two | IAN CORLESS

The adidas Terrex Two Ultra Parley is not a new shoe, I first received mine in March 2020 and currently I am about to start wearing a third pair of the shoe. So, I have plenty of miles on these ‘adi’ shoes to give a real overview of the pros and cons fromm this three stripe Terrex shoe.

Firstly, a little perspective, adidas, and particularly the Terrex arm of the brand are making huge changes and development to make its mark on the trail and ultra-world. In 2019, I worked closely with adidas at UTMB following the Terrex Team take on multiple races at the Super Bowl of the trail and ultrarunning scene. You can read my in-depth analysis HERE.

Want to WIN a pair of adidas Terrex Two Ultra Parley ? One Patreon supporter will be drawn at random on April 12th to win a pair. Support me on Patreon HERE for as little as £3.00.

Quite simply, adidas Terrex are taking the trail scene by storm, we have witnessed this recently with Ruth Croft winning Tarawera outright and runners such as Tom Evans making the podium at Western States and Luis Alberto Hernando winning CCC. The list of results is endless but one significant importance is how adidas are listening to the athletes and developing apparel and shoes to fulfil the needs of the runners. Notably, the recent launch of the Terrex Speed Ultra HERE had a two-year development with specific feedback from Tom Evans to ensure the shoe ticked all the right boxes. And what a shoe it is!

So, the Terrex Two Ultra Parley fits nicely into this new development of the brand and at the same times sets out some really surprising and new credentials. In 2020, T3 Magazine (a tech magazine) actually awarded the Terrex Two Ultra Parley King of the Mountains (and valleys) in the T3 Awards 2020.

The Parley refers to the ecological aspect of the shoe and notably why the shoe has been applauded. When large brands like adidas consider the sustainability and environmental impact, that can only be a good thing in the long run, pardon the pun!

**Parley Ocean Plastic™** is a material created from upcycled plastic waste that is intercepted from beaches and coastal communities before reaching the ocean

Roughly 11 plastic bottles are used to make the Terrex Two Ultra Parley; Parley Ocean Plastic™ is a material created from upcycled plastic waste that is intercepted from beaches and coastal communities before reaching the ocean… It is used as a replacement for virgin plastic in the making of adidas x Parley products.

Ultimately a really great thing!

The shoe is distinctive and grabs the eye. All my shoes have been the blue coloured as pictured but for 2021 there is a cool Gold/Black/White version that is a real eye catcher. If you need a more sedate show, there is also a Black/ Grey/ Blue version.

adidas Terrex athlete, Yngvild Kaspersen on location in Norway.

The standout feature of the upper is the seamless sock-like Primeknit upper with an exceptionally close-fitting top (just like a pair of socks) that helps reduce debris entering the top of the shoe. There is no tongue, the upper is all one piece and the laces pass through the upper via reinforced eyelets. Where the tongue would be there are reinforced raised areas of padding that remove pressure on the Navicular bone when tightening the laces. The top of this area is raised with the number 320 prominent – the weight in grams of a UK8.5.

The upper is relatively free of overlays with some reinforcement coming at the front for a toe bumper, the toe box is wide and spacious, and an orange area around the heel. The is a tab at the back which clearly shouts the ‘Parley’ element of the shoe. Below the stretchy shoe/ sock top, where the foot enters, the heel area is very well padded – arguably one of the most padded heels I have felt on a shoe.

Boost midsole is a wow! One thing adidas do know is road shoes and the responsive Boost has been hailed worldwide for its responsive feel, energy return and comfort. Here on the Terrex Two Ultra Parley that Boost is 23mm at the front and 29mm at the rear providing a 6mm drop shoe of floaty, cushioned bounce. You can see the 23/29 on the shoe embedded into a very prominent orange reinforced area that wraps around the shoe from two third back on the outside and beyond halfway on the inside of the shoe – this adds support and structure.

The outsole is made by Continental who make excellent rubber that really does provide great grip. The outsole covers the whole of the shoe with no visible inserts or inlays and the grip is made of well-spaced lugs that are not prominent. I don’t have an exact lug size, but they are almost certainly around 4mm. This helps to understand the shoes intended use: dry trails, single-track and yes, even some road.

