Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX review

Having tried and tested the Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX on a variety of parameters, we believe that it is an excellent option for hikers who:

• need a protective and grippy hiking shoe for challenging terrain
• want a lightweight shoe with the stability of a hiking boot
• hike in cold, swampy, and rainy conditions on a regular basis

As a low-cut shoe, the Swift R3 GTX is not perfect for deep puddles and river crossings. If you foresee the water overflowing the shoe's low collar, it's better to go with the Salomon Outpulse Mid GTX.

If on the other hand, you mostly hike in warm and dry weather, the waterproof GTX lining of the shoe will only make your feet hot and sweaty. To avoid overpaying for something you don't need, we recommend the non-waterproof Salomon X Ultra 4 instead.

Looking at the bottom of the shoe, we saw an imprinted writing: "STACK 15/25 MM." To be honest, this left us quite perplexed because we actually measured the shoe's heel stack height at a whopping 36.6 mm!

Perhaps Adidas only measured the midsole to get 25 mm?

Either way, based on our calliper measurement, there is more than 3.5 cm of protection between your heel and the ground! This is one of the tallest hiking platforms we've seen in our lab.

This makes the Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX one of the best options for rocky trails with sharp rocks and other technical terrain.

In the forefoot, the midsole thickness becomes drastically smaller. With a calliper measurement of 20.7 mm, the forefoot stack of this Adidas shoe is about the same as the average but much taller than the officially stated 15 mm.

This leaves us with a significant heel-to-toe drop of 15.9 mm! A few millimetres taller than the average, it raises the heel notably higher above the toes.

This makes landings extra cushioned and protected while letting the forefoot bend more easily and feel the ground better for stability.

What's really nice about this Adidas Terrex shoe is that despite its burly and stiff construction, its cushioning happens to be not as firm as in most other hiking shoes.

Using a durometer, we measured the shoe's foam softness at 26 HA. This makes the Swift R3 GTX 18% softer than the average!

And if you want something even plusher, have a look at the Hoka Anacapa Low GTX (23.3 HA).

Given that this Adidas shoe is intended for colder climates, it is nice to know that its cushioning doesn't turn into a rock in low temperatures.

Having kept the shoe in the freezer for 20 minutes, we repeated the durometer measurement. At 30.5 HA, the foam only got as firm as most other hiking shoes are at room temperature.

Compared to other hiking shoes in our lab, the Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX firmed up by 17.3% which is notably less than the average difference.

The insole of this shoe has a standard amount of padding. Using a calliper to measure its thickness in the heel, we got 4.9 mm. This is exactly the same as the average.

What's noteworthy about this insole is its raised sidewalls which create a cup-like carrier for the foot.

Trying the shoe in our regular US size 9, we found that it runs larger and even a bit wider than expected.

In the widest part of the toebox, for example, we got a calliper measurement of 102.7 mm. This is nearly 4 mm wider than average!

However, there is also more space in front of the toes. This made the shoe less than ideal for descending as our toes would bump into the shoe's pretty hard toe bumper (but from the inside). Thus, we recommend going at least half a size smaller than your regular hiking shoe size.

The shoe's toebox has a slightly but not critically tapered shape.

Measuring its width around the big toe, we got 76 mm which is narrower than the average but not enough to call it narrow.

Stability is truly phenomenal in the Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX. In spite of its low-cut collar, the shoe actually feels a lot like a hiking boot!

Compared to other shoes in its weight category, this Adidas shoe made us feel incredibly surefooted on tricky trails involving unpredictable rocks, roots, and other debris.

We also found that the Pro-Moderator technology (embedded into the sole on both sides) is an excellent foot stabiliser. It worked very effectively to prevent side-to-side movements of the foot which made our legs less fatigued at the end of the day.

The shoe's exceptionally rigid build is the primary reason behind its stability. It is nearly impossible to twist the shoe and you have to put A LOT of effort into it.

Thus, we rated the torsional rigidity of the Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX with the highest score of 5 out of 5.

Contributing to secure heel hold is the shoe's stiff heel counter. On a 1-5 scale where 5 is the stiffest, we rated it as 4.

This helps to significantly minimise the wobbling of the heel and ankle.

The platform of this Adidas shoe is wide enough to provide plenty of landing surface.

