8 Most Expensive Adidas Ultra Boost Sneakers
Initially released in 2015, the Ultra Boost became Adidas’ most innovative sneaker of the 21st century. The shoe features a technology called BOOST where a material called thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is attached to the shoe’s sole resulting in unparalleled comfort. Over the years, the Three Stripes has released hundreds of Ultra Boosts with most coming from collaborations with celebrities and fashion brands. As expected, these sneaker collaborations are expensive, with prices going up once they hit the resale market. Here the eight most expensive Adidas Ultra Boost sneakers ever sold:
1. Ultra Boost J&D Collective “Triple White” - $750
A cheap Ultra Boost costs around $180 and $240, and that is by no means a cheap shoe. But you’ll be surprised that the most affordable limited edition Ultra Boost costs $750, a price tag that is more than enough to burn a hole in anyone’s wallet. This limited release Ultra Boost comes with a “triple white” colorway and was designed by Adidas creative directors James Carnes and Dirk Schönberger. Collectors looking for this rare Adidas Ultra Boost can purchase the shoe at online reseller StockX for $750.
2. Wood Wood x Ultra Boost - $780
Adidas and Copenhagen-based fashion brand Wood Wood came together to release the Wood Wood x Ultra Boost 4.0 sneaker in 2019. The shoe is included in the Adidas Run City Pack wherein the sneaker company also collaborated with three other fashion brands. The Wood Wood collaboration comes with two colorways: cream and olive. The cream colorway combines a cream Primeknit upper with rust and white details while the olive colorway is composed of a predominant olive green with off-white and gold details. Both colorways feature Wood Wood branding stitched at the shoe’s upper.
3. Ultra Boost 1.0 Sneakersnstuff “Tee Time” - $1,200
This golf-inspired Ultra Boost is currently selling at StockX for around $1,200. Stockholm sneaker store Sneakersnstuff (SNS) released a limited pair of Ultra Boost shoes in early 2016 dubbed as “Tee Time” which comes with a simple yet striking black and white colorway. The Tee Time was packaged together with the more formal EQT Guidance 93 which adopts brogue-style details for its upper. Although not exactly golf shoes, both the Ultra Boost Tee Time and EQT Guidance 93 feature sleek designs that have become popular with golfers despite their limited releases. The shoes were only initially made available in SNS locations in Sweden, as well as their other stores across Europe and in the U.S.
4. Ultra Boost Uncaged Hypebeast - $1,400
Dropping during Hypebeast’s 10th anniversary in 2015, the Hypebeast and Ultra Boost collaboration features a black and grey upper with the traditional white heel counter. This Adidas Ultra Boost uncaged sneaker also comes with an NFC chip that connects users from their mobile device to the Adidas online store. The technology was first introduced by Adidas innovation specialist Jon Werner during the 2015 SXSW media and music festival.
5. Ultra Boost 1.0 Miami Hurricanes - $2,100
Since the Ultra Boost is essentially a training or running shoe, it makes sense for The three Stripes to partner with universities to produce customized sneakers for athletes. In 2016, Adidas exclusively released the Ultra Boost 1.0 Miami Hurricanes for athletes enrolled at the University of Miami. Although the sneaker represents the Miami Hurricanes, the school’s decorated five-time national champions, the shoe was given out to every athlete enrolled at the University of Miami. This Ultra Boost features the Hurricanes’ orange and green colors which are spread out across the shoe’s exterior.
Two years later, Adidas launched a general release for the Hurricanes in the form of the Ultra Boost 4.0. Since the Ultra Boost 4.0 Hurricanes were widely available, the value of the 1.0 only grew over time. The 1.0 Miami Hurricanes are currently selling at StockX for $2,100.
6. Ultra Boost 1.0 Arizona State Sun Devils - $2,100
Aside from the Ultra Boost 1.0 Miami Hurricanes, Adidas also released their popular runners for Arizona State University. The shoe features a burgundy and yellow colorway that represents the Arizona State Sun Devils. Despite being a general release, these expensive sneakers still commanded a $2,100 price tag on online reselling markets. A few months later, Adidas released another version of the Arizona State Ultra Boosts which features a white upper, yellow laces, and a burgundy heel counter.
7. Yeezy Boost 750 OG Light Brown - $2,600
Although it’s not exactly an Ultra Boost, this sneaker still comprises of the BOOST sole nonetheless. And with its $2,600 price tag, it’s only fitting that the Yeezy Boost 750 OG makes an appearance on this list. Released in 2016 in select stores, this iteration of the popular Kanye West sneaker features a brown colorway and glow-in-the-dark soles. The 750 is the follow-up to the highly successful Yeezy Boost 350, one of Adidas’ most iconic shoes of the 2010s and the shoe that commenced West’s successful partnership with Adidas.
8. Ultra Boost Uncaged “Parley for the Oceans” - $5,000
The Adidas Ultra Boost Uncaged “Parley for the Oceans” is the most expensive and probably the rarest Ultra Boost ever released. Parley for the Oceans is an environmental organization founded in 2012 which is mostly involved with the protection and restoration of the global aquatic ecosystem. The organization formed a partnership with Adidas and released the Parley for the Oceans Ultra Boost in summer 2016. Only a few pairs hit retail stores and were sold for a price of €180 ($220). The sneaker features a teal colorway and is comprised of wave-like designs for the entire upper and Parley branding at the heel counter.
The already-expensive retail price is a result of the shoe being made entirely of recycled materials. Nonetheless, since the shoe was sold in limited pairs, the price went up even further. Collectors and athletes are looking at a $5,000 price tag for this shoe on StockX, making it not just the most expensive Ultra Boost but also the most expensive running shoes ever released.
The popularity of the Ultra Boosts may have wound down in recent years, but it still remains a popular purchase among athletes and collectors. And as long as the Three Stripes continues to release exclusive collabs, expect people to pay over the odds for some limited edition Adidas sneakers.
