adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 review

The adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 is a very interesting pick for:

• Trail runners tackling fast and runnable ultras who want top-tier performance and efficiency.
• Midfoot and forefoot strikers looking for a trail super shoe with an aggressive rocker.
• Runners with narrow feet who prioritise a secure and locked-in fit.
• Ultra-distance athletes who enjoy a highly-rockered ride that helps maintain momentum as fatigue sets in.

The tapered toebox and snug-fitting upper of the adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 won't suit every runner. If you prefer a roomier fit or simply need more space for toe splay, we recommend taking a look at the Nike ACG Ultrafly Trail.

We also believe that heel strikers are better served by a different shoe, as the Ultra 2 is clearly optimised for landing farther forward. In that case, the Brooks Cascadia Elite is a much more suitable alternative.

The adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 delivered a rare result in our shock absorption test. It is one of the few shoes we have tested that provides greater shock absorption in the forefoot (131 SA) than in the heel (123 SA), highlighting its unique ride.

This is just the first of many reasons why we believe that this shoe is tailored to midfoot and forefoot strikers.

The main reason to buy this shoe with its tongue-twisting name is the full-length Lightstrike Pro midsole. We're talking about the same foam found in adidas' fastest road racers and also the same setup used in the original Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra that debuted two years ago.

As expected, energy return is high. In our tests, we measured 64.5% in the heel and 70.2% in the forefoot. If you're wondering why those numbers fall short of what we typically see in adidas road supershoes like the Adios Pro 4, the answer is simple: the outsole. It uses substantially more rubber underfoot than a road shoe, and rubber returns far less energy than Lightstrike Pro foam!

We measure every shoe at the same exact points following World Athletics guidelines. While our results are usually close to the figures reported by brands, that wasn't the case here. Adidas lists the Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 with a towering 43 mm stack height, which is accurate closer to the midfoot but not in the heel.

Due to the aggressive rearfoot rocker, we measured only 30.7 mm in the heel. And this result closely matches what we recorded for the first-generation model.

The forefoot came in at a nearly identical 30.6 mm, creating a zero-drop trail running shoe. However, the ride feels nothing like a traditional zero-drop design because the midsole is anything but flat.

In our experience, this shoe performs best for midfoot and forefoot strikers and feels like a low drop shoe in the 3-6 mm range.

The difference between heel and forefoot in our measurements is just 0.1 mm. However, as we mentioned earlier, midfoot and forefoot strikers will experience this shoe very differently from heel strikers, with a ride that feels more like a moderate-drop design.

It's one of those rare cases where the measured drop tells part of the story, but very little about how the shoe actually feels on the run.

The adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 once again features a dual-layer midsole construction. However, both layers use the same Lightstrike Pro foam, unlike other designs that combine foams of different densities or formulations.

The primary foam layer delivered a plush 33.7 AC in our durometer test, placing it clearly on the softer side of the trail running spectrum.

The secondary layer measured virtually the same as the primary one, returning 33.8 AC on our Asker C durometer. This soft foam delivers a really forgiving ride, making it an excellent match for the long efforts and ultra-distance races this shoe was built to tackle.

One of the features that truly sets this shoe apart is its extreme heel-to-toe curvature. Adidas clearly considers it a defining element of the design, even printing "30°" on the midsole as a nod to the heel rocker angle.

The super-rockered geometry is immediately obvious. In fact, the Agravic Speed Ultra 2 curves more in the heel than many trail shoes do in the forefoot. That's a crazy design choice that creates an aggressively forward-rolling and efficient ride. However, it's the kind of sensation you'll either love or hate, with very little room in between.

Cutting a shoe in half is usually the best way to reveal the true shape of a plate, but that obviously is not the case here, right?

However, we're always looking to uncover every hidden detail. That's why we removed the top layer of the midsole to investigate what was underneath.

There, we discovered an X-shaped TPE Energy Rods system that differs significantly from the one used in adidas road shoes. In this trail-focused setup, the rods play a greater role in enhancing stability while still preserving a healthy amount of flexibility.

From the moment we slipped the Agravic Speed Ultra 2 on, it was clear that this is a snug-fitting shoe that leaves little extra room for toe splay.

To verify our initial impressions, we filled the shoe with our custom-made gel and allowed it to solidify in the fridge. Once it was ready, we began taking measurements. The first one came in at 94.4 mm, which places the shoe close to our current lab average.

The importance of taking multiple measurements to properly understand a toebox becomes obvious here.

With a narrow 69.6 mm result in this area, the Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 reveals its aggressive design philosophy. Our data proves that this shoe prioritises precision and lockdown over toe splay.

We found the vertical clearance to be surprisingly generous, which is also a positive for breathability as it allows air to circulate more freely and refresh more frequently inside the shoe.

Our third measurement backed up that impression, with the toebox reaching 27.3 mm in height.

One of the most common criticisms of the first generation was that its extremely shallow lugs limited versatility. Adidas appears to have taken that feedback seriously, as we measured lugs that are 0.4 mm deeper this time around, reaching a final depth of 2.9 mm.

For a shoe designed to fly across gravel roads, smooth trails, and non-technical ultras, we believe this setup strikes the right balance. However, if some of your races include muddy sections or consistently wet terrain, it may be worth having a more aggressively-lugged shoe ready as an alternative.

The outsole retains the same excellent Continental rubber with full-length coverage, leaving only a small section of exposed foam in the forefoot to enhance flexibility. Otherwise, the overall design remains largely unchanged from the previous generation.

