adidas Terrex Anylander Rain.Rdy review

The adidas Terrex Anylander Rain.Rdy can fit the bill if:

• you are after a budget-friendly shoe for light-to-moderate terrain
• you don't mind a firmer shoe in exchange for a stable and grounded platform
• you need a sufficiently warm and waterproof outdoor shoe for the shoulder season

The aggressively tapered toebox shape of this adidas shoe can be a deal-breaker for many people. If you need a more accommodating, true-to-medium-width hiking shoe, try the Merrell Tempo Sol.

Another reason to stay away from the Anylander is if breathability is high up your priority list in an outdoor shoe. In that case, consider the ASICS Gel Venture 11.

Built on a firm and grounded platform, the Terrex Anylander Rain.Rdy can only provide a moderate amount of shock absorption. And that's exactly what we got in our lab test, with a modest reading of 100 SA in the heel.

Not too harsh, it offers a good middle ground between cushioning and control even on longer hikes.

Featuring a basic EVA foam, this adidas shoe's ride doesn't feel particularly responsive. But it's not a dead one either, as our lab test measured its energy return at a regular 50.1%.

Contrary to the brand's specs, we measured the Anylander's heel stack at 30.2 mm instead of 27 mm. But even with those extra millimetres, it still has a lower profile than the average hiking shoe.

Our calliper also measured the shoe's forefoot stack a few millimetres higher than stated: at 21.5 mm instead of 17 mm.

That said, the shoe's heel-to-toe drop deviation is minor, at 8.7 mm rather than 10 mm.

Still, both offsets provide a similar experience, as both elevate the heel slightly above the toes to accommodate long hours of heel striking.

The shoe's EVA foam proved to be firmer than average, with a high durometer reading of 49.0 AC.

There is not much cushy comfort to expect from the Anylander, but on the upside, you get a very stable and controlled underfoot experience.

We knew that something was off with the adidas Terrex Anylander Rain.Rdy's fit during the wear test, and when we took the gel cast out of the shoe's interior, the puzzle pieces came together.

Even though the shoe offers plenty of room in the ball-of-foot area at 98.6 mm in the widest part, there is a problem with its toebox shape...

At only 69.7 mm in the big toe area, it has an extremely aggressive taper angle, going from wide in the forefoot to narrow in the big toe area!

That makes it tight and restrictive not only for wide feet but for medium-width feet too!

Vertically, the shoe's toebox also sits pretty low to the toes.

It's not alarmingly low with a toebox height of 25.8 mm, but it can feel a bit limited compared to many other hiking shoes.

Together with its pointy toebox, this adidas shoe's fit is not for everyone.

Brushing the shoe's Traxion rubber against wet concrete, we recorded a solid friction score of 0.63. Even though it's not the tackiest outsole among hiking shoes, it offers reliable bite on smooth surfaces like concrete, stone, rock, and wood, even if they are a little wet.

Our calliper measured the Anylander Rain.Rdy's lug depth at a moderate 3.3 mm. This allows the shoe to step onto mixed terrain with some light dirt, occasional rocks, roots, and grass, not nothing too demanding.

Its blocky tread pattern, with flat, wide lugs, further confirms that this adidas Terrex shoe performs best on hard-packed, predictable trails.

The Anylander Rain.Rdy's firm midsole and robust upper add some noticeable rigidity to its build. As a result, forefoot flex feels moderately limited, but not restricted.

Our shoe-bending machine recorded that it takes a little more force (19.9N) to bend this adidas shoe by 30 degrees than it takes an average hiking shoe.

Its simple and unburdened design helps keep the adidas Terrex Anylander Rain.Rdy's weight below the category average at 12.7 oz (360g). It never felt like a drag on foot, allowing us to pick up the pace easily.

As expected from a waterproof shoe, the Anylander's breathability left much to be desired. Equipped with the Rain.Rdy technology, the shoe blocks external water effectively but doesn't pull sweat away from the skin quickly enough to avoid clammy feet and damp socks.

After a 3-hour test inside a climate-controlled chamber, we measured the shoe's breathability as low as 38 BR.

The issue is exacerbated by the shoe's very slow drying time. The same 3-hour test allowed us to measure how much of the artificial sweat we had put into the Anylander evaporated within that period. And at only 22%, it's a poor result, even for a hiking shoe!

Whether the shoe's interior gets wet from sweat or external moisture, it is going to stay wet all throughout the hike and possibly even the day after! Unfortunately, that's a perfect formula for blisters and odour.

But there is a positive side to the Anylander Rain.Rdy's waterproof construction and that's the shoe's ability to retain warmth. Using a heated footform and enclosed chamber to measured this adidas shoe's insulation at 0.269 m² K/W.

It's not high enough to make the shoe winter-ready, but it confirms its slower heat loss in lower temperatures.

Its low-to-the-ground platform and firm midsole foam make the adidas Terrex Anylander Rain.Rdy an inherently stable shoe even without any shanks or sturdy stabilising elements.

Measuring the torque it takes to twist this adidas shoe by 10 degrees in both directions, we were surprised to get an above-average reading of 19.7 Nm.

This structure keeps the feet better aligned on uneven terrain so that muscles can work less hard to stabilise each step.

The shoe also surprised us with an exceptionally rigid heel counter, earning a maximum stiffness score of 5 out of 5 in our manual test.

It cups the heel and ankle well, anchoring them firmly inside the shoe to minimise undesirable wobbling.

As for the Anylander's midsole dimensions, our calliper showed that they fall squarely in the middle of hiking shoes. The widest part of the shoe's forefoot measured 112.8 mm.

The heel also proved to be on par with the average, with a regular width of 86.8 mm between the most extended contact points.

The textile used for the Anylander Rain.Rdy's upper is highly reminiscent of ripstop, and it proved its wear resistance in our Dremel test.

After applying sandpaper to the top of the shoe's toebox for 12 seconds, the damage ended up merely cosmetic. This raised our durability score to 4 out of 5 for this part of the shoe.

The mesh lining inside the shoe's collar was less reassuring with more severe damage. We reflected its lack of wear resistance in a low heel padding durability score of 2 out of 5.

The outsole rubber, on the other hand, performed rather well for a shoe at this price point. With a shallow dent of 1.1 mm, it promises a solid lifespan.

Our calliper measured the shoe's rubber layer at 2.0 mm atop its 3.3 mm lugs, which is a solid outsole thickness for moderate use.

There isn't much underfoot padding in this adidas shoe, but it offers a decent 3.6 mm layer of foam in the heel.

The insole is easy to remove in case you want to use a custom orthotic.

Firm at room temperature, the Anylander Rain.Rdy's midsole foam barely gets any firmer in chilly conditions. According to our durometer, the shoe's foam got only 10% harder after a 20-minute freezer test.

None of the shoe's components reflect light in the dark.

The tongue and collar padding of this adidas shoe pack enough foam to buffer pressure from the laces and the rigid heel counter.

As part of its waterproof construction, the adidas Terrex Anylander Rain.Rdy features a fully gusseted tongue to prevent water from seeping inside.

As the tongue gussets limit the shoe's opening, a finger loop ta the back helps the foot slide in more easily.

As one of the cheapest hiking shoes in our catalogue, we can't ask much from the Anylander Rain.Rdy. And yet it delivers in all the essential aspects! It doesn't have any standout features, but there are no obvious deal-breakers either.