Hello and welcome to my Adidas Tactical ADV review.
In this review I will take a look at the Tactical ADV as all-mountain snowboard boots.
As per tradition here at SnowboardingProfiles.com I will give the Tactical ADV a score out of 100 (based on several factors) and see how they compare with other all-mountain boots.
Overall Rating
Boots: Adidas Tactical ADV
Price: $350 (USD recommended retail)
Style: All-Mountain
Flex Rating: Medium (6/10)
Flex Feel: Medium (6/10)
Rating Score: 93.5/100
Compared to other All-Mountain Boots
Out of the 37 all-mountain boots that I rated:
Overview of the Tactical ADV’s Specs
Check out the tables for the Tactical ADV's specs and available sizes.
Specs
Style: | All-Mountain |
Price: | $350 |
Ability Level: |  |
Flex: |  |
Edge-to-edge: | Medium-Fast |
Weight: | Normal |
Lacing System: | Traditional Lacing |
Who are the Tactical ADV Most Suited to?
The Tactical ADV is a great option for anyone looking for a mid-flexing boot for a varied riding style. Even more suitable for anyone looking for something low profile. The Tactical ADV is the most low profile boot I've measured - and I found it fits half a size smaller, so you get an even shorter outersole on your boot to fit on narrower boards.
Not fully beginner friendly, but certainly anyone from low-intermediate and up.
The Tactical ADV in More Detail
O.k. let’s take a more detailed look at what the Tactical ADV are capable of.
Demo Info
Boots: Adidas Tactical ADV
Size: 9.5 (US Men's Sizing)
Date: February 7, 2020
Conditions: Mix of snow and rain, but snow for the most part all be it wet snow.
Had snowed overnight a little but nothing epic
Groomer was soft packed and mildly slushy in parts. Off groomer was very similar- soft but not deep fresh
Temperature was around 0 degrees. A bit of wind but only noticeable on lift
Bindings angles: +15/-15
Board Demoed With: Rossignol One LF 2018
Bindings Demoed With: Burton Malavita 2017
Outersole Length: 29.3cm (mondo 27.5cm)
Difference between Mondo & Outersole: 1.8cm (the lowest I've measured of any other boot - except the Adidas Acerra, which I measured at a mere 1.5cm more on the outersole vs the mondo.
Backstay Height: 28.5cm
Weight: 1080 grams*
* Average of a sample of boots I weighed was 1006 grams, so a just a little heavier than the average, but pretty close to average. Heaviest were 1320 grams and lightest were 740 grams.
Fit
Width: Like most Adidas boots, the Tactical ADV have a wide toe box. I don't have wide feet but I've heard from a lot of wide footed riders that these are great for wide feet. But even without wide feet, they fit really well, so not an issue for non-wide footers. Overall plenty of wiggle room for toes (length, width and on top), without being loose.
True to Size?: The Tactical ADVs run half a size large for me. So, that means, if you usually ride a 10, then this works best in a 9.5. i.e. going for a half size down than what you'd normally ride in. So, already being low profile, this makes them even smaller - so if you're looking to get on a narrower board and want boots that allow that, these are pretty much the best option by a good margin, IMO.
High or Low Arch: Felt about average to me. I have a flat left foot, and a normal to low arched right foot. I had no issues with the top of my right foot in this boot.
Responsiveness
Nice and responsive for their flex. I found I had the perfect snug but comfortable fit in the 9.5, with good heel hold. All of which helped with the response. But at around that 6/10 flex, they strike a really good balance between being easy to maneuver at slower speeds, but still being able to get quite deep on carves at speed.
Heel Hold
The heel hold was actually pretty decent - better than a lot of traditional laced boots I've tested. This of course comes somewhat down to getting the right fit, but with the right size/fit, they have good heel hold.
Adjustability
Being traditional lace, you have a lot of control over adjusting different sections of the boot independently. So good adjustability in that sense. There isn't anything extra (like heel hold kits, tongue stiffeners, or like an internal boa that allows you to adjust the liner on the fly) - just the laces, plus standard internal lacing and velcro on the sides of the top of the liner - but it works well and just having that trad lacing gives you plenty of adjustability.
Let’s Break up this text with a Video
Comfort
If found these boots super comfortable from the moment I put them on. After heat molding things got even more comfortable. They provided a really snug feeling, with no pressure points, no cramping - just the perfect fit and nice and comfortable from the start.
