The Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra is a trail-running super-shoe that has been around in various forms for a couple of years, with Adidas Terrex pros like Tom Evans using prototypes to great effect in races like Western States and UTMB. The shoe is set to go on sale in spring 2024 with the public version launched at UTMB this week. Run Tester Nick was in Chamonix for the launch and took the Agravic Speed Ultra out for a first run while in France. Here’s his first impressions of the shoe.
JUMP STRAIGHT IN:
00:00 – Intro
00:15 – Design & Key Stats
04:08 – First Run
09:37 – Early Thoughts
11:30 – How’s The Fit
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Hello and welcome to run testers my Name's Nick and this is our first run Review of the LEDs Terex agrovic speed Ultra The Adidas turrets aggravate speed Ultra Launched in Chamblee this week at the UTMB Mountain running festival it is Adidas's Trail Super Shoe uses some of The tech from shoes like adios Pro 3 in A trail shoe that's built for your Fastest runs whether that's sessions or Going all the way up to ultramarathon Races I think that's Terex Pros like Tom Evans have been using the shoe for a While now and he used it when he won Western States earlier this year and We've now got hold of what is going to Be the final form of the shoe ahead of Its full launch in Spring 2024. it's an Expensive shoot at the UK price yet but It's 230 or Euros it weighs in at 274 Grams or 9.7 ounces that's in my UK size 9 which is a US 9.5 don't have the stats On stack and drop yet but on stack it's Not quite as high as it looks because Your foot sits within the foam at the Back there but it is a very high stack Shoe clearly and the drop is probably Not gonna be that critical this year Because the really aggressive rocker you Have here is really what's going to Define the ride feel more than the Listed drop I'd say so it's Trail shoot That's built for Speed and with this
Rocket design that any less says is Designed to Aid forefoot striking and Increase your efficient see and running Economy on the trails to help you save Energy and run better during very long Events especially ones with long hard Punishing downhills like Western States The midsole is made from as's Light Strike Pro from that's its best foam It's bouncy it's lightweight it's pretty Soft it's the stuff used in things like The primex strung and the adios Pro 3 And running through the center of that Foam are Adidas's energy rods but Instead of the five pronged carbon Energy rods that are evenly spaced on Shoes like the adios Pro 3 you've got Four prongs on the aggravate speed Ultra With the two prongs essentially Spreading around the outside of the Forefoot to create some stability there You can see them from the outside of the Chute and then there's two more prongs To the rods that go backwards towards The heel again to create some lateral Stability whilst also delivering that Extra pop you get from the rods and all The Adidas's shoes that use them the Rods have a plasticy feel to me they're Not as stiff as the carbon rods in the Adios Pro 3 and that just gives you a Little bit more flexibility for off-road Running the shoe obviously has a very Pronounced rocker design here with the
Actually the highest part of the stack Height being in the mid of the shoe to Encourage midfoot four foot strike with It your foot sits within the foam at the Back of the shoe like a like a bucket Seat style to create some stability Something we've seen lots of shoes these Days and Something's Gonna Be needed Because really it's focused around the Forefoot of the shoe in line with what Alia says the shoe is useful you've got A wide forefoot there but a very narrow Pinch point at the midfoot there and a Fairly narrow heel in general so Stability is obviously going to be Concerned with the shoe in general we'll Talk about it more on the run test but You've got the soft phone you've got That narrow pinch point and even though The forefoot is quite wide it still Isn't going to be the most stable shoot In the whoop it's interesting the way IOS approached this obviously talking About forefoot striking so clearly it's Something that they said that's come Across in testing with their Pros that Even over optimizing events that's how People are going to run but to my mind In an ultra marathon you're gonna have a Lot of different Gates a lot of Different foot strikes depending on how Tired you are with you're going uphill Downhill the terrain you're on so to Have a shoe that is directed to one kind
Of running style so much will be an Interesting thing to see in effect with Ultramarathons when you're not talking About Pros like some evidence we are Talking about you know the more average Runner the ads does say this is a shoe That should help and work for every kind Of Runner the outsole is made from Continental rubber as you see with lots Of Fairless shoes the lugs are between 2.5 millimeters and 3.5 millimeters in Length and they're built probably more For hard ground Trails but but they Should be fairly adaptable as you've Seen from the results of Pros using them On lots of different terrains then You've got a woven upper with a gusseted Tongue to add a bit more midfoot Stability the upper is designed to not Take on water so again the shoe was Designed in many ways with western States in mind so talking about River Crossings you don't want the upper to Soak up a lot of water and add weight so It's material that doesn't do that There's not much in the way of Protective overlays there is a little Toe bumper and a little overlay at the Heel but General the upper is quite Lightweight because it is such a speed Focus shoe so it's an expensive shoe With a very interesting design one That's got the backing of Pros also have Used it to great effect so far but how
