Tester Information
Name: Duane
Lawrence
Email: duanesgear
(at) yahoo (dot) com
Location:
Sparwood, British Columbia Canada
Gender: Male
Age: 45 years
Height:
5’9” (1.75 m)
Weight:
160 lbs (73 kg) Shoe Size: 9.5
I have been an avid outdoor enthusiast for over 25
years. I enjoy a variety of outdoor activities including mountaineering,
day hikes, multi-day backpacking trips, river and ocean kayaking, back-country
skiing, snowshoeing, mountain biking and rock climbing. I have climbed
throughout British Columbia, the United States and when opportunity presents
itself in Europe and India. I carry a wide variety of gear depending on the
type and length of trip. I am a search and rescue team member in the
Southern Canadian Rockies and am part of the swift water, rope rescue and
avalanche technical teams and ground search team.
Manufacturer | Adidas | Model | Terrex Fast GTX Surround | MSRP | $225.00 | Web Site | www.adidasoutdoor.com | Listed Weight | 13.6 oz (386 g) each 27.2 oz (772 g) pair | Measured Weight | 14.6 oz (415 g) each 29.3 oz (830 g) pair | Sizes | US 6 - 13 | Colors | Blue Night/Black/Grey Three | Suggested Use | Hiking | Returns | 30-Day Full Refund | Warranty | 2-year material and workmanship |
Technical Details
The Fast GTX Surround hiker by Adidas is a mid-weight light hiker that
uses a number of technologies to create a waterproof, breathable and supportive
boot. The boot is primarily constructed of what Adidas lists as a textile
fabric, kind of reminds me of a neoprene rubber. The sidewalls are made of
a closed outsole and Gore-Tex inner which is supposed to create 360 degree
climate comfort without compromising on waterproof protection. A rubber
rand encompasses the toe of the boot and up the heal which should reduce wear
on the boot and aid in shedding water. The rand varies in height around
the boot and appears to be heat welded to the textile fabric. Around the
heal of the boot is a harder rubber that extends partway along the boot.
For the inside of the boot Adidas has used Gore-Tex Surround to promote
wicking
of moisture and heat away from the foot and increases overall
breathability.
A molded Ortholite sockliner has been integrated into the boot
and
is supposed to help keep the feet dryer and reduce the risk of
blisters
and chafing. This is where the 360 degree breathability comes
into play, the combination of the Ortholite and Gor-Tex is supposed to
give the foot 360 degrees of breathability. The
removable Ortholite insole is made of polyurethane and recycled
rubber
which, according to the website, is an open cell foam that is
long-lasting,
breathable and durable. The foot is supported by Adidas's Torsion
Bar
technology, a lightweight arch support that is designed to allow the
fore foot
and rear foot to move independently, increasing stability. A
Torsion
Bar, an Adidas designed arch support system, has been specifically
designed for forward and lateral movement.
The sole of the boot utilizes a Continental Rubber that is reported to increase
traction in dry conditions by 30% and 32% in wet conditions. The wedge shaped
lugs range between 5 mm (.2 in) deep on the front of the boot to 10 mm (.4 in) deep at the heal with up
to 20 mm (.8 in) of separation between the lugs at the toe and 15 mm (.6 in) at the heal.
A fast lacing system has been designed for the boot that utilizes a
thin, stiff
cable style lace fed through the fabric lacing loops to a toggle.
Interestingly the
lacing system only allows one loop on the side of the boot to be
undone, one side of the boot has a closed metal eyelet with an open
eyelet on the
other. A fabric lace holder is situated on the tongue of the boot
presumably to ensure the excess lace does not flap around when
tightened.
Initial Observations
The Fast GTX is a very light weight boot, weighing in at 415 g (14.6
oz) for each boot, 830 g (29.3 oz) for the pair.
When I first received them they reminded me more of a runner than
a hiking
boot although looking closely at the design it is definitely a light
weight hiker. The Continental rubber has widely spaced lugs
ranging from 15 to 20 mm (.6- .8 in) which should allow the boot to
grab on to the trail
providing some solid traction without picking up lots of rocks.
