The first thing that comes to mind when you get a first look at ADIDAS Terrex Agravic Ultra is the design. WOW! Its so amazing that you think a mistake has been made and that you are about to review a fashion shoe rather than a running shoe. The beautiful light, rosy colors combined with the fiery orange stripe on the midsole, the screaming pink reflective stripe on the heel, and the gorgeous three familiar stripes in gold turns this into a beautiful and exciting shoe. This model is available in a number of different colorways which aren´t mainstream, and I don´t think they have a color range which is the "safe choice". And for me this turns ADIDAS Terrex Agravic Ultra into an even more exciting shoe.
When I am on the run, I feel completely like a trail princess going full-steam on the trail in the woods. The shoe holds a kind of raw elegance and with the terrific midsole and outsole which provides an optimal grip, neither mud puddles nor dragons can knock me off my stride!
ADIDAS Terrex Agravic Ultra is developed in cooperation with the ultra runner Ekaterina Mityaeva. She won the Hoka Wild Trail 2020 and the Merrell Alanya Ultra Trail 2021 among other races and is used to ultra running in the mountains.
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Integrated carbon plate - but not for speed
You should be aware that if you are only looking for a fast shoe, this is probably not the right choice - the primary purpose with the integrated TPE-/carbon-plate in this shoe is to keep your foot going for an extended period and to protect you against the rough terrain – therefore it works mostly as a ”rockplate”. The shoe can easily provide speed but it is slightly heavy. So, if you are looking for speed exclusively, you should consider the ADIDAS Terrex Speed Ultra or the ADIDAS Terrex Speed Pro instead.
Specifikationer
Weight: Women´s US 7,5: 294 g, Men´s US 9: 332 g
Heeldrop: 8 mm
Stack height: Heel: 34 mm, forefoot: 26 mm.
Running style: Neutral
Surface: Mountains/rocks, forest trail.
Upper - with a great conscience
The upper is designed with Primegreen, one of ADIDAS’ high-performance, recycled and polyester-free materials. I think its terrific to see a major company in the sports market accept their responsibility. I expect to see an increased focus on climate-friendly products in the future and would only applaud and encourage it.
The shoe isn´t waterproof but the upper is designed in large mesh providing great drainage and ventilation. Its also equipped with durable welds and reinforcements. ADIDAS Terrex Agravic Ultra is designed to handle the toughest of runs.
Comfortable midsole with great protection
The midsole is composed of two layers of foam: BOOST foam which is nice and gentle on your feet and Lightstrike, which is a much lighter and fast-reacting material. This provides the sensation of great return energy and a light sensation even when you are running in hard and rugged terrain.
As mentioned earlier, the midsole has a rigid plate produced from a mixture of TPE and carbon – a ”rockplate”, which is designed to protect your foot from hard blows from rocks and roots. In addition the plate provides the shoe with a stability which works really well for runners venturing into unpredictable terrain.
Although this is a shoe that wants the best for you, I have mixed emotions about it. I actually think that the midsole is a little bit too thick/high and too hard. I would have preferred that it was softer. But ADIDAS Terrex Agravic Ultra would be an excellent choice for the one who wants a more solid and simple trail shoe.
Continental guarantees a great grip!
The outsole is engineered with the durable Continental Rubber compound which provides really good traction on wet as well as dry surfaces. The outsole lugs measure approx. 4 mm, which makes the shoe ideal for trail in the woods and for slightly "looser" surfaces but at the same time the sole has a great grip on slippery surfaces like rocks, cliffs and tree trunks.
For me ADIDAS’ Continental rubber compound outsoles are always a certain winner. They have the perfect degree of "stickyness" for you to get a great grip on slippery and loose surfaces and get a really good take-off.
Fit & Feel
I already felt like Cinderella when I put on the shoe for the first time. It has a perfect fit! It feels slightly stiff because it isn´t fragile in any way. The shoe has be able to handle the toughest terrain and your comfort is slightly compromised on this basis. However, after a couple of longer runs, it starts to adjust to your foot in the upper and the midsole foam also adapts to increase your comfort.
As it has a relatively high midsole, you will slitghtly lose touch with the surface. For some this is a big plus as you are protected against sharp rocks and you will enjoy the benefits of the large amount of foam. Personally, I appreciate a slightly more flexible shoe providing more touch with the surface, so with that in mind, I would choose ADIDAS Terrex Speed Ultra. If you want extra speed, you can choose ADIDAS Terrex Speed Pro which is even lighter than Terrex Speed Ultra, but also provides less protection and stability. In the opposite end you will find ADIDAS Terrex Two Ultra, which is a slightly more conventional running shoe - only with a trail outsole.
I am not going to use this shoe a lot, mostly for the fact that there are no mountains close by. But if you are training for mountain racing and hilly trail runs, it will be a great choice!
Who is this shoe suited for?
In spite of the fact that this shoe is developed for mountain racing and for long-distance running, I think it can be used for much more than that! I don´t run very far and as I live in Denmark, I rarely run in mountain terrain. But I think the shoe is perfectly suited for my runs in the woods and for hilly workouts on forest trail. As the outsole lugs aren´t longer than 4 mm, the shoe also works very well for asphalt stretches. However, the lugs are also long enough to provide a great grip on trail in the woods and provide the traction you expect from a great trail shoe. I think ADIDAS Terrex Agravic Ultra is a breath of fresh air in the ADIDAS’ range of running shoes - it has got an edge and ooze raw power and elegance at the same time. It has a spot in the market because even if its not an all-round shoe, its surprisingly useful. And for the one who wants to take his trail-game to the next level and go for longer trail distances, you just need to try out this shoe!