Is it going to work for more normal Runners I take it for a first round out In chamonix to find out Foreign I'm just about to go and do my first run In the Adas aggravic speed ultra um I Wasn't expected to run again today I did Uh 10 miles earlier but we just got the Shoes in and I'm leaving early tomorrow So I wanted to get one run in Germany Just to run in Germany again but also Test the shoes in an environment like This which is obviously a little bit More demanding than my usual Trails back Home so having said that I'm not gonna Do too much tonight I'm planning to do Around 9k go back into Germany via a Hilly root uh in the forest on the side Of the valley and then come back on a Fairly Flat Road maybe pick up the speed A little bit test the shoe there really Interesting test you really excited to Use it which is why I'm going out and Running right now when it's starting to Get a little bit darker probably okay And yeah it's interesting to see how it Runs it's got a very aggressive rocker Design and talked a lot about forefoot Striking in the presentations today with Literally I don't do I don't fall for Strike so I'll see how that feels but Mainly tonight I'm probably running a Fairly gentle Pace see how it feels on The uphills come back down and then yeah
Like I say fairly flat bit to finish so Here we go foreign To film my follow-up to the Run whilst In Neshaminy so I'm back in the Distinctly less glamorous kingford in North London now to talk about my Experience with the shoe which was a Good one it was a really fun first run In the shoe you have to say I was very Tired after a couple days of traveling Lots of running like I said I've done 10 Miles earlier that day because I wasn't Expecting to use the shoe but it did Feel very friendly too tiredly because Actually it was comfortable bouncy uh Really helped me turn over and keep Running quite well even though I was a Bit knackered at the route I did was a 10K where in the first half I had a fair Bit of elevation and was running along Quite narrow trails with lots of rocks And routes on the valley side in Chamonix before I took a flatter easier Route on the way back alongside River Paths with uh some road as well so that Was a lot more runnable so I was able to Up the pace a little bit in the second Half of the Run nothing too crazy but Coming down to around four minutes per K Pace for some stretches the shoe is Certainly fun to run in and it is the First troll shoe I've come across there Does get close to capturing the feeling Of Road Super Shoes it's very bouncy
Repulsive you really feel the energy From The Rocker the rods the foam all Coming together together and pushing you Along in an exciting way in a fast way It's not something that you really get For travel shoes because generally they Make a lot of compromises because even If they have got super Foams in there or Plates or something they have to adjust A bit to be more flexible to be a bit More stable and it feels like with the Terrax aggravate speed Ultra as has Decided to make less of those Compromises and just create a shoe that Is very fast and exciting but the Trade-off there is it isn't my stable Shoe in the world and there will be Concerns about that for lots of people I'm sure so for example I'm a neutral Runner but when I run in high stack Road Shoes I will over pronate a little bit Roll in a little bit because of the soft Homes and that is something that I saw Myself and felt myself doing with the Adidas shoe as well on the trails Because it is a big high stack of soft Foam and it just doesn't have that much Stability in the midsole now this isn't Really a problem on the road when Running up into Marathon distance some Nice flat surfaces you know it's not Really a concern to me but on the trails Over longer events in particular you are Going to feel a little bit more strain
Around your ankle area over time with Little bits of instability and it might Be something that ends up a bit dicey And certain terrains like I wasn't on Incredibly technical stuff during my run But with Rocky sections Rudy sections And you're going to be a bit careful About where you're Landing with the shoe Probably even more careful than you Would be in a normal Trail shoe because Of that instability there with that very Narrow pinch point I think it is quite Interesting the way the shoe is geared So strongly towards this forefoot which Is wider and more stable than when Pounding down Hills like I really wanted To be landing on that forefoot to create You know the best amount of stability And get the best ride from the shoe but Over the course of a long trial run you Are going to have different Gates Different foot strikes like even if you Are the very best in the world you are Going to be hiking sections you're going To be slowing down you might Rock back On your heels at times you might hit Very technical bits and I don't know the Shoe feels like it's built for one Particular way of running and it might Be a concern when you just can't do that Running at times because of the way Trails are so talking about the rocker It is aggressive it is noticeable it Wants you to run in a certain way and it
