The briefing to adidas' designers was simple. "We need a trail running shoe that can win!" Easy to say, hard to execute. However, it seems that has done it. So far, the prototypes have gathered an impressive 30 victories, some quite remarkable. We'll return to that shortly.
Play
If you want to know what I like and dislike about the shoe, check the video above or scroll down for more details.
How to make a shoe that wins!
Making a winning trail shoe isn’t just a copy-paste task from what adidas has done in road scenes. It just doesn’t work that way. Of course, they have drawn a lot of inspiration and knowledge from developing road shoes, but the varying terrain requires more robust materials and a more stable base.
Not to mention that most trail runs are ridiculously long compared to "normal" road distances; for example, the world championship in short trail is a 45 km run! Agravic Speed Ultra is designed to win all kinds of trail competitions, including having the resilience to endure 100-mile runs, river crossings, and scree down rocky paths, or worse.
This is what the Agravic Speed Ultra prototypes have done over the past two years. Ruth Croft won the Western States 100 with the 2022 prototype with the third-fastest time ever, and Tom Evans replicated Ruth in 2023, surpassing the field with the fourth-fastest time ever. These are just two out of 30 impressive victories, including competitions like UTMB CCC, Transgrancanaria, MIUT 85k, and many more.
Play
With Agravic Speed Ultra, adidas blends internal knowledge from their road and trail series with experiences from world-class athletes, creating something the world hasn't seen before. A true racer for trails that can overtake the competition on descents and still give you the pop needed on lighter sections.
Fit – adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra
Agravic Speed Ultra fits like a racing shoe. It has an extremely light upper with a solid grip around the midfoot. There is no padding in the shoes at all; adidas tries to save as much weight as possible, so don’t expect a plush feel around your heel. The laces are thin, light, and have an added white outer seam, helping them stay more secure in the lace holes. Overall, the upper is made to be light and robust.
Like adidas' other racing shoes, this upper is very static, meaning it takes some time to get them fitting comfortably on your feet but holds your feet better once you have the correct lock. Agravic Speed Ultra is a tight shoe around the arch, and I imagine runners with a wider midfoot might find this shoe a bit snug in that area.
Despite the static upper, I've had no issues tightening the laces and achieving a good lock myself. I think the lacing is the main reason for this.
We've had all kinds of weather in the past week, and I've tried Agravic Speed Ultra on mud, gravel, and asphalt, on a warm spring day and wetter, colder days. I'm pleased with how it performs, especially on wet days.
This upper doesn’t hold water; it feels as dry as the desert a few seconds after leaving a puddle, and the midsole has given me no indication of becoming soggy when soaked. This shoe handles wet days like no other shoe I've tried.
Midsole – adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra
And speaking of the midsole, rejoice, has finally done it. The midsole is pure Lightstrike Pro, and it is wonderful! This midsole works best when you leave the road, where the earth’s softness lifts you, in return, you feel more energetic and faster. But for a trail shoe, it’s not bad on asphalt either.
One of my runs had a long transport section between two forests, and it just felt like a great and fun shoe throughout the run. But to be a good it must also be stable, and the midsole, although high, has firmness and a base width that makes this shoe agile, versatile, and stable enough for most normal trail scenarios.
Grip – adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra
On the outsole, you’ll find a large layer of Continental rubber, something you can always rely on.
Some shoes have more grip and are better for technical or muddy trails. But Agravic Speed Ultra excels in so many different areas that I’d much rather have this versatility than extreme performance in a shoe like this.
What you get with Agravic Speed Ultra is a versatile and very stable ultra racing shoe that can handle most of what a trail runner throws at it, regardless of weather or distance. If you’re looking for an extreme performer or a mud monster, there are other shoes. But if you want the ultimate all-in-one shoe, Agravic Speed Ultra can outdistance the best.
What is it for? - Agravic Speed Ultra
The shoe is great, but there are some scenarios where it works better than others. This is the case with most shoes, and the same applies here.
I would gladly run a long run in varied terrain in Agravic Speed Ultra, but it works better if it is on a stable moderate to higher-paced run, or a training session with changing paces throughout.
It can handle a surprising amount of technical trail, but if you're running a very technical race, I would suggest a shoe more suited to that; adidas Terrex Agravic Speed. It’s lighter, has more grip, and should be better for running at very fast paces.
Agravic Speed Ultra can also be used for slower runs, but I wouldn’t use it for a recovery run. In that case, I want more comfort in the upper and a softer, more forgiving cushioning underfoot.
The Continental outsole will last a while, and Lightstrike Pro can also hold up some, but it isn’t as resilient as the foam used in daily trainers. Because of this, I would save adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra from being used on boring everyday runs and use it on the days you want something extra.
This leaves you with all the long run days, the fast days, race days, and those days you want that extra pop when leaving the ground.
has created something special here.
Didn't find a favorite?
See the full range of running shoes here:
