bit of an unfair comparison. These still absorb shock really well. 

Board Feel

Where they do outdo the Tactical ADV is in board feel. It's a subtle difference, but they do have a little more board feel than the Tactical ADV and overall pretty good board feel. 

Traction

They've got a pretty high quality sole on them with medium tred depth and a good variety in tred patterns. I had some pretty icy conditions on the day and they seemed to grip pretty well. Not going to be like super hikers, but can definitely handle a bit of hiking and grip pretty well in an icy car park. 

Reduced Footprint

Not quite as reduced as the Tactical ADV (at least not the ones I've measured) but still lower profile than a majority of other boots out there. And the fact that I can fit in a 9.5, rather than a 10, makes my footprint even more reduced. If it's the same for you, then these can really help reduce overhang and could allow you to get on a narrower board. 

Entry/Exit

Sometimes I find boots are really hard to get on, but then they're too tight. Others are hard to get on to a point where I feel like they're going to be too tight but end up a great fit. And then there are those that come on and off really easily but are too big.

I found these really easy to get my feet in and out of - but once they were in they were a snug fit. Which is pretty rare and nice. This is a really small thing, but a nice bonus. 

The BOAs, as BOAs are, are really easy to work with and the inner lacing harness and the velcro sides are easy to work with too. Of course, there are a couple more steps with having that velcro and two boas versus one. But all those things are worth the very small amount of extra time to get a better more customized fit. 

All round just a very good boot with basically no weaknesses. They felt pretty much like a Tactical ADV but with less shock absorption and a little more board feel. 

Great option for versatile riders with a mid flexing board.