In the widest part of the forefoot, we measured the sole at 114.5 mm. Thanks to the lateral outrigger, this is a few millimetres wider than average.

Back in the heel, the widest part comes in at 88.5 mm. This is a solid average for a hiking shoe.

From our experience, the Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX definitely feels on the stiff side. However, our lab test shows that it is not stiffer than the average.

According to our force gauge, it takes 34.1N to bend the shoe to a 90-degree angle. Just about the same as the average.

But because of the shoe's burly design and protective overlays, it actually feels rather stiff on the trail.

Taking the shoe out on a chilly day, be prepared that it will become even more unforgiving. After 20 minutes in the freezer, it required 53.6N of force to bend the shoe instead of 34.1N.

This Adidas hiking shoe got a whopping 57.4% stiffer in cold compared to room temperature! For reference, most shoes don't get past 50%.

Tipping the scale at 14.4 oz (408g), the Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX sits very close to the average of waterproof hiking shoes (14.6 oz/414g). This is actually pretty light given how much protection is packed into this Adidas hiker.

If you want a hiking shoe with a similar design and intent but want it to be an ounce lighter, check out the Salomon X Ultra 4 GTX (13.3 oz/378g).

Having tested a myriad of GTX hiking shoes in our lab, we have come to expect zero breathability from this type of footwear. However, the Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX busted that myth in a mere second!

Performing our smoke-pumping test on this Adidas shoe, we were quite surprised with the amount of smoke passing through its tongue.

It is obviously not as well-ventilated as the non-waterproof Merrell Moab 3. However, it is notably more breathable than its GTX counterparts. On a scale from 1 to 5, where 5 is the most breathable, we rated it as 2. Most Gore-Tex shoes only get 1.

But don't get us wrong. This shoe is still 100% watertight. In our transparency check below, it is clear that there are no perforations in the shoe's upper.

What's more, our microscope helps to show you how incredibly dense the shoe's material is.

In order to keep a GTX shoe's waterproofing intact, it must be protected from punctures and tears. And as our durability test shows, you have to be extra careful with the Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX.

Applying our Dremel to the shoe's upper textile for 12 seconds at a speed of 5K RPM resulted in a small yet critical puncture. This made us lower the toebox durability rating for this Adidas shoe to 2 out of 5.

Good thing the rubberized overlays are so large in this hiking shoe! All the main impact areas are well-protected.

Another potentially frail area in hiking shoes is the heel padding. But not for the Terrex Swift R3!

The shoe's heel collar lining stood up to our 4 seconds of drilling very well. The barely noticeable scratch convinced us to rate the shoe's heel padding durability as 4 out of 5.

Like any other Adidas Terrex shoe, the Swift R3 GTX uses Continental rubber for its outsole. Having a reputation as a hard-wearing compound, it did not disappoint.

Measuring the rubber hardness with our durometer, we got a measurement of 85.9 HC. This is considered average for a hiking shoe outsole and is a good sign of long-term durability.

Of course, we turned to our Dremel to test the outsole's abrasion resistance. Drilling it unapologetically for 22 seconds at the speed of 10K RPM, we were pleasantly surprised.

According to the tread gauge, the dent was only 0.9 mm deep. This is a little less than the average and earns this Adidas shoe bonus points for durability.

We also measured the thickness of the outsole excluding lugs. The calliper returned 2 mm which is a solid average for a hiking shoe.

The writing at the bottom of the shoe reads: "LUGS 4.5 MM." Indeed, we found this to be true based on our own calliper measurement.

The lugs are also well-spaced in the Swift R3 GTX, making it harder for mud to get stuck in between.

Finally, the chevroned shape of the lugs provides a really good stopping power when going downhill.

No reflective elements were added to this Adidas Terrex hiking shoe.

The tongue packs a pretty standard amount of padding for a hiking shoe. Measuring it with a calliper, we got 10.9 mm. This was more than enough to keep us warm, comfortable, and free from the lace pressure.

This Adidas Terrex shoe uses a fully gusseted tongue to protect the interiors from water and debris.

A finger loop is attached at the back of the collar. It is large enough to fit an index finger and assist in getting the shoe on much faster.

If you prefer to wear a custom insert in place of the default one, you have that option in the Swift R3 GTX.