Adidas Outdoor Terrex Fast X Mid Gore-Tex - Women's Review

Weight
Weighing 1.99 lbs per pair, the Adidas Terrex Fast X is on the heavy side. Though this is the weight for the mid-cut version, and it only weighs 2.5 ounces per pair more than the Patagonia Drifter A/C – Women's, which is a low-cut shoe, and it weighs 4 ounces less than the Oboz Yellowstone, which is another high cut hiking shoe. When hiking in these shoes they do not feel heavy on your feet, but instead fit well and feel easy to wear.

Comfort
The Adidas Terrex holds the foot extremely snugly, cradling the bridge of the foot. There is no sliding around inside the shoe, which means no blisters or uncomfortable rubbing. These shoes, even with a higher cut than most other shoes we reviewed, feel more dexterous than any of the other shoes and are excellent to hike in.

Support
This shoe, like the Oboz Yellowstone – Women's bridges the gap between a boot and a shoe. It is lightweight and comfortable like a shoe, yet adds a tiny bit of ankle support, which is perfect for backpackers, hiking on uneven terrain, or for women with vulnerable ankles that are prone to rolling. One of our testers rolled her ankle while on a trip, and continued to day-hike in these shoes, feeling that her ankle was well protected, yet she didn't have the extra weight of a boot.

Traction
The toe of the shoe feels very precise and sensitive, which is usually a feature of an approach shoe for climbing or a barefoot style shoe. Rather than a clunky protective toe like on the Keen Voyageur – Women's that inhibits sensation while hiking, this shoe allows your toes to engage more and also makes the shoes feel extra grippy.

Durability
The primary downside to this otherwise noteworthy shoe is the speed-lace. In general we like speed-lace systems on hiking shoes, such as on the Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultra 2 GTX– Women's, however the one of this pair of shoes does not work properly. The plastic mechanism that is supposed to release and lock the lace does not actually release, and requires more brute force than finesse to loosen. Eventually, after multiple times of wrestling with the lace, one of the laces ripped, which was the only durability issue we found with these shoes. Once Adidas refines their speed-lace mechanism they will have a really top-notch product competitive in the outdoor market.

Water Resistance / Breathability
With a waterproof/breathable Gore-Tex membrane, these shoes protect from weather, and with a higher cut, they can keep water out of your shoes in slightly deeper puddles than a low-cut version. If hiking in hot weather, these shoes are not as breathable as the Merrell Moab Ventilators – Women's. They also come in a non-Gore-Tex version if you prefer extra breathability over waterproofing.

Best Application / Versatility
Since this shoe is so well fitting, it excels at any type of hiking, whether long-distance or just for a quick day-hike. The mid-cut doesn't transition to everyday use as well as other hiking shoes, but they are extremely comfortable on the trail.

Value
As the most expensive hiking shoe in this review, the Adidas Terrex is an investment. If this shoe fits you well, you can be sure that you are buying a comfortable, well-made shoe. Test the laces before you buy them. If they work well, then this shoe would be worth the cost. If the laces are hard to operate, we wouldn't recommend spending almost $200 on them.

Other Versions
Women's Outdoor Terrex Fast X Gore-Tex Shoes (a low-cut version)
Women's Outdoor Terrex Fast X Shoes (low-cut, non-waterproof)
Women's Outdoor Terrex Fast X Boots (high-cut, non-waterproof)
Men's Outdoor Terrex Fast X Gore-Tex Shoes (low-cut)
Men's Outdoor Terrex Fast X Shoes (low-cut, non-waterproof)
Men's Outdoor Terrex Fast X Gore-Tex Boots (high-cut)
Men's Outdoor Terrex Fast X Gore-Tex Boots (high-cut, non-waterproof)