Will manhandle you a little bit to Achieve that like I'm a shuffly a heel Striking runner in general but with this Shoe you do move more towards a midfoot Running Style with a slightly loping Gate in the same way I find myself Training a little bit when I'm running In the Essex meta speeds guide plus now I don't dislike this I love them at Speed Sky plus I've got a couple of PBS In that shoe but I do feel it's not the Most natural feeling shoe for me but When I am leaning forward running well And hitting the middle of a lot of force With a slightly more loading start you Get a lot of bounce back from it and I Did feel that with the Terex aggravate Speed Ultra especially in the second Half of the run on more runnable Stretches or even a bit of Road it feels Like you can really settle into a Booming style and get a lot of pace out Of it but again the concern for me comes Over longer events on uneven ground if You are pushed into a slightly different Running style than you would normally do Then that's going to become a little bit Tiring on muscles that maybe aren't Being used as much normally and yeah It'll be a bit of a concern for me that You've got such a pronounced rocker that Wants you to move in a certain way when You are unable to or unwilling to at Times because of the trails so I did
Hiker section in the shoe uphill and it Was pretty much fine like that's not a Problem it's probably more going to be When you're tired rocking back in Hills Coming downhills even like when you just Start to sit back a bit that maybe it Starts to feel a bit more wobbly and odd Because you're not hitting The Sweet Spot Of The Rocker and instead you're Hitting this narrower back part of the Shoe grip was good for me in the shoe Over the course of the run like it Rained a bit during the run so I was on Slightly slick roots and rocks at times And grip was always quite reliable for Me even when coming downhill so I think It's good outsole it's not something That's going to really cope with deep Mud as you'd expect but it should be Able to have a nice range of terrains Pretty well I'd say and it was also fine On wet roads towards the end of the run Because the lugs aren't quite short You've got no skittishness in that area Yeah so yeah yes Terex aggregate speed Ultra is a very interesting new addition To the trail racing scene I'd say I'll Be testing a few of these shoes lately The lower running in the ultrafly Actually did some running in the Ultrafly while I was in chamonix also Been testing the Fuji Speed 2 lately and Other stuff like the text on x2 and this Is the shoe that feels closest to a rode
Super Shoe it's got the most aggressive Ride out of them it's got the softest Ride the bounciest ride and it really Feels like RDS has decided not to make Some of those compromises that other Brands have made to make their Super Shoes more suitable for the trails it's Just really gone for it and that's Pretty exciting it's an exciting shoe to Run in at times it feels absolutely Amazing it really does feel fast booming Bouncy you know it protects the legs There and just feels pretty great all Round the Traders come in the Instability in the shoe the very Particular nature of the ride which is Almost quite demanding on the body in a Different way to other shoes which Probably work with you a bit more the Aggravate speed Ultra wants you to run a Certain way it wants you to go fast it Wants you to be booming along with the Rocker and if you're not it doesn't Always feel so good that's something That isn't concern for me for longer Runs we'll be doing some long runs in The shoot to find out though so we'll Talk more about that in the full review So having done a couple of runs in Chamely in the ultra flybacks it is a More accommodating shoe it's not as Bouncy and fast it's heavier too and Nike has clearly decided that it can't Make a shoe like they fly for the trail
Is really going to make you know some Changes to make it more stable and it is A bit more stable than reliable the Ultrafly and it feels really good on the Foot when you are mooching along at more Shuffly Paces not really pushing to Hardware as the speed Ultra does feel a Bit more demanding in that sense like You are going to be pushing fast in the Shoe and it might end up that lots of People that end up more of a short Distance shoot as a result for some Runners who are either fit the style Issue a bit better or are much more Experienced than you know more capable On Trails than I am we'll feel happier Tackling any kind of distance even with The slightly wobblier and the Rocket Ride you have here which is a bit Different to what you're going to find From our Patrol shoes anyway I've got a Lot more testing to do and we'll come Back with my full thoughts on the shoe In a few weeks Foreign Aggravic speed Ultra fit me well in my Normal size this is a UK 9 which for Adidas usually translates to a US 9.5 Which is the case here I've got a good Amount of room in the toe box and I've Actually got quite a nice hold around The midfoot with this slightly narrower Section of the shoe no problems around a Heel either it's got a slightly better
Heel design and some available shoes Have light I have had rubbing with Things like the primex strung I've Healed up issue from the start anyway Just to create a little bit more Stability and I've had no concerns about It moving around on that first run the Fit's not quite as aggressive as some of Alias's shoes things like the adios Pro 3 so I would probably recommend sticking With your normal running shoe size
