Reviews come in all shapes and sizes. Many are simply regurgitations of material pulled from the web, while others are supplied directly by clients or written by staff members with the carrot of advertising revenue looming in the background. These promotional pieces, while sometimes useful, lack the independence that readers truly value. Then there’s the REAL REVIEW; where a writer offers their candid opinion. It’s important to remember that this represents just one person’s perspective, not necessarily the official stance of Adventure magazine. But that’s precisely what makes it valuable: it’s a REAL REVIEW, unfiltered and authentic.
by Nick Laurie: Staff: trail running journalist
Adidas are moving into the trail running market by releasing a new range of Ultra, Trail and fast hiking shoes under the name Terrex. They are sponsoring some well-known athletes and their gear appeared at the UTMB world ultra champs last year. They sponsor 2 of the best NZ ultra runners, Dan Jones (Kepler record holder, Tarawera 100k winner and Western States 100 top 5) and Ruby Muir ( Kepler Champ, Tarawera winner and several European Titles) and it is testament to the shoe that these guns rave about the performance of the Terrex trail shoe.
Polar opposite to these supreme athletes is me, a 61-year-old cart horse. I was given a pair of these beauties to try over 2 demanding races. I tested the Terrex Agravic 3 Trail shoe. First up I tried them on The Routeburn Classic. This is a schist-covered track with some gnarly downhill sections. Verdict- easy flow with a sturdy toe box for the odd rock kick.
Pliable so that they could help my feet and ankles adapt to the varying terrain. I did better in the rough downhill section this year. I put it down to the shoe. They are white and this track is not too dirty, so they came out looking pristine.
The second race was the muddy, rooty Hunua Super Long race in the NZ trail series. The continental soles with lugs looked at first glance as though I would struggle. The lugs are spaced quite wide apart, so the mud doesn’t gather or clump too much. I was able to execute the slippery downhill sections with a bit of bravery and felt like I was able to tap dance down through the mud and roots. No bruised toes from root kicks and the last 3 k down a step gravel road I was able to sing like a sweet tui. The whiteness of the shoe did not fare too well and they are now grey.
Features:
* A blend of comfort, durability and stability
* 3-layer breathable upper for foot comfort and water draining
* Continental rubber sole with a 4mm lug profile.
* Thin ankle-hugging tongue
* Good, tight heel box with good locking laces.
Verdict: My current favorite.
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