My only concern
here is that the total surface area of the lugs looks to be less the
50% of the
total sole which makes me wonder how fast these are going to wear down.
Moving up the boot there are thirteen openings along the edge of the boot. I
read through the webpage and was unable to determine the exact design benefits
but am assuming it has to do with breathability and possibly cooling of the
foot. I do wonder if water penetration is going to be an issue or when
hiking through loose debris that these openings are going to collect debris.
The actual matiral is quite soft to the touch which will likely reduce
foot fatigue as it appears to be a nice cushion for the foot. The upper
of the boot has a thin, welded rubber that covers the toe and heal of the boot,
thinning out along the sides, which looks like it will increase waterproofing
and reduce fabric wear from kicking rocks and other lumpy trail surfaces.
The remaining upper is fabric based and reminds me of a neoprene or
closed cell foam more than a fabric. It does lead me to think that it
will be very resistant to wear though. On the inside of the boot is
a sewn in Ortholite sockliner and a 3 mm (.1 in) Ortholite insole. Gore-Tex has
be integrated throughout the boot to increase breathability. Overall the lightweight
boot looks to be solidly made.
I am very curious about the lacing system and how it is going to function,
especially if I need to balance the lacing, changing the tension either around
the ankle or the toe of the boot. The fast lacing looks like it will
distribute the tension of the lacing across the boot evenly as there is no
locking mechanisms to allow for different tensions. The boots came with
instructions on how to adjust the length on the speed lace which looks fairly
simple. Just pop off a plastic cap, pull the excess cord through, tie
small knots in each lace and snip off the excess lace before putting the cap
back on. When I put them on it appears that the length is already correct
for me but I would imagine that I would need to be careful not to cut too much
off the lace if needed, as it cannot be lengthened once cut and the lace is unique, replacing it
might be problematic.
For fit they seem to be pretty good although a little roomy in the toe box. I
walked around in them for the better part of the day and found that my heal was
not slipping so I should be good there. The only item that I am going to
have to play around with is the lacing. Lacing them up was
relatively quick, might even be fast once I get used to them, and distributes
the tightness of the lace fairly evenly across the boot. I suspect that I
will need to play around with the lacing a bit to make sure there are no
pressure points on the top of my foot as my first pull on the lacing system
created a very distinct pressure point while leaving the ankle fairly loose.
I am hoping this is just something I need to figure out while wearing the
boots.
Summary
Overall the Adidas Terrex Fast GTX Surround boot appears to be a
solidly built light
weight
hiker. The materials used look to be of high quality and put
together
with care. The lacing system is unique and easy to use although I
do have
some concerns about how versatile the lacing is going to be for micro
adjustments. I am hoping to be able to get some good use out of
these
boots before the snow flies but until then I will be putting these boots
through their
paces. On a side note, I looked all over the webpage and everywhere else
I
could think of to try and figure out what the 390 on the tongue of the
boot is in reference to and came up with nothing. I thought it
would have something to do with the name of the boot or the degree
of breathability but was unable to come up with anything. Check back in a couple of months for my Field Report.
Field Report - December 10, 2017
Testing
Conditions
It's been
just over 2-months since I started wearing the Terrex Fast GTX and overall I am
very happy with the product. Aside from wearing them daily to work and
round town I have been able to put about 80 km (50 mi) of distance on these boots with
packs ranging in weight of between 18 - 22 kg (40 to 50 lb). Temperatures ranged from
a nice 7 C (44 F) down to a low of -8 C (17 F) with most daytime temperatures hovering just below
0 C (32 F) with weather being variable with some sun, lots of cloud and a bunch
of snow. Elevation gains and descents were fairly modest at about 170 m
to 375 m (558 - 1230 ft). I also had the chance to wear them while traveling in the Caribbean
with temperatures hovering around 26 C (79 F).
