Adidas returns with a second iteration of the Agravic Flow line with a redone upper and the firmer than most Lightstrike midsole foam. It is the middle of the road shoe from the Agravic line, with the Agravic Pro being the max cushion/protection shoe, and Agravic Ultra being the speedier one.
This is a road to trail shoe with an aggressive traction profile and rock plate. Some competition includes Saucony’s Peregrine, or the Hoka Torrent.
This shoe really stood out immediately to me thanks to it’s bright color profile. Very bright and good looking. Even after it got dirty, it still popped out. Adidas nails it in the style department on this one.
I really felt like I could take this shoe anywhere. Roads didn’t feel awkward like some trails shoe do. I could push off the ground great in crushed gravel, mud and other soft surfaces. It really excelled on trails that were on the rootier and rockier side. The rock plate really saved the bottom of my feet on multiple occasions.
The fit was comfortable and gave me lots of protection from the elements. Sadly, the lacing was really disappointing and caused lots of issues for me.
The shoe did best on my longer jaunts. I didn’t really feel like I could go incredibly fast in them, but they did great when I was going to be out there for a while. The firmness of Lightstrike and the rock plate were to thank.
The sole has some of the best traction I’ve used on a trail shoe. The Continental rubber and lug pattern allowed me to stay in complete control at all times. The plate made going on the rockier and rooty sections of my home trail pleasant.
The upper has reinforced rubber at the front of the toe box and this saved me more than once. On one of my last runs in these I stubbed my toe on an exposed root. I barely noticed it thanks to the added protection.
The sole is very durable thanks to the Continental rubber. At the end of testing, there was not much wear and I can easily see myself putting a lot of miles on these.
The lacing unit gave me issues from the start and never improved. The laces constantly were coming loose and the tongue was riding downward and inward. I had to pay extra attention to this and was having to retie my shoe mid run several times making sure to pull the tongue all the way up.
The other parts of the upper felt resilient. No tears in the fabric and it did not feel stretched out.
When I would open up the pace, it adapted decently at shifting gears. The Lightstrike midsole is quite firm and helps offset the shoe’s heavier profile. The outsole traction allowed me to get a good grip on the soft ground and lift up rather quick.
That said, it is still a little rigid so I couldn’t get to top speeds as quick as I liked. I found myself landing and lifting off on my midfoot. Not a clunky shoe, but not something that is going to push you forward and bomb downhills.
Overall, it was a comfortable fit. It didn’t feel too tight, and I saw need having to size up or out. The upper material breathed great and was very quick to dry. This is huge as a person who just runs through mud and water.
that said, I had to really pay attention on how I tied the shoe. The tongue was constantly slipping down exposing my socks. The laces were durable and long (even when using a heel lock) but not matter what I did, they seemed to come loose.
The heel was very stiff too. I had to stop using heel lock lacing midway through testing because this would make the unit grip me too tight and would cause blistering. Thankfully it wasn’t as much of an issue once I went back to a standard lacing pattern.
My first time running in something from Adidas’ Terrex line was pleasant. It’s a versatile shoe that can be used in a number of scenarios. It really shined on days where I was striving for a long, steady pace. Is it the fastest shoe? No, but it is a workhorse that can put down a lot of miles.
The upper frustrated me though with the amount of attention I had to pay to it making sure the tongue was placed correctly and the laces weren’t going to come undone. Having to retie your shoes mid run was frustrating to say the least. Thankfully these were tested in the middle of the summer so it was a welcome break.
Overall, I would recommend this shoe if you are looking for something to get lost in the woods for a few hours with.
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