Peaking over the edge of the box, I noticed something out of place, the Adidas AlphaBounce running shoes.

Amazingly this relatively new runner found its way to the discounted shelves. Must be flawed I thought while pulling them from the box. Then I spied its price and label of “Worn and Refinished.” But at $45 (down from $110), I had to take a closer look.

I couldn’t see any major issues or any flaws. There was this dirt spot, but it easily cleaned up with water.

Talking to a Nordstrom Rack employee, the “worn and refinished” label is often given to shoes that are bought and returned to the upscale Nordstrom. But when returned, the shoe is out of season so instead of trying to sell the shoe there, it’s transferred to a discounted Rack location. It doesn’t necessarily mean the shoe was actually worn and refinished. So now, I’m an owner of a slightly large Adidas AlphaBounce HPC (reflective model) in black/utility black/white.

A few more pics.

I was somewhat surprised to find the new Adidas AlphaBOUNCE running shoes at Macy’s via Finish Line. But there they were in men’s and kids sizes.

The original zebra-ish colorway is still available in kids sizes.

I tried on my usual size 10 in this core black version, and these felt narrow. Only $100, these runners feature some new Adidas tech, but they can’t compete with the more expensive UltraBoost. 
The ForgedMesh is pliable, but I much rather prefer the give of PrimeKnit. There’s no tongue and is like a ?one-piece bootie.

The lacing is slightly asymmetric, but I couldn’t tell if that had any effect.

The Bounce is stiffer and heavier than Boost. Not sure if that translates to better or worse cushioning. For me, I’d need a stability version like the Ultra Boost ST. Arch support is essentially nonexistent, and I could feel my arches crashing inwards with every step. The shoe offered nothing in the midfoot to control my pronation.

So a little narrow, no arch support, and slightly heavier, I’m sticking with the $180 Ultra Boost.