If there was ever a trail running shoe to justify a $500 price tag, it would be this one

Introduction to the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra Evo

TAYLOR: How much money would you throw down for performance? $150? $250? $325?

How about $500? I guarantee pretty much every review of the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra Evo will start something like this. Half a grand is a wild amount of money to spend on anything, let alone a specifically tuned trail shoe.

Listen…

I don’t think we have to be worried about the rest of the market following this trend. Read between the three stripes with me. The price tag is a statement. They believe this is a pinnacle product that rises above all others. It's the same message they painted for the roads when the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo arrived. It wouldn’t get the same eyeballs if the price didn’t match the astonishing claims. Look what happened there! World records were reset and broken and smashed again.

What the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra Evo represents is the merging of two proven concepts. Both the Pro Evo 3 on the roads and the Agravic Speed Ultra on the trails have had similar success. Now, it all comes together in a trail racer that is like no other.

If we need elite-level performance to prove the concept, both Yngvild Kaspersen and Toni McCann smashed CCC in the shoe this year, Hannah Allgood broke the course record at Run Rabbit Run 100, and athletes had success at Western States in it too.

Our main question is, what can such a shoe do with me, a mere mortal?

RENEE: I liked running in the Agravic Speed Ultra Evo and pretending I was rich. “Look at me,” I’d say to myself. “I’m wearing a $500 shoe!” I let that pretend world grow with each mile. If I’m rich, I’m fast too. My Go-Go Squeeze is actually a Maurten gel. Nobody has to know the truth except me because nobody is watching me run in this shoe.

If you’re buying this shoe, you’re probably financially able to race and travel to race, and I appreciate that about you. A $750 race entry plus $1,200 travel, plus other expenses might be no sweat to you. A $500 shoe probably seems more reasonable if that’s your modus operandi (I assume rich people use Latin phrases). Meanwhile, I’m over here in the rural Midwest running miles in the early morning before I go to work and thinking about how this shoe would pay for (some of) my winter propane bill.

Seriously though, I put a lot of time into this review. I’m a fan of every runner having a super shoe to enjoy, and it’s really a matter of which one works the best for you. All super shoes are expensive, and if you’re eyeing this $500 option, I’d like to give you as much information as possible.

What we like about the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra Evo

TAYLOR: While there's a lot to be mindful of, the midsole is where we need to spend most of our time. Somehow, the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra Evo created a ride that was smooth yet snappy, stable yet energetic, efficient and exciting all at the same time. I almost wish I was kidding because it’s hard to put into words.

Two layers of a specifically tuned Lightstrike Pro (TPEE-based foam) surround a two-piece carbon-infused EnergyRim. What the heck is that, you ask?

This is basically the same system used in its road racing counterpart and the Prime X Evo that took down the 100k world record. Instead of using plates or rods, there is a ribbon of carbon-infused material that runs along the rim of the sole right up to the toe box.

Two obvious benefits to the system that I felt were propulsion on smoother terrain and uphills, and a truly dynamic stabilizer for the iffier terrain. It was smooth, adaptable (to an extent), and aggressive. All is desirable for race day.

For me, it's actually not the EnergyRim itself that was the most significant, though. It is what the EnergyRim made possible.

Shifting away from a rod system to the EnergyRim allowed any mechanism to move out of the way so that the foam could do more talking. Essentially, you get more foam directly under the mid/forefoot without interruption. It’s 100% noticeable and, because this is probably the most fun foam I’ve ever felt, it’s welcome… at least on smooth to moderately technical terrain.

I’ve said similar things about the Agravic Speed Ultra; however, the much broader sole and EnergyRim created a more predictable ride here while maintaining the fun factor. There was still a pseudo-360 rocker sensation but, again, it was much more stable than the Agravic Speed Ultra 2. Actually, from a rocker perspective, it was more akin to the Adidas Terrex Agravic SL than anything.

If y’all are numbers people, apparently the Agravic Speed Ultra Evo is 5% lighter, has 10% more energy return, and is 15% more durable underfoot compared to the Agravic Speed Ultra 2. I can’t be that precise with my numbers, but I do believe it.

The midfoot forward was exactly as hoped in terms of security for a racing shoe; it’s a performance fit without feeling constrictive.

