‘Smart’ shoe with Ivy League price

The Adidas 1 is marketed as “the world’s first intelligent shoe,” and at $250, it should be a genius. Powered by a 3-volt battery, it uses a sensor, a microprocessor, and an electric motor that adjusts a cable in the heel to provide, Adidas says, an appropriate level of cushioning for whoever the runner and whatever the surface. (See the cross-section below for details.)

We had three staff members run in the Adidas 1 and in the normal-IQ Adidas Supernova Cushion, $85, built from the same shoe last and therefore with the same basic fit. Its cushioning comes via EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate), a commonly used material. Runners made a total of eight 4- to 5-mile runs on varied terrain, then scored each shoe’s fit, cushioning, and stability, and recorded pluses and minuses. We conducted lab tests of cushioning, measuring heel pressure in a shoe as panelists ran on a treadmill at varying speeds. We also lab-tested flexibility.

The bottom line: The Adidas 1 has above-average cushioning, flexibility, and stability, but so does its regular cousin. And you may still need to replace the shoe after about 500 miles (when cushioning becomes less effective), as with a typical running shoe. The Adidas 1 makes no claim about longevity. Among the Adidas 1’s drawbacks:

• It’s heavy: 15.3 ounces in men’s size 9, 3 ounces more than the regular Adidas.

• It lacks reflective trim, a safety feature for people who run outside at dusk or dawn.

• When we tested, it came in only one width, and in only men’s sizes (a women’s version was to be introduced this summer).

Be smart: Buy a dumber shoe. You’ll save more than $150.

the rubber meets the road

When the heel of the Adidas 1 hits the ground, a sensor ( 1 ) measures the distance and rate of compression from a magnet in the shoe’s outsole. A microprocessor ( 2 ) takes the sensor’s input and tells a motor ( 3 ) how to adjust the position of a lead screw ( 4 ) on a cable ( 5 ). With a harder impact, the screw tightens the cable to stiffen a piece of plastic in the midsole for stiffer cushioning; with a softer impact, the screw loosens the cable for softer cushioning. You can also push buttons ( 6 ) to make the midsole extra firm or extra soft.