Adidas Terrex Agravic SL review: The Three Stripes’ best trail shoe yet, with a few quirks

Introduction to the Adidas Terrex Agravic SL

TAYLOR: Deep in the Minnesota River bottom, right between the middle of nowhere and the road to somewhere else, is a tiny gem. Skalbekken County Park isn’t well known, but if it were, it would have its own mythical lore. Deep, dark woods so thick that GPS will never be accurate, an infinite number of stream crossings, uphill and downhill happening simultaneously, mosquitoes the size of birds, and the inevitable feeling of being perpetually lost.

Skalbekken is where I trail ran before I knew what trail running was. Nowadays, it’s my ultimate testing ground twice a year. Whenever I return, I bring a pair of shoes that needs the ultimate ass-whoopin’ to prove its mettle.

This summer, it was the lucky Adidas Terrex Agravic SL — a shoe that routinely surprised me in the mountains.

The whole premise behind the shoe matches the wildly popular Adidas Evo SL. While the Agravic SL is not the trail version of the road counterpart, it still captures the same essence: take the qualities of the pinnacle race day model and simplify it for everyday training.

What that means in the case of the Adidas Terrex Agravic SL is to take the Agravic Speed Ultra 2 silhouette and alter its components to tame some of its wildness without completely domesticating it.

As I say often, on paper, that sounds amazing. Taking it to the trail can be a different story.

What we like about the Adidas Terrex Agravic SL

TAYLOR: My first stop is the fit. Across Agravic models and iterations, both the material choice and construction in the upper have been make-or-break for runners. For multiple reasons, the Adidas Terrex Agravic SL is the most comfortable offering.

While I had initial concerns about the big toe joint and tongue, as well as a bit of heel lift, all comfort- and fit-related issues faded away as I ran more in the shoe. A large part of that was due to a genuinely more accommodating toe box (compared to the Adidas Terrax Agravic Speed Ultra 2, Agravic 3, and Speed 2) and a whole lot more structure and padding through the heel collar.

Why this matters is that the typical pinky toe irritation is gone. The common heel rub is obsolete, too. That alone will bring back droves of runners who had to put down the other models for comfort reasons, and it will bring those who want to try a Terrex shoe for the first time.

The fit is functional too. Pair the aforementioned construction with braided laces and a softer yet durable upper, and the lockdown was solid even through technical terrain. I was very satisfied with the fit as it became a trusted component of the Adidas Terrex Agravic SL.

The upper itself is a woven engineered mesh that checks the boxes of comfort thanks to a secondary liner closer to the foot and impressive durability.

Like the Evo SL, the Agravic SL also features a full slab of  Lightstrike Pro foam. The race-ready Agravic Speed Ultra 2 and Speed 2 also use Lightstrike Pro; however, the Agravic SL feels a little denser. Don’t worry, though! I feel it still captures the essence of the high-end foam. There was a true cushion, noticeable energy return, and protection that’s unique among the masses.

One of my favorite aspects of the Agravic SL is that it adopted a similar rocker profile to the Agravic Speed Ultra 2. It’s this 360 gyrosphere-like rocker that was either fun or terrifying in the race model. In the Agravic SL, the scale of the fun-to-control ratio was slid toward the latter. This shoe is much more moderate due to its foam composition and lack of an Energy Rod system. While I think the Agravic Speed Ultra 2’s ride is wildly fun, the Agravic SL will give you traces of that feeling with less of an adrenaline pump.

Honestly, if you prefer to race in the Agravic Speed Ultra 2, this shoe is a great way to train your body and mind to do so.

What makes the Adidas Terrex Agravic SL even more of a versatile ride is that the combination of medium-soft density foam, a forefoot stability shank, and a broader footprint delivers true stability in a package that previously lacked it. I found that the Agravic SL could confidently access a wide variety of terrain… even more so than the Adidas Terrex Agravic TT.

Part of that accessibility is due to the more aggressive application of Continental rubber. There is a mix of 3.5-4mm lugs covering the entire outsole. While I think it’s a bit overdone in this case, I can’t argue with the phenomenal grip, the structure it adds to the package as a whole, and the extra degree of protection it provides.

Even so, this package weighed 10.3 oz. for my US M10.5. At my size, that’s fairly lightweight for a versatile daily driver like the Adidas Terrex Agravic SL.

I can’t forget the value here. At $160, this is one of the more performance-forward and versatile options available.

What we don’t like about the Adidas Terrex Agravic SL

TAYLOR: As much as I loved the performance of this shoe, my list of flaws is surprisingly lengthy.

Sizing has long been a battle with Adidas Terrex shoes. The most recent Agravis Speed Ultra 2 and Agravic TT fit great in my normal US M10.5. Often, I could even do a size 11. I was sent a US M10 in the Agravic SL, and it still feels long. I could easily go down another half size and be fine. So, if you’re a runner who wants a little extra room at the end, size down half a size for sure! If you like a more snug fit, there’s room enough to go a full size down.

I did already mention this, however, for a shoe whose ethos is simplicity and versatility, I think Adidas Terrex went a little too gung-ho with the outsole. Continental rubber punches above its weight in grip and durability. There’s really no reason for it to boast such an outsole. This is a package (though already fairly lightweight for the category) that would benefit from shedding grams for mass appeal.

Another reason to shed the grams underfoot is that this shoe felt bottom-heavy. It was noticeable right out of the box. With the robust outsole and more dense midsole, the top-to-bottom balance was slightly off. Even though the Adidas Terrex Agravic SL is a highly functional shoe, this sensation does dwindle the magic.

The last bullet point on this list is about the initial rubbing under the big toe joint. While I didn’t have any after the first run, there are some runners who will, undoubtedly, be bitten by the forefoot.

Final thoughts on the Adidas Terrex Agravic SL

TAYLOR: Bold statement: I think the Adidas Terrex Agravic SL is the brand’s best trail shoe to date. It takes some of the fun-factor tech, mixes it with a confidence-inducing design, and comes out the other end with the most versatile package in the lineup.

Yes, I do think there are a few easy improvement points, but I think this shoe launched itself onto the leaderboard for the all-mountain, everyday, one-shoe-quiver, whatever you want to call it category.

For what it’s worth, I think this shoe could easily take the spot of the Agravic TT if you tried that and were disappointed.

If you’re not feeling the Three Stripes, you might like the Hoka Speedgoat 7, La Sportiva Prodigio 2, Topo Athletic MTN Racer 4, Salomon Ultra Glide 4, and even the Nike ACG Zegama instead.

You can pick up the Adidas Terrex Agravic SL for $160 on from Running Warehouse (featuring free shipping and 90-day returns) by using the buttons below.