REVIEW: adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2 GTX 

I wonder if there’s some snobbishness surrounding the fact they’re a big brand?

Totally agree. I'd written them off myself but I've been so impressed with the durability and cushioning of these boots. The continental soles are great too.

Not here in Germany 😊

I think our concerns around technical terrain were less to do with durability and more to do with the way the foam compresses. It's not like an approach shoe or boot, which handles edges/edging quite well. The boost foam is great at absorbing pressure, when when you apply weight on it on an edge, rather than actually edge it simply morphs around it. This makes it quite insecure and unstable and certainly not something we'd use on Crib Goch or Striding Edge (to use a few classic examples of UK scrambles). This isn't to say you can't, and I'm sure people do, but it's just to say that there's other products which would be better suited.

@@ukclimbingofficial absolutely and I wouldn’t use them myself for super technical terrain. My friend’s view on this was many accidents he’s seen on longer hikes over mixed terrain can be attributed to fatigue which he feels the Boost foam mostly prevents. He seems comfortable with the displacement of the foam as he moves. I’m less so but I’m coming from a world of stiff Scarpa and Lowa boots. I take your points, of course

Try the Terrex Swift R3 for the more intense trekking, They'll honestly blow you away.

@@jborrelli34 thanks. I tried the R2 when they came out and they were mostly fine but then developed a tear due to the lacing system. I understand the R3 is tougher but a few reviewers suggest they're very stiff. What's the cushioning like as I need something softer to combat my plantar fasciitis problems? I don't expect the R3 to be as bouncy as the Freehikers but relative to brands like Scarpa, La Sportiva, Lowa etc?

The issue Here regarding Terrain named often technical Terrain is the disadvantages of the both Advantages of beads-based e-TPU midsoles named adidas BOOST here. Non-injected beads-based foam midsoles more durable than injected foam midsoles but If your footstrike is Not Clean you feel rolling sidewise. At Hiking you do have Traverses where BOOST rolls (more) sidewise. Injected foam has Always a Higher density at the borderlines so it has it's own stabilization-cage/-frame. Beads-based midsoles foam is more sensitive creates a high Potential of adaptive grip but Missing edge stability in the other Side. You can integrated some cages - See Adidas Skychaser Gen1 - but this decreases the smoothness of the gaitcycles on uneven terrain. The Durability of Cushioning and Support is the outstanding Performance of adidas BOOST. TPU i.e. e-TPU beads based BOOST is even much wear- and cut-resistant than EVA, peba and Hybrids like REACT, Litestrike/Litestrike EVA, Litestrike Pro, etc.. As it is TPU it is heavier than EVA and peba. peba must be comparable very soft as peba has too much rebound otherwise.

Are they warm in winter?

mine fits a full size down, they run big

@@SkywalkerPaulthat’s what I want them for they are on sale $150 Canada

They’re definitively not for everyone, but I must admit we’ve all been a bit jealous of Tim’s!!

They'd be perfect for that 👍

Hi! Hope you had a nice trip! I'm also going to Peru this summer, and was wondering, if you bought the shoe and if so, how did it fare with the hikes there?

They've got a pretty round toe and low volume toe box. Hope that's of help!

The Free Hiker 2 sounds like it'd be perfect for you, both for the simple trekking tours and the day to day use

Fluffy snow, maybe; icy snow, definitely not.

If you don’t have much weight on your back then I think these would be fine. If you do, then you might want something with a bit more support.

The best shoe/boot is the one that fits you. If these fit you, then they’re certainly a strong option, but definitely try them on if you can because fit is a very personal thing.

It’s a really tough one to call. Realistically the only way you’ll get an answer is to try a pair on. That said, the one thing I would say is that if you get a shoe sized too small there’s nothing you can do about it, whereas if you get a shoe slightly too big there’s lots you can do (insoles, slightly thicker sock etc…).

