Adidas Terrex Agravic SL

The Adidas Terrex Agravic SL arrives to round off the German brand's renewed Agravic range with a simple idea: to take the light, smooth-rolling magic of the Adizero EVO SL into the mountains, away from the road, without becoming a pure racing shoe. It is not designed for racing long distances like the Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2, nor shorter ones like the Terrex Agravic Speed 2. It is a step above the Terrex Agravic 4 in materials and feeling of quality, while being usable on more terrain than the Terrex Agravic TT, which is geared towards more technical ground. In other words, it is the daily trail option for anyone looking for a single shoe for varied training, long outings and even the occasional race without overcomplicating things. That said, choose carefully, because from a distance they all look remarkably alike.

The key change compared with other Agravic models is the balance between comfort and performance. The engineered mesh upper is more forgiving up front than that of the racing models of the range, with TPU reinforcements at the toe and heel that improve durability without sacrificing breathability. The wing-style tongue and braided laces provide a good fit, although several testers suggest going half a size down from your usual Adidas size. The heel is well padded and the heel counter is solid, which improves the feeling of hold compared with earlier models of the family.

The full-length Lightstrike Pro midsole provides generous cushioning and notable energy return, although Adidas has tuned it slightly denser than in the road version to avoid uncontrolled sinking on uneven ground. The 39 mm heel and 33 mm forefoot stack height (6 mm drop) would place it among maximalist trail shoes, but one no longer knows whether this is a fashion or whether those oversized pillows underfoot are really necessary. The geometry is relatively aggressive, with a pronounced "rocker" that eases the transition without the shoe feeling clumsy. The Continental™ outsole with 3.5 and 4 mm lugs offers outstanding grip on dry rock and loose dirt, although its generous coverage adds a little weight and it does not roll as smoothly on road sections. If choosing a shoe was already complicated, here is one more option, perhaps the most logical one for those who only want to buy one pair to enjoy running off-road.