Adidas Terrex Fast X GTX

This is a solid under-ankle trail shoe (less weight that a traditional hiking boot). The rubber outsole is made by a tire company LOL! Don't be fooled this is no sneaker.

Edit 3/17/14: Dropped ½ star due to long break-in period and failure of the lace tab. However this is otherwise a rock-solid, under-ankle hiking shoe and I'm very pleased with them.

WHY THESE:

Due to a broken leg I ended up with some screws in me that were supposed to stay put. However one screw has worked its way lose and protrudes just above my left ankle inner side. While out on an 11-mile hike this became a real issue for me as the back and forth rubbing from my hiking boots were killing me those last two miles.

HOW I FOUND THEM:

Not willing to give up hiking I went to REI and asked for something under-ankle but still great on the trails here in central Texas. Without hesitation the guy recommended these to me. Frankly I never would have picked these out for myself.  I prefer earth tones and most likely wouldn't have considered Adidas. However based on his recommendation I decided to give these a try. I'm very glad I did.

SIZE:

I've never considered my feet to be narrow, but I also know depending on shoe style and brand I float between a 12 and 13, typically getting 13 although some I have are just a bit too big. These shoes I got in a 14 (!!) and it's the perfect size for me. Be aware of this because you really should try these on in a store and be willing to go a size or even two up before deciding what to get IMHO.

BREAK-IN PERIOD:

Please be aware it takes a long while to break these shoes in. I wore them non-stop even in my house in an effort to break them in ASAP. Even still it took a solid two months to get these where they are totally comfortable.

LACES:

These shoes have the built-in lace with a finger tab to pull on in the center. One lace came out. I wasn't thrilled but I want to keep these too much to return them. Instead I just cut off the tabs, melted the laces to prevent fraying, and tied them together. Works fine and a gram or two lighter. These laces lock and hold better than what you get on a Keen and I'm happy with how that has held up.

CONCLUSION:

Great shoes. Lots of features, Google these for all the official details. I like the tread is made by a tire company and the Gore-Tex upper is waterproof. The laces hold and I'm not too worried about the part that came apart — the fix was simple and the shoes still work the same. Yes, the break-in period is very long and not always fun, but stick with them and when you come out on the other side these will be very comfortable. They are terrific trail shoes, really protect your feet.

I'm not happy the screw came loose, but I am happy to have found these shoes. I am getting that screw out of my leg but I expect to continue wearing these for pretty much all my outdoor hiking. I'm sure my boots will see some action but perhaps only in the most extreme backpacking situations.

Great traction and good foot protection for trail hiking. Adidas has improved the lacing to avoid heel slip in newer models.

I normally wear a 9.5 US and had to size up to a 10 for this shoe. I have flat and narrow feet. The tongue comfort and lacing needed a fair bit of adjustment out of the box to meet a comfort level for hiking. The sole and heel cup provide support for striking uneven surfaces; however, a gnarly enough, uneven surface could twist your ankle as it is a relatively narrow shoe / sole.

The shoe was water resistant as advertised and provided average breathability on a three-mile, black diamond terrain in the rain. The traction system was above average. My wife and I went down some steep, loose rocks with lots of moisture, moss, leaves, and rain. I don't know of a shoe that would keep you from ice skating, but this shoe did a better job compared to my Merrell and Oboz brands.

I can't find a pair of water resistant hiking shoes that are truly as breathable for days above 85°F. I have had these shoes out between 65-85°F. We hit the Wintegreen Ski Resort trails this morning in Virginia. The Terex shoes took an absolute beating on one of the most strenuous trails on the mountain. My trail running shoes would have shown much more wear for the miles. The Terrex Fast X GTX take a while to break in, but will be with you for multiple seasons. 

I would recommend this hiking shoe model for wet, muddy, or slushy conditions from 35-75°F where traction and water resistant performance is required. 

Wow, great shoe!

Expensive, but worth every penny! My foot stayed perfectly dry, crossing through streams, mud and snow. And warm too! I have worn these on several long 10+ mile day hikes and no blisters, didn't really have a need to "break them in" like most shoes.

They fit perfectly, not too thin like most people have said. Normally I have wide feet but these are great! No blisters, great tread, lightweight!

Well-constructed shoe, Gortex lined, fits well through the foot except the heel slips when walking.

I bought these after reading numerous online reviews. I have a narrow foot and many reviewers stated that these shoes ran narrow. Well, they fit my feet perfectly except that the heels slip when I walk. I even tried thicker socks and that didn't help. Maybe Terrex mids would stop the heels from slipping?

Great shoe for all around needs, trails, running and street. Support, waterproof and comfort. Looks cool also.

Had first pair, now getting second. It meets just about all my needs.