I feel the shoes size large and gladly I had the option to fine-tune my sizing with the Terrex Two Ultra Parley. My first pair was a standard EU44/ UK9.5 which worked fine but given the option to try a EU43.5/ UK9, this is my preferred size. I believe my design for this is based on my comment below in ‘Notable Comments.’

UK9 is 335g.

IN USE

As stated, I am on my third pair of the Terrex Two Ultra Parley and over 1000 km’s of use. First and foremost, the upper is extremely durable. They have had a fair share of wet, ice, snow and mud and apart from them being engrained with dirt, there is no visible wear. I am impressed. That all important bend area behind the metatarsals when in the propulsive phase, looks like new… That is a rarity! Most shoes, no matter how good eventually show some failure here, not the Terrex Two Ultra Parley. The upper is one of the stars being recycled from Ocean Plastic and this may well be one of the attributes of why it is so durable? However, there is a downside… I think they arguably the hottest/ warmest uppers I have ever used. In winter, great, they have helped kept my feet toasty. But in Spring and Summer, the Terrex Two Ultra Parley is a really hot shoe.

The sock-like upper really is quite remarkable. You slide the shoe on like socks, adjust the upper section so that they sit firmly around/ below the ankle and wow, I have socks on! Standing up, you immediately feel the stack height and 23/29mm Boost cushioning compress under your weight – you immediately know the ride is going to be bouncy.

The lacing only has 4 eyelets on each side and gladly, they sit well away from the key flex point when in the propulsive phase and toeing off. Unlike conventional eyelets, they are not holes that you pass the lace through, they are like mini tunnels with an entry and exit point. There is no tongue making this sock-like fit the ‘most’ sock-like of any shoe I have tested. There are two reinforced areas that sit below the number 320 which are designed to take pressure off the Navicular bone when lacing up the shoes.

The toe box is wide and spacious and allows for plenty of toe splay with light reinforcement.

Boost cushioning is superb. As soon as you toe off, you feel the cushioning compress and propel you forward. As you land it repeats the process and before you know it, you are bounding down the trail feeling the benefit of the 23/29 energy return. Without doubt, the Terrex Two Ultra Parley is a shoe for hard trail that is not too technical. This is also confirmed by the excellent Continental outsole which has dry trail lugs.

NOTABLE COMMENTS

The Terrex Two Ultra Parley run like road shoes and as such, they just want to fly along without complication. Rocks are fine, tree routes are fine but once you get into constant technicality and direction changes, the Terrex Two Ultra Parley doesn’t handle this well. There are several reasons for this: 1. The stack height has you high off the ground and therefore you lose that close connection with the terrain. 2. While the sock-like upper is incredibly comfortable and awesome, the lack of structure and reinforcement does allow one’s foot to move, especially when the trail gets technical. 3. The lacing is great, but again, technical terrain shows a flaw in the shoes ability to hold the foot tight and secure, particularly around the instep. This is one area I need secure on technical terrain. 4. The wider toe box adds to the ability for the foot to move.

Running downhill, the cushioning is superb but again, the upper and lack of a firm hold, can allow the foot to move.

Going uphill, the hold from the heel is excellent.

With the above comments in mind, you may well think I am being negative of the Terrex Two Ultra Parley. No, not at all. It’s a great shoe BUT it has limitations and with 1000km in two pairs, I know what those limitations are, for me anyway.

I grab the Terrex Two Ultra Parley when I am off for a cruise like trail run on groomed single-track. I don’t own road shoes, and the Terrex Two Ultra Parley have been perfect for 10, 20, 30km or longer road runs. They are a great shoe for those easier recovery days but equally, they can really shift and create pace if you want them too. They are an excellent road-to-trail shoe but be warned, too much road will wear the Continental outsole down.

SUMMARY

Ultimately, with 23/29 Boost cushioning, a wide toe box, sock-like upper and the lacing system, the Terrex Two Ultra Parley is designed for long trail runs on non-technical terrain when comfort and good energy return is a primary concern.

RRP £160

Website here.

To clarify, the shoes were provided to test, as are all the shoes that I review. But this is not a paid review.

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