The Adidas TERREX TWO Ultra Parley

Posted on Wed, Apr 15, 2020

The New TERREX TWO Ultra Parley - View Here

Adidas have made huge leaps in the Trail running world in the past 18 Months, their intent to make a huge impact on the trail scene was evident when they took on the likes of Tom Evans, Holly page, and Timmy Olsen. Their new products have all been a huge improvement on previous years. Here at Maverick Race we are super excited and proud to be a part of this journey.

We were lucky to get out hands on the New TERREX TWO Ultra parley earlier than the release date, so the team have all been putting some miles in them so that we could give you all the right feedback and thoughts on this exciting new shoe.

Firstly lets address the effort Adidas are making to impact the environment, these shoes are part of the ADIDAS PARLEY COLLECTION, which mean that the shoes are made from up-cycled plastic trash collected from remote islands and beaches around the world. We really really appreciate this and it goes along way with the whole ethos of the Maverick brand.

Out of the Box:

Firstly the shoe looks superb, it comes in 3 colours, black, blue and a white for both female and male specific fits. Let’s face it it looks good, but it will run good? This is something that Adidas do really well, they have that crossover from Trail to Street nailed without losing any technical functionality.

As we look around the shoe we can see some nice detailing, the addition of the Parley tag on the back, the continental soles, which we will get onto. The slick sew detailing in the the prime-knit upper. The biggest and most exciting feature of the TERREX TWO Ultra Parley is the addition of the Ultraboost midsole, this is what we are all excited about.

Lacing Up and Fit

Pulling them on for the first time, they feel like slippers, and that unique ultra boost cushioned feel its noticeable instantly. As soon as you put your weight through the shoe the upper is a sock prime-knit which is secure around the forefoot. There is plenty of room in the toe box to let the feet spread out. The fit is true to size and I wouldn’t suggest sizing up due to the room in the front of the shoe. I didn’t get on to well with the previous TWO Parley shoe as I found the heel cup a bit stiff and as such rubbed my heel (the only shoe from Adidas that has). However the New TWO Ultra Parley has some amazing heel support, is super soft and comfy due to the Ultra boost heel, and I love it.

The lacing is inside the prime-knit so there is room to tighten the shoe up quite a lot, but its offers good support without them being to tight due to the sock like upper. Some product specifications are;

320g - Shoe weight
14mm - Stack Height - Forefoot
22mm - Stack Height - Heel
8mm - Drop
3.5mm - Tread Depth
Fit - Snug Heel Fit & Wide Fore Foot

On Trail

The first few runs in these have been superb, I have run in TERREX for over a year now and I have to say these will be my go to shoe for every distance on trail from now on. For a runner of my ability and weight (90kg) they have the perfect amount of cushioning. I don’t think there has ever been a shoe to challenge Hoka in this category but now Adidas have created a ‘Hoka beater’ in all aspects; grip, style, cushioning. Combined with the recycled material, it’s a shoe that makes me really happy.

Having run some technical trails here in Dorset I have found the shoe performed effortlessly and actually over time the shoe got better and delivers even more comfort. For my style of running I have noticed that as I get tired on trail the rebound from the boost sole really helps drive me forward. The heel strikers out there will be stoked with this shoe and the guys running longer miles will also benefit from the boost sole when tired legs set in.

The continental sole has always been amazing on the TERREX shoes, its grip is insane on'; wet rocks and roots. The soles stick like Spiderman’s sneakers! There is a negative though and that is that the grip wears down relatively fast. On that I would also say these shoes are better suited to drier trails as the tread depth isn’t quite deep enough to take on wet muddy trails.

One of the things I have noticed is during technical descents the boots sole gives your some ridiculous spring. I am currently recovering from a bad ankle injury so I am still a little cautions on my descents but feel these can be really fast on Spenny or AVTs feet, and with the continental sole the grip is not going to be a problem.

Overall I really think that TERREX have done an amazing job with this shoe and we cannot wait for you to test them at a Maverick Race event in future. If you have any questions or want to find out more please drop up a mail and we will get back to you with more advice.

We have added some short reviews from the Maverick Trail Division Team to back up my findings of the shoe.

The TWO Ultra Parley - Written by Spenny

Adidas TERREX Ultra TWO Parley -First Thoughts -

When first setting eyes on this model out the box I thought , "well they LOOK great..." which is of course is a really good start. I then reassuringly saw the Parley logo on the outsole which is a great reminder of this initiative in action and that Adidas are leading the charge here...

Incase you're not aware, Adidas have teamed up with the Parley environmental initiative to try and find some sustainable solutions to the detrimental environmental issues that single use plastics are having on our worlds oceans. As part of Adidas’ answer this new TERREX TWO Ultra Parley trail shoe is made using synthetic fibres made from recycled plastic waste. The plastic is intercepted from beaches and coastal communities BEFORE it reaches the ocean. It’s a concept developed by Parley for the Oceans, a global network of creators, thinkers and industry leaders who are collaborating to raise awareness of the state of our seas and develop projects that will benefit the environment. Read more here if it has sparked your interest.

Right, ok, what about actually running in the shoe?... JB has already covered the ‘features’ that make for a very comfortable neutral ride, with COMFORT being a word that will come up a lot. My initial thoughts when seeing the shoe was, "Man they're gonna be so comfortable". With a foot hugging knitted upper being made of just one single piece of fabric it truly is a sock like fit. The shoe doesn’t have a tongue so none of those issues or annoyances that can come with that.