Observations
I must admit when I first received these boots I was a little skeptical as they
were incredibly light weight with an insole that seemed paper thin and I am
used to a beefier boot. After 2-months of use I have found that they are performing
better than I had anticipated with some definite drawbacks. Starting with the
positives: these boots are incredibly light weight, have excellent grip and are
very waterproof. During my initial excursions I looked for opportunities
to see how the tread would handle a variety of conditions. I was lucky to
find ample testing environments including deep mud, muddy slopes, both wet and
dry rocks, thin snow on the flat and slopes, gravel and sand. What I
found was that the tread was able to handle pretty much anything I could throw
at it. Even on slushy slopes and slick snow covered rocks the tread was
able to grab whatever it needed which provided me with a sense of great
stability. On the muddy slopes and flat trails the tread pattern picked
up a bit of mud and debris but shed it almost as fast as it picked it up again
resulting in excellent traction. In all, I do not recall finding any
conditions that I felt a lack of stability.
Moving on from the tread, these boots have an excellent water barrier.
Water resistancy is incredibly important as wet feet can lead to all
sorts of untold misery, especially on a long multi-day hike. To test their
water resistance level I literally stood in a creek for a few minutes to see
how they would fair and was very surprised to find that my feet were perfectly
dry, cold but definitely dry. I continued on my hike through for the rest
of the weekend, hiking through mud and then snow with no sense of water
penetration. The outer shell of the boots did darken which resulted in me
second guessing myself as to whether or not my feet were damp or not but in the
end I am comfortable stating that they are definitely water-proof.
I was a little concerned when I first received these boots that they would not
be comfortable while hiking with a pack especially when walking on rocks and
roots. This concern was elevated when I took out the insole and saw how
thin it was. When hiking over rocks, roots and uneven ground my feet were
quite happy. I could definitely feel more of what was underfoot than with
a heavier boot but overall when I was on the move they felt pretty nice on my
feet. Unfortunately when I stopped I was not so happy. I am not
sure what was going on but I have a feeling that the problem was with the lacing,
which I will go into momentarily. When I put my pack down and was able to
get off my feet and took off my boots, well it left me in quite a bit of pain
for a good 30-minutes. I am not exactly sure what was going on but am
assuming it was due to a combination of my pack weight and lacing as I have
never felt this level of discomfort even after wearing them all day walking on
asphalt and concrete. I am only able to conclude thus far that being a
light weight boot a 40 - 50 lb (18 - 22 kg) pack overwhelms the support the boot provides.
While hiking with lighter packs, 15 - 20 lb (6 - 10 kg), I had no issues at all.
On to the lacing, great idea but with significant issues. The fast lacing
system at first seemed like a neat idea and it is slightly faster than
traditional shoe laces, unfortunately the system has some problems. First, the
fast lace does not stay tight. Over a period of 2 to 3-hours of hiking I
had to pause 3 to 5 times to tighten them. On the flat I only had to tighten
them periodically but as soon as there was some slope involved the pressure
from my ankle on the tongue of the boot would loosen the lacing. The only
positive here is that they were easy to tighten back up although I would have preferred
not to have to in the first place. The second problem with the lacing is
that there is no way to make any type of macro adjustment in the lacing of the
boot. When I pulled the lacing tight to get a nice secure fit around my
ankle it would also pull any slack out of the front of the boot, automatically
balancing out the tension in the laces. This sounds great, unfortunately
it created a pressure point on the top of my foot which was incredibly uncomfortable.
I tried a number of times to loose the lacing over the pressure point but
there was no way to make one point slightly loser while not having the
whole system being looser. Similarly when I was going down a steep slope,
I like to tighten the lacing on the toe of the boot so that there is a
lessening of my toes impacting the front of the boot. The only way to do
this was to tighten the entire lace which increased the presure in spots I did not want it. I am not sure but this could be rectified by
adding in a locking mechanism that allowed for the separation of the lacing of
the top of the boot and the ankle support. As it is right now there is no
way for me to adjust or manage the lacing of the boots in a manner that
provides both comfort and stability.
