Adidas Clima Ride Trail Review
Specifications
A running shoe for off-road enthusiasts. Built around a ClimaCool upper that provides 360 degree cooling for the entire foot, and thin synthetic overlays to allow for heightened flexibility, while still providing structural support. adiPRENE+ offers protection from harmful impact forces and an adiWEAR outsole give great durability in high-wear areas. An aggressive outsole pattern delivers exceptional off-road traction.
Fit
The Clima Ride Trail is a trail running shoe built with flexibility and freedom of movement in mind. The upper essentially a single layer of mesh, with the side walls of the shoe providing some structural support and a place for the lace holes. The overall fit of the shoe is fairly wide all the way through, with the exception of a pretty narrow toe box. Since the upper is one piece, there is no tongue, which is something that I really like and is something that you are seeing more of in the “minimalistic” styles of running shoes. The side walls are made from some kind of nylon mesh, to allow for air flow, and thin strips of a stiffer material, as well as the Adidas stripes, that provide some lateral support and overall improve the fit of the shoe. The sole is very unique in that it is parted multiple times and it flows in a zigzag pattern. This makes for a very flexible sole, and very comfortable feel. As far as sizing goes, these fit on the smaller side. I usually wear a size 9.5US in running shoes, leaving about one finger’s width of room at the toe, for comfort reasons. Wearing a 9.5US for review, I found that due to the very small toe box, I ended up having a perfect fit in these shoes, meaning no room at the toes. While this isn’t an issue, if you are going to be doing a lot of running, you will probably want a little room in the toe, so going up half a size wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Weight
This shoe weighs in at 10oz, which is fairly light but not all that surprising to be honest. The upper is pretty stripped down and the sole is full of gaps, so it is definitely visible as to where the weight was shed. That being said, the shoe is impressively lightweight, especially for a trail runner, and is certainly not going to weigh you down.
Function/ Versatility
Being that this shoe was designed for use on trails or off-road surfaces, this is what this shoe does best. Off-road, with a slightly cushioned running surface is where this shoe is going to feel really great. The problem that I had with this shoe was a lack of cushioning, at least for running on solid surfaces, like asphalt. This shoe was intended for use of a trail, meaning a running surface that is going to have some give to it. The problem is that on a trail shoe, the sole needs to be a little firmer to actually protect your feet when running on potentially sharp or harmful surfaces, like stones. This firmer sole is not ideal for running on the street or any type of hard surfaces, at least for long periods of time. It is also worth noting that there is a running version of the same shoe, for those of you that are interested. The tread on the shoe itself is pretty minimalistic, especially for a trail running shoe. It is going to provide plenty of traction if you are just jogging, but if you intend on running on very loose surfaces, these may not provide enough traction for you.
Running/ Comfort
This is a trail shoe and it is going to perform best on a trail. When you’re on the proper surface, these shoes feel great. The flexibility in the upper makes for a very stable feel, as it is free to shift and bend against varying surfaces on rough terrain. The upper of the shoe allows for tons of air flow, so if you’re all about staying cool when running, you will definitely like these. I also found that the tight fit helps with the stability, especially when the surface that you are running on isn’t completely smooth. Given that you are running on the right surface, this shoe feels great. The amount of cushion that they provide is not as much as you would get from a more traditional trail running shoe, but if you are in to that minimalistic feel, you are going to like how the Clima Ride feels. Of course, if you intend on doing the majority of your running on the road, this shoe just isn’t going to cut it in terms of long term comfort, but there is a different version of the same shoe that will perform up to par for road running.
The Verdict
The Clima Ride Trail is a very unique running shoe, but like the name says, it is truly designed for use on trail and not much else. It offers a very tight fit, a super flexible sole and an upper that breaths really well. As a trail runner, the Clima Ride Trail is a great shoe, but as a more traditional use running shoe, I would opt for something different or even the standard running shoe version of the Clima Ride.
Fit 8 out of 10
Weight 9 out of 10
Function/ Versatility 7 out of 10
Running/ Comfort 8 out of 10
Final Score 32 out of 40 or 80%