As for the heel construction, I can’t say that it was perfect, but I can say that it was comfortable; I never had any debris enter the collar, and the padding throughout the heel and across the midfoot was much appreciated.

I have more comments about the fit in the next section.

Moving to the outsole, I was impressed. This unique formulation of Continental rubber showed up as it has in the past. With a lug pattern that blurred the lines between aggressive and minimal, I was satisfied with grip and durability across everything from pavement to wet rock. The only time I had issues was on sandy areas when the lugs couldn’t dig in. That’s fairly typical, though.

I pulled this out for a 50k race at altitude with a wide variety of terrain, and it performed impressively. Sure, the bottom part of the midsole looks a little chewed up, but it still feels fresh enough for many more rounds. It actually performed so well that I really do believe I performed out of my fitness level.

RENEE: The Agravic Speed Ultra Evo is a fast, lightweight shoe. In a nutshell, the shoe rides like a road super shoe with a few tweaks. I don’t have the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo, but I do see some similarities between the Agravic Speed Ultra Evo and Adios Pro Evo 3. For sprints and threshold paces on runnable landings, the shoe felt great. If you want the fastest trail super shoe, here you go.

The Evo is about 23g lighter in my US W7.5 compared to the Speed Ultra 2. I have low-volume feet, so the upper fits slightly better for me than the Speed Ultra 2 because of its structure and overlays. Also, the midsole is more flexible and nimble, and without the prominent rocker we get in the Speed Ultra 2. Overall, the Evo is notably faster, but that really depends on the terrain, which I’ll get to later.

The ride is created in part by a dual EnergyRim design, which includes the two halves visible on the sides of the shoe. The goal of the dual design is to give “greater adaptability across uneven terrain.” The goal and reality aren’t the same, but again, more on that later. The 33mm stack under the forefoot gives more ground feel and control than I expected, and while the shoe has a rocker geometry, I find that it rides traditionally, especially in comparison to the Speed Ultra 2 or Kipsummit Race, both of which have more apparent rockers in my opinion.

The magic seems to be from the midsole itself instead of the EnergyRim. I love the Evo SL ATR midsole, and while it’s a bit unstable, it’s a reminder that a good midsole is really all I need. The Lightstrike Pro in the Evo is comfortable for slow paces and responsive during fast paces, and that’s the magic sauce you’d expect from a super shoe.

Quick note about the outsole: it doesn’t look like much, but the lugs have been great, even through some mud. The area between the lugs looks like exposed midsole, but it’s not. The material is tacky and shows no signs of wear at 75 miles.

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What we don't like about the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra Evo

TAYLOR: Both the price tag and performance claims made me bring out all of my microscopes. While I do think this might be the fastest shoe ever made for trail racing, it doesn’t come without sacrifice.

I’ll start with my most serious gripe. The tops of my big toes look and feel like I kicked a cheese grater. While I appreciated the security in the forefoot, the bottom welds from the lacing chain rubbed me raw on my first long run in the shoe. I put a bunch of Body Glide on my toes for the race, and it still happened. If you have bunions (like me) or a high-volume foot, your time will be limited in this shoe.

Next on the gripe list is weight. It’s actually extremely impressive here. It’s pretty wild that a shoe that boasts 39mm of foam, an EnergyRim, and a full rubber outsole weighed 9.4oz (266g) for a US M10.5.

At the same time, I would take on a little bit of weight for an extra eyelet at the top of the lacing chain and some laces that don’t resemble angel hair pasta. I really think that those simple adjustments could make this a much more secure shoe and broaden its use case. It’s the reason why downhills and moderate to technical terrain in the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra Evo can either be the most fun you’ve ever had or absolutely frightening.

Underfoot wasn’t perfect for moderate to technical terrain either. The lateral piece of the EnergyRim extended all the way past the pinky toe, which made it quite rigid. The downside of this is a lot of pressure on the outside of the foot when going around tight corners or on shifty surfaces. The action wasn’t quite forgiving enough to really send it in those circumstances.

Add that to the modest security around the heel collar, and that really limited the terrain where I felt extremely confident in my footwear choice.