There is a soft spine like strip to protect the top of your foot from contact with the laces so you don’t even feel those on your foot. Once you've got them on and laced up you are literally running in your slippers !

They are lightweight, have a nice wide toe-box and plenty of underfoot cushioning that incorporates an EVA midsole. The sole also has a pronounced rocker shape to it for an even smoother ride, and it makes use of Continental rubber, the same stuff found in performance tyres of the Pro cycling and Formula 1 racing world.

If you have ran in the Ultra Boost road shoe before this is very close to being the trail version of that shoe that I always hoped would become a trail shoe. The lugs aren’t mega aggressive and I think that the knitted upper might be a bit unstable for anything super technical, but I’m yet to test that out. But with their lightweight breathable uppers and EXTREME COMFORT they are really well suited to running light trails.

The TWO Ultra Parley make a great spring and summer shoe and though I initially thought they would be best for shorter midweek runs or middle distance races, they actually got better and better the further I ran and feel that they could be a great shoe for an ULTRA (if it was on flat and dry terrain). They also gain a firm thumbs-up for their eco-friendly credentials too. I look forward to many miles in these and am already thinking of them as a South Downs Ultra shoe candidate on day 1, which is a great sign.

Spen - @runsonfruit_

The TWO Ultra Parley - Written by PC

A pair of shoes I’m very excited by and a demonstration of just what Adidas TERREX can bring to the world of trail/ultra/mountain running.

This shoe has got miles in it and is definitely an Ultra shoe for crushing miles of Summer trails. The Boost cushioning gives exceptional protection but, crucially, is not ‘dead’ and gives incredible energy return. After 50 miles the benefits of this are going to be huge and cannot be understated.

The other thing I’m impressed by is the Continental grip, which really does ‘grip’ and is going to be perfect for Spring to early Autumn trails! Due to the lug depth, I’m not sure about it’s capabilities on anything super technical.

The Prime-knit upper is very comfortable and I can see myself loving this shoe even more as I get deep into a race. Those people who like a wide fit are going to love this Ultra slayer due to the roomy toe-box.

I’m really very impressed with the TWO Ultra Parley and they are swiftly becoming that pair of shoes I immediately reach for. This is an Ultra shoe for sure.

PC - @run.p.r.c

The TWO Ultra Parley - Written by PK

Changing the brand of running shoe you have come accustomed too, is not always an easy choice to make. Let's be honest, I'll go as far to say the option to change is not even worthy of consideration in most cases. If you can get hundreds if not thousands of miles under foot with a particular brand, trouble free. Why risk it!

However, having been lucky enough to be gifted a pair of the new Adidas Terrex Two Ultra Parley trail running shoes by Maverick Race. I thought it only fitting to give a short review on my thoughts thus far.

First impressions from opening a pair of box fresh trainers were good, the thought even passed through my mind, that there was a slight possibility that these trail shoes, could well be a contender to replace my current trusted reputable brand of trail shoe that I wear during my long run adventures. The shoe itself, is light weight and as stated on the adidas web site, made from up-cycled plastic trash collected from remote islands, beaches and coastlines.

The heal of the shoe appeared to offer cushioning support and the tread looked aggressive with lugs that are approximately 5mm in depth (Give or take my dodgy measuring). There is also a sock type fitting around the ankle area, apparently this is designed to prevent unwanted debris entering the shoe. But more on that later.

Time to lace up!

Putting the shoes on for the first time the foot felt secure and comfortable and as I walked around, I could feel the continental grip sticking to the ground. The foot whilst secure, also felt free and open and didn't feel as though it was in a straight jacket due to the wide fitting the shoe offered and the woven uppers. I even had to check that I had done the lacing up correctly as it felt more like a slip on rather than a lace up.

For my first outing I covered around 10km over varied terrain. this was to try and induce as much foot movement in the shoe that I could muster in a variety of underfoot conditions. Those 10km broke the shoe in quickly and my feet, whilst on the sweaty side, were in good condition with no signs of any heat spots, rubs or blisters.

Currently I have covered around fifty or so miles in the couple of weeks I have had the shoes and to date I have had no issues. In fact, if they continue performing the way they are doing. I may have just found my new brand of go to ultra-running shoe.

But as with everything, there are pros and cons and therefore I have listed my thoughts on these below:

Pros:

Made from recycle material
Light weight
Cushioning / Comfort factor 10/10
Grip 9/10 - I still need to run in wet conditions to get a full appreciation of ground contact from the continental rubber sole.
Style / Look / Feel

Cons:

Breathability - my feet feel rather sweaty even after short runs, however this may be down to the thickness of the sock I am currently wearing, and it is certainly not putting me off.
Sock fitting - This is a nice touch and it should really sit with the Pros list, as it makes the shoe feel more secure, however on a couple of runs I have found debris has entered the shoe, which means due to the type of fitting, it doesn't always work its way out as easy as it would in an open shoe.

These are just my thoughts and I fully appreciate where I find positiveness in a product, others will not and vice versa. However, for those who run regularly with Maverick Race you will know that Adidas Terrex offer the option for runners to try out certain types of trail shoe, out of their current line-up, during race days. You can run your full race in a pair with no commitment to buy once you have crossed the finish line.

This is the perfect opportunity to test out a brand and style before you commit to spend your hard-earned money and I fully recommend you take the opportunity to do so.

PK - @trailtracktarmac