Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2 vs Tecton X 3

Adidas kept the second Agravic Speed Ultra fast and fussy, and fixed most of what people disliked about the first. The upper is far comfier than on the original Speed Ultra and the lugs bite harder, and the reviews we read broadly agree most runners will prefer it. It is still a trail racing shoe with a narrow heel, a pointed toe box and a rocker that wants you up on your forefoot. Women's Running UK gave it five stars as an ultra racer for runners who put speed and control ahead of plush cushioning. On our spec sheet it is effectively zero drop, and lab testing says the heel rocker makes it feel less flat than that. At a £200 RRP it sits alongside the S/Lab Genesis 2 and Tecton X 3 as a race-day trail shoe. If you land midfoot and race on fast, runnable trails, we'd pick it over both. Heel strikers and wide feet should look elsewhere.

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.