Which leads me to my final point: marketing. This shoe is slated for performance over “elevation” (i.e., mountains). Knowing what I know about mountains, that includes a wide variety of terrain intensities. This is not the shoe for that. Pitch this to me as a Western States shoe or even a shoe meant for a “variety” of terrain, and I could vouch for the fact that this might just be the best trail performer ever.

RENEE: Well, let’s just start with the price. $500 for a shoe is a bit rich for me, literally. At my pace, the other $250-300 trail super shoes will give me the same edge, and all of them are more stable in comparison.

Further, the Agravic Speed Ultra Evo is a wild ride on anything uneven. I understand the design of the shoe is meant to be more stable than the Speed Ultra 2, but I found the shoe too wild on anything remotely uneven or unmaintained. The midsole has flex, so there’s potential for the shoe to bend to the terrain and allow control. And it doesn’t feel overly high-stacked. Still, the shoe needs to land “just so” in order to bounce forward instead of side to side. 

Put another way, the dual construction seems to have the opposite effect of its purpose. I’m starting to think the elite runners have a firmer insole in their shoe or better ankle security. I can’t imagine bombing downhill on single track trails with this shoe. I resorted to walking to save my ankles.

Many super shoes tend to mellow out at 50 miles. That mellowing out never happened in the Agravic Speed Ultra Evo. And for fast runners, that means the shoe’s midsole will last. For everyone else, the Evo remains unstable. My ankles were turning and burning on each landing unless I was on the smoothest terrain possible.

The upper was not breathable. I was running in late August and September during the humidity, so I gave the shoe some slack. Even then, my telling sign of a hot upper is when I don’t have dirt entering the shoe. My socks were always clean, and dirt was always caked to the upper. The faux gaiter is a latex-like material, and sweat pooled there, causing a blister. Somewhere between mile 65 and 75, the faux gaiter ripped on my right shoe, and a tear started on the left. Without that tight collar, my ankle is going to shift around even more.

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Final thoughts on the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra Evo

TAYLOR: Marketing is a bit of a buzzkill for many of these pinnacle performers. While this wouldn’t be my shoe for UTMB or Hardrock, what would it be for? Everything else!

There’s no other shoe out there that can boast the level of efficiency and fun at the same time as the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra Evo. When this shoe is on my feet, I just want to run! Consequently, when I do run in the Adidas Agravic Speed Ultra Evo, I'm a faster, more efficient runner. There are very few other shoes I can say that about, and this one does it better than others, especially on smooth to moderately technical terrain.

This shoe is definitely for the trail runner who has the speed and power to maintain a running stride across distances and terrain. Think of courses like Western States, Black Canyon, and even Javelina that are relatively smooth but may even have some moderate bouts. That’s all wonderful!

Sadly, some of the fit issues definitely take away from its capacity, as does price.

While this one will be on reserve for specific races, I have been impressed by its durability and will get multiple races out of it, thankfully.

What gets me most excited about this shoe is to actually see the trickle-down effect within Adidas future lineup.

RENEE: I know pro runners use the shoe on technical terrain, but the trail would need to be well maintained for me to choose the Evo over other options. The Agravic Speed Ultra Evo is the lightest super trail shoe I’ve run in recently, so it has potential to be the fastest if I have a solid landing. I ran just as fast in the Asics Metafuji Trail 2 and had a better fit and better stability. 

The Agravic Speed Ultra Evo is the least approachable super trail shoe I’ve used, and dare I say that means it might be the fastest for pro-level runners. It’s almost the anti-On Cloudultra Pro, which is probably the most approachable and diverse “super” shoe. To be clear, it doesn’t have a carbon/fast plate, so it’s not nearly as fast.

If the Agravic Speed Ultra Evo and Agravic Speed Ultra 2 could somehow combine their assets into one shoe and sprinkle in some of the fun of the Evo SL, then I’d be happy. The only way I see the shoe being stable enough for technical trail is for someone who has full/wide/high volume ankles with the ability to land quickly and constantly from the forefoot to toe-off. Those people exist. And this is their shoe.

You can pick up the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra Evo for $500 in December 2026 at Running Warehouse (featuring free 2-day shipping and 90-day returns) by using the shop link below.

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