Oct 06, 2026 5 min read

Reviews Running Adidas

Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 review: brilliant on fast trails, if it fits you

The Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 is a bouncy ultra racer for fast, runnable trails, but its narrow fit rules some runners out. Here's who it suits.

Remember when carbon supershoes took over road marathons? This is adidas taking that same idea to the dirt as more and more trail brands introduce more super trail shoes.

The Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 stacks 43mm (yes, really) of bouncy Lightstrike Pro foam under your heel, threads flexible Energy Rods through it instead of a rigid plate, and wraps the bottom in grippy Continental rubber.

The result is one of the bounciest, most energetic trail shoes money can buy, built for going fast for a long time on runnable trails.

But there's a catch, and it's the fit.

I've been testing the Agravic Speed Ultra 2 on rolling singletrack, fireroads, and longer fast efforts, and the engine is genuinely special. Whether the shoe is right for you comes down to your foot shape and your trails, so let's get into it.

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Key specifications

Price: $225 at adidas.com
Weight: 9.7oz / 275g (US men's 9)
Drop: 8mm
Stack height: 43mm heel / 35mm forefoot
Midsole: dual-layer Lightstrike Pro and Lightstrike with Energy Rods (flexible rods, not a rigid carbon plate) and an aggressive rocker
Outsole: Continental rubber with mixed 3-4mm lugs; no rock plate
Upper: lightweight mono-mesh with TPU overlays, slingshot-style heel hold, slightly high collar, short traditional tongue
Notable extras: race fit that narrows under the heel and midfoot, regular width only, molded sockliner

Sizing and fit

The Agravic Speed Ultra 2 runs true to size with a race-snug fit throughout, and it is definitely not a wide shoe.

The forefoot is usable and the mono-mesh feels great on foot, but the shoe narrows noticeably at the midfoot, the collar sits a little high, and the heel lock is only average.

The frustrating part: the tongue is too short to run a proper heel-lock lacing setup comfortably, so you can't cinch your way to a better hold.

If you have wide feet, or you land on your heels, this fit will fight you.

Features I love

The bounce keeps giving, deep into long efforts

On the terrain it was built for, this shoe is a joy.

The softened dual-layer Lightstrike Pro, the Energy Rods, and that tall rockered stack produce a cushioned, bouncy ride that's still returning energy hours into a run.

On rolling singletrack, fireroads, gravel, and fast ultra courses, it bounces you forward in a way very few trail shoes can.

Climbs feel snappy and fast

Going uphill, this shoe comes alive.

The rocker, the rods, and a reasonable 9.7oz weight combine into a quick, efficient climbing feel that wants to be run, not hiked.

Worth underlining: it rewards momentum. Runnable grades at effort are its happy place.

Continental grip handles most of what you'll meet

The Continental outsole delivers again. Dry hardpack, rock, gravel, and moderately wet ground are all handled confidently, with the mixed lugs cut deeper for this version.

Deep mud is outside its brief, but honestly, grip is rarely the problem here; the platform above it is. More on that in a moment.

The upper is a hot-weather weapon

The thin mono-mesh breathes brilliantly, making this a legitimately good race option for hot conditions.

It's a race-day upper through and through. The only open question is how a mesh this thin holds up over hundreds of miles, and I'll keep watching as mine build.

What could be improved

Stability is the honest limitation, and it's baked into the design.

A 43mm stack, no rock plate, rods that add rebound, and a footprint that narrows significantly under the heel and midfoot: put those together and the shoe feels twitchy when the ground gets lumpy.

On off-camber, rooty, or broken terrain, the rubber can still be gripping while the tall chassis above it wobbles. And because of that short tongue, better lacing can't fix it the lock down as much as I'd like for uneven terrain.

None of this matters on smooth, fast trails. All of it matters the moment they stop being smooth.

My verdict

I like the Agravic Speed Ultra 2; I really do.

It's airy, snappy on climbs, and cushioned-bouncy on rolling trails and long efforts, and at 9.7oz it still feels like a race shoe rather than a tank.

The honest limitation is the fit and the stability that follows from it. Narrow under the heel, a so-so heel lock, and no true lacing-fix available without some form of discomfort.

If your races are flowy and runnable and you land on your midfoot or forefoot, this is a serious $225 tool.

Shop new Speed Ultra 2

If your trails get rough, or you're newer to trail running, the Adidas Terrex Agravic SL gives you the same bouncy foam family in a planted, stable package for $65 less.

Who should skip it: heel strikers, wide feet, beginners, deep-mud races, and anyone who wants a controllable ride on technical trails.

For technical security, the Salomon S/Lab Genesis 2 remains the benchmark, the Hoka Tecton X 4 is the trail supershoe that stays composed across far more terrain, and the plateless Mount To Coast M1 delivers big energy with a much friendlier fit.