This next part I have never really experienced in a boot. It has to do
with temperature control. What I found was that these boots are very
temperature sensitive. In moderately cool conditions, between 0 C and 7 C (32 F and 44 F), the
temperature regulation was good. My feet were perfectly happy with a nice
pair of wool socks and kept warm throughout the day. As soon as it got to
below 0 C (32 F) or I had to walk through water or snow my feet got incredibly cold,
fast. It almost feels like the heat is being sucked out of my feet and
into the surrounding environment. After a weekend of hiking in the snow I
can report that these boots are not designed for winter conditions solely due
to the lack of insulation within the boot and the immediate cooling of my feet
which never warmed up over the course of the day. I did try and add a
second pair of socks to add some additional insulation and although it helped
significantly, my feet were warmed but the added layer made the boot
uncomfortable as I had to squish my foot with two pairs of socks into the boot,
just not enough room. On the flip side, when I was in the Caribbean and
temperatures were in the 26 C (79 F) range with lots of humidity my feet were quite
happy. After a day of hiking my feet were relatively dry, a bit sweaty
but dry. This further leads me to believe that these boots are better
suited to spring, summer and early fall activities only.
Summary
There are definite pros and cons for the Terrex Fast GTX. On the plus
side is the waterproof fabric, great breathability, excellent tread and light
weight. On the downside is the lacing, weight restriction and how fast
they react to cold environments. If I could change out the lacing system
and limit their use to lighter backpacking trips I would say that these boots
are top notch. With the lacing issues and it being winter out I have a
harder time recommending them, at least for winter use.
Long Term Report - February 10,
2018
After
four months of using the Terrex Fast GTX I can report that the boots are
well made and have stood up incredibly well. It was unfortunate that I
did not have an opportunity to use them for scrambling up scree and on other more
abrasive materials due to winter setting in and snow covering the earth, at
least the portion I reside on. As I reported earlier these boots are not
really designed for the cold so, with temperatures dipping down to the -30 C
(-22 F) I was unable to use them for hiking or snowshoeing, I
was able to use them on an almost daily basis going to and from work though, just not for hiking for any distance.
Considering the limitation due to cold temperatures I can report that
the boots look almost new with no discernible wear on either the fabric or the
sole, this might have changed if I had the opportunity to use them on scree.
They continue to be very comfortable to wear and had no break-in period
and no hotspots throughout the entire test period. The one problem area
that continued throughout the test was the lacing system. Although
the quick lacing system is indeed quick it does not hold. Provided I did
not flex the boot at the ankle the lacing remained tight, once I flexed the
boot the lacing system loosed off. It seemed like the toggle was less and
less effective over the test period to a point where I gave up and wore them
loose.
Summary Overall
these are a very nice pair of boots. As designed, they are great
for
keeping the foot cool but this means they are not suitable for winter,
not a
big deal at least to me as I use different boots in winter than in
summer
anyway. For wear and tear they have shown no signs of wearing to
a point
where they almost look new. With respect to waterproofness they
did very
well with no water penetration, even when I deliberately stood in a
creek.
The transference of heat and cold from my foot to the environment
and vice versa was quite striking resulting in cold feet when the
temperatures
dipped. Even with layers of socks I was not able to keep my feet
warm in sub-zero
(32 F) temperatures. This capability is great when the
temperatures are
warm but not so much when it’s cold out. The only thing that did
not live
up to expectations was the lacing. For me, it just did not work.
There is no ability to balance out the lacing for tightness
and the
toggle did not keep the laces tight.
Likes
Waterproof
Light weight
Wear very well
Excellent tread
Dislikes
Lacing system
Cold to wear
Thank you to BackpackGearTest.org and Adidas for the opportunity to test the
Terrex Fast GTX Surround Boots.
Read more reviews of Adidas gear
Read more gear reviews by Duane Lawrence
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