Shock Absorption
This is the best boot I've ridden in terms of shock absorption. Adidas use their boost technology on these and they stand out above every other boot I've tested, and there is a good range in shock absorption in boots - so it's no mean feat to be the best here.
Board Feel
Given all that shock absorption, I thought he board feel would be worse. It's not the ultimate in board feel for sure, but it's not terrible either. I would say 3.5/5.
Traction
These boots have decent traction without being anything epic.
Reduced Footprint
The best in the business, IMO. They fit best half a size down, which helps straight away, but on top of that they're the lowest profile boot I've measured (along with the Adidas Acerra). It's basically like going from riding a size 10 boot, to riding a boot with the outersole of the average 8.5. So you really can go narrower. It was very obvious strapping in, even without measuring, that these boots were heavily reduced in outersole footprint.
Entry/Exit
Not the easiest to get in and out of, just in terms of the traditional lacing, but was easy enough getting the foot in and out of - just that there's the extra time to do the laces vs something like Boa or Speed Lace. But not a big factor, IMO, espcially when everything else is so good.
Score Breakdown and Final Verdict
Check out the breakdown of the score in the table below.
RATING | Contribution to Final Score | |
|---|---|---|
RESPONSE | 4.0 | 20/25 |
HEEL HOLD | 4.0 | 12/15 |
ADJUSTABILITY | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
COMFORT | 4.5 | 13.5/15 |
SHOCK ABSORPTION | 5.0 | 15/15 |
TRACTION | 3.5 | 7/10 |
REDUCED FOOTPRINT | 5.0 | 5/5 |
TOTAL after normalizing | 93.5/100 |
The Tactical ADVs are probably the best boot I've ridden. Certainly the best mid-flexing boot. If you're looking for something mid-flexing with great comfort, next level shock absorption and need a boot that's low profile, the Tactical ADV should be high on your list.
More Info, Current Prices and Where to Buy Online
If you’re interested in learning more about the Tactical ADV, are ready to buy or want to research current prices and sizing availability, check out the links below.
If you want to see how the Tactical ADV compared to other all-mountain boots, or want to check out some other options, check out the link below.
there is something I don’t understand or what is written is wrong.
You tried Size: 10 (US Men’s Sizing), then you write; Outersole Length: 29.3cm (mondo 27.5cm).
Mondo 27.5 (ADIDAS boots would be 27.6) correspond 10.5 US on the Adidas size conversion chart.
Hi J.p
My apologies, I had the US10 wrong. It should be US9.5. I have corrected that now. 27.5 Mondo corresponds to men’s US9.5 or women’s US10.5.
Hello Friend
I don’t want to make a useless controversy but what you write is incorrect.
the label of my adidas tactical boots says US11- FR45 1/3 CHN 280
therefore 10.5 corresponds to 27.6
On the official adidas website (snowboard boots page) the following table is placed; 27.6cm – US man 10.5 – US woman 11.5, UK 10, EU 44 2/3.
I have noticed that some popular internet retailers have wrong tables
Hi J.p
I see where you’re coming from there now, in terms of the Adidas website. It’s a little confusing, because it’s not stated as Mondo. Mondo is pretty much always the same conversion to US size, so I’m not sure why they’ve done it that way. But I get where you’re getting that from now. But I still don’t see it as that useful in that sense, because I have 27.3cm left foot, which according to their sizing, would put me in a 10.5. A 10.5 would be way too big for me. The 9.5 fits perfectly and actually has plenty of room.
But yeah, if you correspond a 10.5 to 27.6cm, then the outersole would be more like 30.3 on that and then you could argue that the outersole is actually 2.7cm longer (which is still pretty low profile). But it’s not that useful in reality if the 10.5 isn’t actually a good fit for someone with a 27.6cm foot.
Definitely get where you’re coming from now and not sure why Adidas do their Mondo (or “heel to toe”) conversion into sizing differently to every single other brand, it’s kind of weird. But in reality they’re “mondo” of 26.7cm in a US9.5 doesn’t represent reality, IMO.
Hi! I have a mondo of 27.6 and I have a very thin board of 24.6. I looking for some boots with medium flex and very low profile so this modes looks like fit perfectly. According my mondo should I go for a 9.5US? (unfortunately I can’t test them by my own because Adidas do not sell snowboard boots in my country).
Thank you very much!
Cheers
Hi Marcelo
Thanks for your message.
