adidas Terrex Agravic Trail shoes
Adidas continues betting strongly on trail running and a good example of this is the extensive range of shoes of this type in its catalogue. There are many models designed for the mountains under the name of Terrex, which defines this specific family which the adidas Terrex Agravic Trail that we tested belong to.
What’s the upper like?
The area that covers our foot in these adidas Terrex Agravic Trail is made of a mesh with a lot of reinforcements superimposed all over the shoe. These reinforcements are tightly sewn in ensuring that they do not come away from the main mesh.
Starting with the toe cap reinforcement to prevent us from hitting rocks, roots and other elements of nature with our toes. This reinforcement does not extend too much in the upper, it is a bit short and only protects the outer part of the toes. So you have to be careful with the bumps and possible breakage of the mesh.
The sides, both external and internal, are unchanged. It has the same structure, construction and composition as well as the same design in both areas of the shoe. A protection that goes from the junction with the midsole to the eyelets. It is worth mentioning that it has 6 eyelets per side. On these sides, the three characteristic stripes of the brand are embedded by heat-sealing.
Finally, the heel area is also very well protected thanks to the reinforcement that rises almost to the collar, increasing rigidity and avoiding torsion when running. The heel also has a fabric strap that makes it easier to remove the shoes after a few kilometres of use.
The word TERREX as well as the full adidas logo and the three stripes on both sides of the shoe are reflective.
A tongue sewn to the last eyelet, will allow us to tighten the laces without problems to obtain a better adjustment to our foot. A considerably thick and high tongue that will prevent small stones or dust from getting inside the boot.
Midsole characteristics
What technology is adidas using in their midsole technology? Surely the followers of this brand have thought about the Boost, right? The adidas Terrex Agravic Trail are not like that. This model in particular, like others of the brand, does not look for a great reactivity to run fast in the mountains, but rather for comfort, to take on outdoor adventures in a more relaxed way. So as not to tempt to run too much (that’s what the adidas Terrex Agravic is for), the midsole is made of EVA foam.
The EVA foam in the adidas Terrex Agravic Trail has a hardness that we found to be fairly intermediate. It is neither too hard nor too soft, an aspect that will surely provide us with great comfort during our outings.
It has a 7mm drop, with 17mm height in the toe and 24mm height in the heel. A more than acceptable drop for the type of user the adidas Terrex Agravic Trail is aimed at. As a special feature, the height figures of both parts of the shoe are indicated on the outer side of the shoe.
adidas Terrex Outsole
The soles of adidas’ high-performance shoes are usually made by the German tyre manufacturer Continental, which manufactures tyres for the world of motor racing and cycling. But since the Agravic Trail is not a shoe specifically for flying down the trails, they have resorted to the in-house Traxion outsole that works so well.
Traxion outsole has an asymmetrical lug pattern, i.e., the front lugs (the ones that go from the toe to the bridge) are focused on improving traction when we take off in the stride cycle, while the rear lugs (from the heel to the bridge) are focused on improving grip when we land.
The central lugs are almost identical in shape and uniformly arranged in both areas, with the particularity that some of them have a tail piece oriented in one direction or the other. They are practically square with a strip that will help bending to prevent the mud from sticking too much. In addition, the lugs have a good depth as well as a correct spacing that will surely help to avoid mud accumulation.
On the other hand, the lugs surrounding the outsole have a different shape, with a horseshoe shape and oriented inwards to avoid slipping laterally.
On the move
The first thing we noticed when we put on the adidas Terrex Agravic Trail is their good hold to our foot. The booty is not sock-like, but almost. This one hugs our foot perfectly, so much so that even if we don’t have the shoes a little more open than usual, it will be difficult to fit them. It’s also the fault of the tongue, which is very high and the last eyelet, which is quite high.
Once we go out with them the cushioning of the midsole is present. Despite not being Boost it is not missed as the EVA foam in the adidas Terrex Agravic Trail is of adequate hardness. You can see that it helps our impulse, giving you a boost, but not too much.
The outsole, although it is not the Continental rubber used in other models of the brand, we found it a great success and that is due to the prominent studs it presents. Tested on somewhat wet terrain, with water passage, on smooth stones, rocks and areas with some tartar, the grip has not been compromised at any time. In addition, thanks to the arrangement of the outer lugs, we do not play tricks that can cause a twist or two.
As for durability, with the kilometres we have done, they do not show any kind of wear, neither in the upper nor in the outsole, despite having worn them on rocky terrain and in areas where the wear of a rubber is usually present after a few kilometres. adidas Terrex Agravic Trail with which, for sure, we will be able to do a distance close to 800 kilometres and that, depending on the usual terrain, can be extended up to 1000kms. All depending on the weight of the person and also the pace.
Conclusions
The new adidas Terrex Agravic Trail is a shoe that we liked for its comfort, breathability as well as its great grip and traction of the Traxion outsole. A pair of shoes with which you can run for miles without worrying about its durability and with a minimum wear of the studs that will give us confidence to face technical terrains in any weather condition that we can find in the mountain.
For who?
The adidas Terrex Agravic Trail can be defined as a shoe for a user looking for comfort rather than lightness in their footwear, despite being a model that has a not too high weight (335g in size 9.5US). A user of average weight, with neutral tread and to run at a pace of 5’/km to 6’/km approximately and in distances of half marathon upwards, even being very suitable for ultratrail distance (less than 80kms) if the person has a weight less than 70kgs.
Pros
Comfort
Sole
The breathability
Cons
The tongue
Technical information
Brand
adidas
Model
Terrex Agravic Trail
Fit system
Lace-up
Upper
Mesh
Midsole
EVA compound
Sole
Traxion Drop: 7mm -17mm toe and 24mm heel-
Available sizes
From 40 to 49.5
Weight
335g (size 43)
Colours available
Black/dark grey/red; Black/grey; Grey/black/navy blue; Green/black/grey; Navy blue/grey
More information here