Adidas Terrex Trailcross Protect Shoes - Review

We took a First Look at the Terrex shoes during Eurobike last year, and since then I have been putting them through their paces to find out how they perform. This high-top shoe features Stealth Rubber from Five Ten (who are now part of the Adidas group), a lightweight ripstop upper, and D3O ankle protection. There is also a low-top SL version which shares the same sole and similar construction features. The Trailcross Protect shoes are available now and come in at $150 USD / €149.95.





Construction

The Trailcross Protect uses a Stealth Rubber sole, Ortholite inner sole, and a synthetic and ripstop upper. These high-top shoes also feature D3O rubber ankle protection which is built into the velcro closure for both sides of your ankle. The heel is reinforced along with some protection at the front of the toe. There is also a bungee to keep laces under control and not tangled in your chain.




Performance



I initially thought the angled lugs at the heel and toe of the sole were a gimmick, but when walking on trails and even in the snow, they genuinely helped to dig in when climbing or descending. The high-tops combined with the Velcro closure add support, and are great for general hacking around the mountain or trail building without filling up with dirt and stones.




On the pedals, the Stealth Rubber is less sticky and has a faster rebound than the softest Mi6 compound found on Five Ten's Impact VXi. The Stealth S1 compound used on Five Ten Freeriders and the new Danny MacAskill signature shoe still deliver more grip and tack. It has a softer feel to the Marathon/Mn rubber compound found on the Five Ten Dirtbags, which is the hardest wearing rubber from the Stealth line. Adidas wouldn't specify which rubber compound is used and it could be a whole new compound or borrowed from somewhere else in the Stealth range. Whichever compound they have chosen, it's grippy enough for trail bike endeavors and dare I say it, enduro, but downhillers or people hunting for more grip should stick with a shoe using Mi6 or S1.

The sole is stiff enough to support feet on the pedal without squirming but is soft enough to contour against the ground when walking.




The Trailcross is not a winter shoe, even though the boot style might lure you into thinking that. They are lightweight and cool, even as temperatures rise. The front two-thirds of the upper shoe are lightly built and have little material to absorb water, allowing the Trailcross to dry out quickly and easily without carrying excess weight when wet.

There are no signs of any delamination of the sole or any issues with any seams, and the sole has barely started to show signs of wear. In fact, the whole shoe still looks like new after a run through the washing machine.

The laces, combined with the high-top and velcro closure, give a superb fit with no tight areas or hotspots, and I had no issues with my feet moving or sliding inside. They're probably the best fitting and most comfortable pair of bike shoes that I've tried so far. My feet are in between slim and medium, 9.5cm wide at size 10 US (43EU / 9UK). Riders with wide feet should look to try a pair on for size before ordering.


Pinkbike’s Take:

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