Our reviews are 100% organic. We do not accept payment for reviews or bundle with advertising budgets. In most cases, the brand is providing the product to our reviewers free of charge. While Adidas has recently enjoyed prominence at the pinnacle of competitive trail running with its Terrex Agravic line of shoes, they have simultaneously been investing in enhancing overall comfort and enjoyment for a much larger cross section of trail runners. That’s where the Terrex Soulstride series comes in, with its name reflecting the “soul sport” nature of activities such as surfing, rock climbing and trail running that provide equal emotional and physiological benefits for participants. These are shoes made for lacing up, taking off and cruising in comfort.
The Soulstride Ultra is a new model that builds upon the previous Soulstride Trail and Soulstride Flow models and is built specifically for long trail days or extended periods of high mileage. Its stack heights are larger than the other models, and its construction uses lighter weight and higher performance materials than the Flow shoe to make it suitable for race days. We’ve tested our pair for about 200 total miles, including a few 20+ mile efforts, and it will be in our short rotation for ultra races as a midpack runner.
Women’s black colorway
Uppers are made from recycled and abrasion-resistant engineered mesh that breathes and ventilates well, with seamless TPU overlays that give a bit of structure without bulk. Moderate cushioning around the ankle collar keeps the rearfoot snug and comfortable, while the toe box is moderately rounded to allow foot splay during longer mileage days. The midfoot lace system locks the foot down fairly well, although we did have some lateral stability issues with these shoes that we suspect are more due to the platform than the uppers—more on that below.
Rounded toe box, moderate ankle collar cushioning
Key technologies on the Soulstride Ultra are in the midsole, which layers Lightstrike and Light Boost compounds for a cushioned yet energetic response with each foot impact. Lightstrike is the higher density, more energetic compound made for explosive movements, while an updated Light Boost compound that is lighter, stronger and more responsive than the previous version excels at cushioned support and durability. These two combine for a slightly firm but comfortable overall ride quality that slower runners will enjoy, and the compound maintains decent snappiness for speedsters to work on quick turnover. The 6mm drop is a sweet spot for heel strikers or midfoot strikers, and the midsole is made with rocker geometry to facilitate forward motion through the stance phase. There is plenty of cushioning to keep your feet protected and comfortable during long-distance outings.
Lightstrike on bottom, Light Boost on top
The midsole also has “fuel channels” to help absorb impact in separate zones without affecting overall stability, but we found this to be limited in effectiveness when terrain gets excessively technical. With a fairly large stack height of 38mm in the heel, the overall base of support of the Soulstride Ultra felt a shade too narrow for us, and we did have to be more cautious than usual on unstable, irregular ground to avoid rolling sideways off the platform. This was also noticeable during swift stream crossings, where the shoe had a higher tendency to roll in the downstream direction. For mild to moderate terrain, however, we had no stability problems at all.
Continental rubber outsole with fuel channels
One thing for certain is that there are no stability complaints about the outsole, which continues the longstanding Adidas standard of Continental rubber with angled 3.5mm lugs, and generous coverage throughout the full length of the shoe. We have always found this compound to provide exceptional grip across roots, rocks or dirt in wet or dry conditions, and this shoe is no different.
In terms of meeting its objective, the Terrex Soulstride Ultra succeeds in accommodating high mileage training in comfort and is definitely suitable for ultra races if you are a midpack runner and the course isn’t exceptionally technical. It also appears to be highly durable, with limited signs of breakdown or diminished ride quality during our first 200 miles.
The Adidas Terrex Soulstride Ultra is available at www.adidas.com.
Features and Specs:
- Weight (oz): 10.9 men’s / 9.5 women’s
- Stack Height (heel/toe, in mm) 38/32 men’s, 37/31 women’s
- Heel-toe drop (mm): 6mm
- Upper: engineered mesh with seamless overlays
- Gusseted tongue and molded sockliner
- Midsole: Dual density Light Boost and Lightstrike compounds
- Outsole: Continental rubber outsole with 3.5 mm and 2.5 mm lugs
- MSRP: $180