Plantar Fascitis... Give the Icebug insoles a try. Icebug "Slim" insoles is the Version for Running, Trailrunning and Hiking shoes and Tech-Variant of Hiking Boots. Icebug Slim Low, Mid or High is important as otherwise the footsole is Not in the right contact and pressure Level with the insole. Walking on a meadow or Moss in the Forrest Barefoot is the effect of the insole-shell. It Massages your footsole and triggers the Natural function of your feet along a "wave"-motion. Very versatile the adidas Eastrail as it includes the Talents of the AX2/AX2R and Brushwood (Gen1) in the forefoot area of the midsole. Less Space for midsole foam and more Rubber at the edges creates the highest Level of Edge stability und all Models in the Origin Line of AX, Fast and Swift. The Brushwood was a AX then became a AX3 Leather. The AX3 has the Same midsole than the Swift R2, while the AX had a different midsole to Swift and Fast. A Well known companion but less comfortable compared to the (old) AX3 is the Swift R2. At the Swift R3-family the shoe need to be understood as the Most lightest Alternative to the Super Trekking Formotion/FM (~MY2011). At the Swift R3 the MidCut is the alternative to the Super Trekking Boots, while you get a LowCut-version added. So the Swift R3 has lost the Multisport-Character of the Swift R2 and is less versatile than the Eastrail regarding Via Ferrata and some scrambeling, while the Trekking Character and Midfoot-Protection and protection of the fifth toe beam is effective and based on a modern concept. The adidas Fast X (>MY2013) was called "Tank". I would say the Swift R3 is bettet than the Fast X. The Fast R was more agile than the Fast X but on the cost of less protection in the midfoot area and protection of the fifth toe beam. The Swift R3 is more agile than the Fast X but with better protection than the Fast X. The adidas AX4 can be compared with the Asolo Softrock and it's Brothers with Gore-Tex. A real Trailrunner/Hiking-Shoe-Mix. Finally we reach the Asolo Eldo and May understand the adidas Free Hiker 2. Something you miss at the Free Hiker the Eldo offers but the Eldo Misses the smoothness of the Free Hiker. I have Not found a solution so far If you Look on the shoes only. La Sportiva Ultra Raptor and La Sportiva Akyra are not the solution Here. Same with the Scarpa Rush. Altra and Topo also No solution. The Game May Change with Baer Bergkomfort and Joe Nimble trekToes, wanderToes and Trail Addict. There you geht protection of your feet but the Freedom for your feet to geht Trained and offer the Natural function. Since 1984 Baer (Joe Nimble is Brand of the Baer family) is the original too the very late copies by Altra and Topo. Baer and Joe Nimble offer Toefreedom without Toe-Spring. And this is changing the Game. You train your feet to stabilize.

@@espacesX thanks. Just to say, I found the stability cage of some Adidas Terrex shoes to be fine. I’m a large, heavy, supinating hiker and I expect some lateral roll from my boots. I experience no plantar pain on long hikes with the Lowa, Salewa or Adidas shoes I wear that have TPU midsoles. It’s exclusively a phenomenon of high density EVA midsoles as used in some Scarpa shoes. To be fair, if I wear superFeet green insoles, the problem is lessened. I could write a longer post on my experiences with asymmetric lasts & lacing

@@sdemosi supinating with high foot arch? Max Cushioning only...as your foot is Stiff and there is plenty of pressure on the outer toe beams. If your forefoot is Not too wide you may try HAIX. Dual-Density PU-Midsole at the Black Eagle Series and even better performing midsoles at models with more Weight. Also Prabos - Czech brand - offers PU-Midsoles incl. Dual-Density PU. Baer / Bär Bergkomfort has also a PU-material midsole while offering a wider ToeBox. Your supinating you may correct/reduce with suitable running shoes from Asics only. All other Brands Just do offer Cushioning, while Asics brings you from supimation towards neutral. I recommended a Runner with supinating changing from Asics for runners with supinating to.the Brooks Ghost as this is a selfstabilizing Neutal Runner. If a correcting shoe sucessfully corrects you, you nust Not conrinue wearimg it an should start weearing a neutral Shoe. The crashpad-design of the Brooks Ghost ist the Key. Trailrunner and light hiking shoes are typically neutral shoes with stability. Superfeet are too flat and have No Platform (Superfeet Carbon) or are rising your Heel which put additional tension on the Plantar Fascites, while the additional Toe-Spring makes everything regarding Natural footfunction more worse. Icebug insoles or Hamann insoles (e.g. Hamann Active X5). Both do work with the same concept. The Hamann Active X6 is especcially If you have painfull Plantar Fascities and/or Heel Spur. Heeling per Motion...Healing by using Hamann Active X6

@@espacesX supinating with a high arch. I have a wide-ish forefoot with a plateau shaped toes. First 3 toes are nearly equal length. I have a wide 5th metatarsal so I need a bit of width in the upper 3rd of the shoe. As I explained, I do not experience plantar fasciitis with the various PU soled shoes I wear. In Lowa's with the stock insoles they are fine. Fine in Adidas skychasers, although I take your point that lateral compression in something like the Freehikers gives less stability than the firmer Lowa dual density PU midsole. Both Superfeet or Sidas are fine. My favourite shoes for stability are the Mammut Ducans and Sapuen models. These are high density EVA soled but they roll in a more natural way due to the light corregated metal shank, which guides the foot and reduces lateral compression. A smoother roll effectively dissipates the pressure on my heel. Plantar fasciitis during and after hiking is a condition I have experienced exclusively with Scarpa shoes and boots. They are well made but frequently feel like I am hiking in blocks. I've been told by my podiatrist that I may like max cushioned shoes like HOKAS or ON but I've never tried them, nor Haix. I wore some Haglofs shoes I really liked and it turns out they are made by Asics.