These are very low profile, so a good choice, IMO. I would say you’ll probably fit best in the US9.5. Hard to say for sure without trying them on, but I think that’s the most likely fit for in the Tactical ADV with a 27.6cm mondo. For most brands I would say you’re more likely to be in a US10, but the Tactical ADV typically fits a half size less (technically making them even more low profile!).
Hope this helps
Thank you Nat!
Awesome review and also very satisfying with your answer!
Did you test Adidas Lexicon? Does it have the same difference between Mondo and Outersole as Tactical ADV?
Thank you very much!
Regards
Hi Marcelo
Haven’t tested the Tactical Lexicon but I would be surprised if it was much difference in terms of how low profile it is, given how similar it is to the Tactical ADV. And Adidas boots in general tend to be low profile. From what I’ve measured the Tactical ADV and Acerra are the most low profile, but the others are all really low profile too – and the Lexicon being so similar to the Tactical ADV, I would say it’s close or the same as the Tactical ADV
Hi Nate,
reading our website looking for advice on purchase new pair of boots. My mondopoint is 28 (still want to double check in shop) US 10. I guess I say I’m a low to mid intermediate level, only started snowboarding last winter but manage after 1 week manage to do S turn easily and spend most of my times going red slopes as they were the more fun than the blue ones.
Moving to a town with an indoor slope so I’m planning snowboarding every week for the next months.
After reading a lot I made this short list:
Ride Fuse
Vans Infused
Adidas tactical adv
I want to try them on in the shop first of course but nevertheless what is our opinion, which should focus on?
Hi tavaruapt
Thanks for your message.
Certainly if you feel like you’re ready to go to a 6/10 flex (and for boots you can go stiffer sooner than for board/bindings, IMO), then the Tactical ADV and Infuse are good options flex-wise. The Fuse are a little stiffer and maybe a little too stiff, particularly if you’re going to be riding indoors a lot. So in that sense, I would be leaning more Tactical ADV or Infused. Good that you’ll be trying on in store as you’ll be able to get a feel. I would go with the one that fits best for your feet.
Note that the Tactical ADV will probably fit best 1/2 size smaller than the Infuse. Adidas boots tend to fit that way. I would suspect, with mondo 28 (and yeah I agree, get that confirmed in store), that you’ll likely fit the Infused best in a 10.5 and the Tactical ADV in a 10. But still try on multiple sizes, to see which feels best.
Hope this helps
Hi Nate,
My left foot is 269mm and right is 268mm that makes me a Mondopoint of 27 (US 9)
with my width up to 101/102mm – an ‘E’ width.
I’ve tried (barefoot) 2 adidas regular shoes at US9.5 (and push my feet all the way forward, i can slide my index finger (snugly) at my heel area. Do you recommend me getting this adidas tactical advs at US9 or US9.5?
Thank you!
Hi Daryl
Thanks for your message (I deleted your other response – each comment is moderated before being published, which is why you couldn’t see this message show up initially).
Hard to say for sure without trying on in person, but I can give you my experience and that might help.
I have a left foot 27.3cm and a right foot of 27cm. I usually ride 10s for snowboard boots. For most brands that’s what fits me best. For Adidas however, I find 1/2 a size down fits perfectly. So, for Adidas I ride a 9.5. Based on that I would predict that a US9 would be the best fit for your feet.
However, like I say it’s always hard to tell with feet. With all different shapes etc, it doesn’t always hold true just on length of foot. Also to note that I have regular (medium) width feet, so I don’t know if having wide feet will affect which size to go with. Adidas boots are wide in the toe box – certainly the Tactical ADV, so that’s in your favor with E width feet.
Hopefully that helps with your decision
Hi Nate
Have you had any experience with the thirty two tm 2 (Stevens)?
How would you compare them to the adidas tactical adv ?
Thank you
John
Hi John
Thanks for your message.
Yes, I’ve ridden the TM-TWO. I would say:
– TM-TWO is a little stiffer (7/10 by my feel)
– TM-TWO is about the same in terms of response
– TM-TWO has a little better heel hold
– Tactical ADV is more comfortable, IMO (though this is quite subjective when it comes to boots)
– Tactical ADV has better shock absorption, but the TM-TWO isn’t bad, just that the Tactical ADV is the best I’ve tried in that area
– Tactical ADV has a lower profile outersole. This may or may not come into play depending on your specs and your board etc
I prefer the Tactical ADV overall, but the TM-TWO are good boots too.
Hope this gives you more to go off