Rock on with the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed

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October 31, 2017

The very first thing I noticed when opening the box was the bright color, you can’t miss these shoes! I got compliments from friends, coworkers, and fellow runners on the trails. The vibrant red is lively and fun, exactly how I wanted to feel running! I was hoping this shoe would make my running more exciting, and even worthy of a professional career, new shoes can do that right?! With hopes and dreams of newfound running glory, I took them for a spin around some local trails in Boulder, Colorado.

Initial Reactions:

I really enjoyed wearing the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed trail shoe. These shoes feel fast, light, and close to the trail. The Terrex Agravic Speed has a light layer of cushioning to soften your landing, but this modest amount of cushion also allows for great proprioception (your ability to feel the features of the terrain beneath you). I like the feel of minimal footwear but this is certainly more on the firm side and would appeal to those looking for less cushioning and more responsiveness.

With the minimal structure, this shoe feels very light on the foot. The upper mesh is very breathable and flexible. Although the fit runs a bit narrow, this flexible mesh allowed for a comfortable fit despite my wide feet. Considering this shoe fit me well, I would say they run pretty true to size and if anything, slightly long.

Something unique is how the mouth of the shoe is designed like a sock, so it feels very snug around the ankle. This gave some additional stability, and helped prevent pesky debris from sneaking in my shoe. The sole is made out of Continental rubber so it is very durable and can promise longevity. The lugs are sizable and very sticky so the grip was fantastic and allowed for some fun rock hopping!

The first day I ran an easy 5 miler on a mix of rocky terrain along with some rolling hills. I thought the shoe performed extremely well on this run. I loved the feeling of how light they were and how much control the grip gave on the more technical terrain. These shoes allowed me to bomb down the trails with little regard. On a quiet Saturday morning, I got a few looks from trail friends- she must be fast with those bright red kicks!

The second run was a flatter course which ended up being around 8 miles. There weren’t too many technical parts to this run, just flat gravel paths and single track. In this case I think I would have preferred more cushioning and less traction, but overall still felt very comfortable. I didn’t get any looks this time although my friend who joined me joked saying they made me look faster than I actually was!

Pros:

Light weight
Firm sole allowed the foot to feel close to the trail while providing just enough cushioning to have great responsiveness
Breathable and comfortable upper
Excellent grip

Cons:

Overall narrow fit
Not a ton of soft cushioning (if that is what you prefer)
Sock fit on upper could be difficult to get on and off for some

Conclusion:

This shoe was made for those days you want to cruise technical trails, and want to feel light on your toes. I felt the best features of the shoe really shined on the first run which was much more rocky and unpredictable. The shoe provided awesome control and speed. Unfortunately, the shoes didn’t make me a running rockstar but they did make me feel fast for the first time in a while!