Most of the updates are concentrated in the lug shape and layout, with adidas making subtle refinements aimed at improving traction during both climbs and descents.

Skipping the carbon plate pays dividends here, as the shoe required just 14.3N in our 30-degree bend test. In our opinion, this creates a nicely balanced ride, delivering enough stiffness to enhance stability while retaining sufficient flexibility to adapt naturally to changing terrain.

Weight has increased slightly. At 9.5 oz (269g), the shoe remains impressively light for a trail supershoe, and the gain represents only a 4% increase over its predecessor. Even so, we would've loved to see the scale move in the opposite direction.

Breathability is a critical requirement for the adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2. That may not be true for every trail shoe, but for a trail super shoe designed to tackle races stretching all the way to 100 miles, strong breathability is essential.

And it delivers. With a 78 BR score in our demanding 3-hour test, the shoe proved highly effective at evacuating moisture and reducing sweat buildup. In our experience, keeping the foot drier for longer not only improves comfort but also helps lower the risk of blisters during ultra-distance efforts.

We also recorded a solid result in our drying potential test. This assessment measures how much of the moisture transported away from the foot into the shoe is able to evaporate over a 3-hour period, and the Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 managed a solid 53%.

As we've highlighted throughout this review, the ride changes dramatically depending on your footstrike pattern.

For heel strikers, the ride can feel quite unstable. In contrast, midfoot and forefoot strikers benefit from the aggressively-rockered geometry and the broad forefoot platform, resulting in a much more guided and supportive ride.

The X-shaped Energy Rods play a major role in this low 12.2 Nm result, allowing the shoe to twist and flex with ease. Consequently, it adapts more naturally to uneven terrain and changing trail conditions.

Another area where the Ultra 2 leaves no doubt about its racing-focused intentions is the heel counter. We rated it at a remarkably flexible 1/5, which means it virtually disappears around the heel and never feels intrusive.

However, it also provides almost no structural support, reinforcing our view that this shoe is best suited to midfoot and forefoot strikers rather than heel-first runners.

The Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 is absolutely enormous in the forefoot, measuring 122.9 mm in our lab.

The shoe feels exceptionally stable when landing on the front half of the platform. Combined with the aggressive rocker, it creates a powerful ride that shines on fast, flowing terrain while maintaining an impressive level of support.

However, the experience is the opposite for heel strikers.

Even runners landing toward the rear of the midfoot may find stability lacking due to the heavily tapered platform in this area. We measured just 87.6 mm at the heel, and the narrow shape continues well into the midfoot before finally widening in the forefoot.

The upper of the adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 played a major role in its outstanding breathability, but durability is not one of its strongest attributes.

We awarded it just 2/5 in this test. That said, we're not overly concerned by this result, as the shoe is primarily intended for smooth and non-technical terrain where upper abrasion is far less likely to become an issue.

We also recorded a disappointing result in our heel padding durability test, matching the same 2/5 score earned in the previous assessment.

That's far from ideal, especially considering the premium price tag. However, we've seen this pattern repeatedly in the lab, as many high-end performance-focused shoes tend to sacrifice durability in this area in favour of weight savings.

Continental is one of the very few outsole compounds capable of going toe-to-toe with Vibram Megagrip across the board. Here, it once again demonstrated its exceptional durability by losing just 0.5 mm in our Dremel test, an outstanding result that ranks among the best we've recorded.

Outsole thickness is on the thinner side at just 1.3 mm.

While that doesn't maximise underfoot protection, it's important to remember that this shoe was engineered with racing in mind. Consequently, keeping weight to a minimum was clearly one of the top priorities throughout the design process.

The insole measures 4.1 mm thick, which caught us somewhat by surprise. Given the shoe's race-focused nature, we expected adidas to opt for a thinner insole.

The good news is that swapping it for a thinner or thicker alternative is fast and easy, as adidas chose not to glue the insole to the midsole.

Having an excellent foam comes with an extra advantage here. Unlike EVA, which typically becomes noticeably firmer in cold conditions, Lightstrike Pro remained remarkably consistent and changed by a ridiculously low 3% in our test.

Unfortunately, adidas chose to forgo reflective elements altogether. Considering that this shoe is built for ultra-distance races that may include sections after sunset or before sunrise, we think that some reflective details would have been a welcome addition.

Another area where owners of the first-generation model may have voiced concerns is the tongue. We suspect adidas listened, as the new design features a much more generously-padded construction.

We measured 6.1 mm compared to just 2.9 mm in its predecessor, more than doubling the thickness. During long races, especially in hot conditions where foot swelling becomes a factor, this extra cushioning should prove particularly beneficial.

We were also pleased to see adidas retain the textured laces. They not only reinforce the shoe's fast-paced character but also contribute to an exceptionally secure lockdown.

We noticed that adidas opted for a semi-gusseted tongue that feels perfectly suited to the shoe's overall design, reinforcing its gravel-racing personality.

While it doesn't keep out trail debris quite as effectively as a fully-gusseted setup, it brings clear advantages in the form of improved ventilation and reduced weight.

The heel design still omits the finger-loop tab, like in the first generation. However, adidas addressed the heel collar rubbing issues by adding a soft inner lining that noticeably enhances comfort and creates a better fit for long activities.

As a trail super shoe, expecting a budget-friendly price from the adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 would be unrealistic. It's undeniably expensive, but it also delivers top-tier performance and a thrilling ride that very few trail running shoes can replicate.