Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 1 vs Tecton X 3

The Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra is Adidas at its most single-minded on the trail: a lightweight competition racer built to move fast over long, technical ground. At 259g it is featherweight for a trail shoe, and the moderate 8mm drop still lets you react quickly to the ground on rough terrain. This is a running shoe for the sharp end of a race, not a plush daily trail cruiser. It rewards a runner with a quick, midfoot-led stride and enough strength to handle a firm, ground-feel ride over the miles. In our view it slots in as a premium trail racer, sitting alongside plated rivals like the Hoka Tecton X 3, though the Adidas takes a leaner, more natural route with no carbon plate. At £190 it is a serious investment, so we would save it for race day and key sessions rather than everyday muddy plods.

The Tecton X 3 is Hoka's carbon-plated trail racing shoe, built for runners who want road-race pop on rough ground. At 252g it is remarkably light for a shoe with this much cushion under the foot, and the carbon plate gives you a real snap through toe-off when you are moving well. With a 5mm drop and an RRP of £220 it sits at the sharp, premium end of the trail market, squarely aimed at long-distance and ultra racing rather than everyday miles. This is a specialist. It rewards a runner who wants to hold pace over technical terrain and carry that efficiency deep into a race, when tired legs need every bit of help they can get. If you race trail ultras or fast half and full marathon distances off-road, it belongs on your shortlist. The nearest rival in our catalogue is the Nike Ultrafly, another plated trail racer chasing the same runner.