@@sdemosi Scarpa with stiffer Forefoot-Flex than Mammut Ducan and Sapuen? The Ducan and Sapuen have a flexsteel-element integrated. Forefoot-Flex of my Ducan Low I rate as near to e.g. a Lowa Renegade. Scarpa Zodiac is much more stiffer. Stiff forefoot Flex. The footsole Burns at the end the day and plantar Fascities is No surprise. Footsole and foot need some good Work. Moderate forefoot Flex or less...

No, definitely not a Cuillin Ridge shoe! You’ll want something quite a bit stiffer with a solid toe.

@@ukclimbingofficial cheers, thanks.

These will hold up great in rain and sludge - that's what the Gore-Tex is designed for. It's worth bearing in mind that they'll last longer if you clean them post-festival, and that there's still a big hole in the top where you foot goes in that's not waterproof!

Thank you for your reply mate! They will definitely be kept clean so I can get a good few festivals out of them, and I'll be sure to keep that big hole in mind hahah

@@joepearl_ Let us know how you get on!

It's hard to give a distinct yes/no answer, but they'd certainly have the potential to be. The exact answer would depend on how much you're carrying. The Hiker 2 probably favours a lighter load. If you had a significant weight on your back you might want something more supportive. Hope that helps guide an answer.

Planning the same (or at least Poon Hill). Form me, I will get a pair of these and test them out as much as I can here in Trier, Germany. Should give a reasonable idea of their capability. I am not going for anything technical, just long hikes. Waterproofness is essential, so I may try the GoreTex version to be safe

The unlined version is definitely best for spring/summer use, where you’ll benefit from the extra breathability. It’s not to say you can’t get it wet either, because you can. Many people prefer unlined shoes/boots because they’re a lot less sweaty and really, it all comes down to personal preference.

Yeah, it'd be perfect for that sort of thing. The cushioning would make it comfortable on all those hard pack footpaths/rocky slabs.

@@ukclimbingofficial thank you - in that case I’ll pull the trigger.

It sits somewhere in the middle in terms of both volume and width, but it's soft nature and adaptive lacing definitely gives a bit of leeway, so it can fit a pretty wide range of feet.

@@ukclimbingofficial I ended up returning them, fit was unbearably snug for my normal width feet.

You’d be the coolest postman in town 😎

Sadly not I’m afraid, we haven’t reviewed those unfortunately

Badly - this is absolutely not what they’re designed for

I'd say that they regulate temperature quite well. If it's cold, wear a thicker pair of socks; if it's warm, wear a thinner pair. That said, I wouldn't describe them as a 'winter boot' if that's what you're looking for. They're just a very capable all-rounder for hiking.

It's got a Gore Tex lining, so they stay nice and dry

It's probably more aimed at long hiking distances rather than running, so may be worth finding something more running-specific if that's what you're after.

@@ukclimbingofficial Thank you.

We definitely don’t recommend them for bouldering - approaching the bouldering, yes!

​@@ukclimbingofficial But you suggested on video that you do?4.32 approx,the main use is for bouldering Also,bouldering and climbing on rocks are a feature of the review.

@@alanrobinson2229 Can confirm he definitely meant approaching bouldering not bouldering itself! You'll want climbing shoes for that. And for rocky, scrambling terrain, you'll probably want something a lot more supportive.

@@ukclimbingofficial Thank you👍

They’re Gore Tex, so you could, although (and this may sound obvious, but many people seem to forget it) there is a big hole on the top where you’re foot goes in, so if you go over that your feet will get wet.

We wouldn't really recommend it for use in snow

I've just asked Tim and they're the Black Diamond Credo Pants

Worth trying to return them under warranty? That's certainly not been anywhere near our experience. Tim is still using his and they're still going strong!

They're not narrow for everyone!

Yeah, Free Hiker has just been my favorite shoe for hiking because it fits my foot perfectly, so I'm a bit upset and sad that they made it narrower. I think it is important and your feet are happier when there is enough space for toes to move and spread while walking. I quess I am some kind of nearthendal 😔

Good question. You certainly could, it'd just be a question of whether or not you'd benefit from that extra ankle support. It would be worth trying them on alongside a trail shoe to see which works best for your foot. Personally I'd prefer a trail shoe, but everyone is different.