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Review by Brian Metzler
Although Adidas might be better known for its elite-level marathon racing shoes and track spikes, it has quietly been making huge strides on the trails, too. The Adidas Terrex trail running team of elite athletes has turned in a wide range of podium performances around the world since 2019, thanks in large part to the advancement of its off-road running shoes. Its most noteworthy model of 2022 is the Adidas Terrex Agravic Pro, a durable training shoe built for tackling rugged, technical mountain trails.
What’s New: The Adidas Terrex Agravic Pro is a unique new shoe designed around several key elements: a cushy, responsive midsole embedded with a thermoplastic elastomer plate, a BOA Fit System closure mechanism and a rugged, aggressively lugged outsole. The firm, semi-flexible plate contributes a bit of forward propulsion in every stride, but it also doubles as a protective layer while running over sharp, jagged rocks. Those features combine to make this shoe one of the most durable and protective trail running shoes available this year.
Why It’s Great: The real question is what about the Agravic Pro isn’t great? The fit is amazing, the cushioning is sublime, the traction is relentless and the protection is unparalleled. Best of all, it doesn’t feel stodgy or overbuilt like some technical mountain running shoes. It takes the worry out of running over rocks, roots and trail debris so you can focus on balance, agility and maintain a consistent stride.
Fit-Feel-Ride: The Agravic Pro has a medium-volume interior with a slightly more compact toe box than some shoes. Instead of traditional laces, there is a BOA Fit System with micro-adjustable dial closures, strong lightweight cord laces and low-friction lace guides. Combined with an extended neoprene collar and sock-like bootie construction, the BOA system creates a locked-down, near-custom fit by wrapping three independent wings of engineered fabric over the top of the upper. Once the fit is dialed in, the shoe feels cushy, secure and stable, which, combined with the cushioning, protection and traction, creates an inherent sense of confidence and security on jagged rocks and other types of hardscrabble surfaces. For a mountain running shoe, the ride is moderately smooth, thanks to the lightweight and resilient Lightstrike midsole compound that Adidas uses in many of its best road running shoes.
Why You’ll Love It: The durability, traction and protection of the Agravic Pro are second-to-none. It runs over sharp rocks, uneven terrain and loose gravel with ease, and it has just enough agility to maneuver between technical features. It’s not meant to be a light-and-fast bridal path cruiser, but instead a well-protected mountain marauder. (It more than held its own on dirt, mud, snow, rocks, ice and fallen branches during a wear-testing jaunt up and down Colorado’s 14,439-foot Mount Elbert in early June.)
Weights: 9.6 oz. women’s 8; 11.4 oz. men’s 9
Heel-Toe Offset: 4mm (32mm heel, 28mm forefoot)
Pro: The BOA Fit System performance-oriented closure system is something to behold. It’s easily adjustable, but infinitely secure — especially while running over variable terrain. It’s not the top-tier BOA system that allows you to gradually loosen the tension by spinning the dial in reverse, but it's extremely reliable and secure and without any of the pressure or inequitable tightness common to traditional laces.
Con: The Adidas Terrex Agravic Pro isn’t as light as a lot of other trail runner shoes made for technical terrain, so it can feel heavy running on smooth, flat trails. It’s not at all clunky on rugged trails, and that extra heft contributes to its stable and secure feeling, both on uneven ground and loose rocks.