Adidas Terrex Swift R3 Gore-Tex Review

Our Award: Best for Winter

Adidas are a brand that it’s pretty much impossible not to have heard of and they’ve been making waves for a number of years now with their outdoor range named Terrex. It’s a versatile hiking shoe that punches well above its weight for the cost and offers something very tough, durable and capable of taking on tough terrain.

adidas Terrex Swift R3 Gore-TEX Hiking Shoes Women's, Grey, Size 9.5

Great news: This shoe is also available in a men’s fit.

Pros / Reasons to Buy

Feels durable, tough and strong
Offers excellent traction on slippery surfaces

Cons / Reasons to Avoid

Can run a little large for those with narrow feet
You might find this hiking shoe stiff if you’re used to a lighter trail runner

See the Adidas Terrex Swift R3 Gore-Tex in more detail:

Editor’s note: This article is part of our guide to the best hiking shoes, be sure to check out the rest of this guide for our top buying tips:

28 Best Hiking Shoes
How to Choose The Right Hiking Shoes
How We Tested Hiking Shoes
Compare Hiking Shoes
Related content: How to Re-lace Your Hiking Shoes for Better Comfort
Also in this series: 20 Best Waterproof Hiking Shoes

We’ve been very impressed with the hiking shoes offered by Terrex – their range may have started small as the sub brand offered by Adidas, but now their product portfolio has continued to grow to create a strong offering for even the toughest of adventures. The Swift R3 is no different, and we’ve found it holds up extremely well on harsh terrain and rocky surfaces, through rain and everything in-between thanks to its solid build and Gore-Tex waterproofing. If you decide to buy this hiking shoe from Adidas Terrex, we think you’ll be impressed!

Compare to Similar Products:

Product	Danner Womens Trail 2650	Columbia Women's Trailstorm	Hoka Speedgoat 5	Adidas Terrex Swift R3 Gore-Tex	Keen Zionic Speed	Altra Lone Peak 7	Adidas Terrex AX4 Gore-Tex Hiking Shoes	Keen NXIS EVO Low Height Waterproof Hiking Shoe	La Sportiva Spire GTX	Merrell Moab Speed	Oboz Sawtooth X Low Waterproof	On Cloudwander Waterproof	Merrell Siren Edge 3

Buying Options
Our Ratings	Best Overall Women's	Best Budget	Best Lightweight	Best for Winter	Best for Long Distances	Best for Trail Running
Pros	Durable build. Extremely comfortable	Exceptionally good hiking shoe for the price point. Clever traction design in the lugs	Extremely well cushioned and comfortable fit. Deep lugs offer good traction on slippery surfaces	Well protected and durable. Great traction and feels very grippy	A great fast and light shoe. Roomy toe box, and comfortable for wider feet	Roomy toe box. Excellent traction.	Striking design. Makes use of recycled material	Light weight. Good environmental credentials	Light Weight. Ultra breathable	Lightweight. Iconic Moab fit and comfort	Durable build. Good water resistance	Excellent balance of weight and waterproofing. Stiffer design gives a more technical feel	Very light. Often very reasonably priced
Cons	Not the cheapest. We found they didn't keep our feet warm in wet conditions	Breathability concerns in warmer temperatures	Colorways are divisive. lacking in stiffness between outsole and midsole	Pretty rigid - not the most fast and light shoe on the market, can feel a little big	Not waterproof. Durability concerns on the sole	Less durable. Pricey	Looks may be too much for some. Slightly narrow fit may be unsuitalbe for wider feet.	May not be best fit for narrower feet. A bit pricey	Pricey. Some may prefer a more rigid shoe	Not most supportive. More expensive than the regular Moab	Heavy. Longer break-in period	Some may find them too stiff. Can be pricey.	Not Waterproof. Some durability concerns
Traction	Vibram outsole with medium/deep thread pattern	Extremely good	Very good	Extremely good	Average	Full rubber outsole with medium/deep thread pattern	Continental outsole with medium deep thread depth	Full rubber outsole with medium thread depth	Vibram outsole with deep thread pattern	Vibram outsole with medium/deep thread pattern.	Very good	Very good	Good
Breathability	Perforated suede outer with breathable mesh inner	Not so great	Good	Good, but Gore-Tex membrane does play in here	Excellent	Full mesh upper	Breathable mesh upper with Core-Tex membrane	Breathable mesh upper and lining with anti-odor treatment	Breathable mesh upper with Gore-Tex	Full mesh upper	Average	Good	Very good
Ankle Support	Minimal - Low top shoe with minimal ankle support	Minimal	Minimal	Minimal	Minimal	Minimal - Low top shoe with minimal ankle support	Minimal - Low top shoe with minimal ankle support	Minimal - Low top shoe with minimal ankle support	Minimal - Low top shoe with minimal ankle support	Minimal - Low top shoe with minimal ankle support	Minimal	Minimal	Minimal
Arch support	Gentle arch support	Regular	Regular	Regular	Minimal	Gentle	Subtle arch support	Gentle arch support	Gentle arch support	Gentle	Good	Regular	Regular
Fit	Available in medium width and in sizes from US 5/ UK 3.5/ EU 36 up to US 11/ UK 9.5/ EU 44	Regular	Standard/slightly wide	Regular/wide	Standard/slightly wide	Roomy and good for wider feet with natural movement. Available in sizes from US 5.5/UK 3.5/EU 36 to US 12/UK 10/EU 44.5	Available in sizes from US 5/ UK 3.5 /EU 36 up to US 12/ UK 10.5/ EU 45.3	Iconic Keen fit' - Wider fit with extra space at forefoot. Available in sizes from US 5/ UK 3.5/ EU 36 up to US 12/ UK 9/ EU 43	Fits true. Typically suitable for normal to narrow feet. Available in sizes from US 5/ UK 3/EU 36 up to US 11/ UK 9/ EU 42	Similar to the Moab 3 - but a little more narrow but still suitable for most hikers. Available in sizes from US 5/UK 2.5/EU 35 to US 11.5/UK 9/EU 43	Normal and wide verisons available	Standard/slightly narrow	Normal and wide versions available
Materials	Suede and synthetic	Synthetic	Synthetic	Synthetic with 50% recycled upper	Synthetic	Fully synthetic	Fully synthetic with Gore-Tex membrane. Adidas claims upper contains a minimum of 50% recycled material	Fully synthetic with waterproof 'KEEN.DRY' membrane	Fully synthetic with Gore-Tex membrane	Fully synthetic. Merrell claim these sheos are vegan.	Synthetic and leather	Synthetic	Synthetic
Appearance	Modern design with classic elements and materials. Available in a wide range of colour ways.	Modern cross between hiking shoe and trail runner	Trail running shoe	Modern hiking shoe	Trail running shoe	A really nice looking shoe that could work well for multiple purposes such as hiking and trail running - with a variety of striking color designs	Striking angluar design available in a wide rang eof colour ways	Distinctive good looks available in multiple colour ways	Available in multiple colour ways with striking styling, typical of La Sportiva.	Does something inbetween a hiking shoe and trail runner and comes in a variety of striking colourways	Modern hiking shoe	Modern hiking shoe	Modern hiking shoe
Durability	Very high	Considering the price point, seems durable	Average	Rip resistant synethetic finish with durable Continental sole	Longer term durability concerns	Medium to high	Medium to high	Medium to high	Medium to high	Medium to high	Excellent	Good	Some durability concerns
Weight (pair)	680g/1lb 08oz	500g/1lb 3oz	460g/1lb	700g/1lb 7oz	544g/1lb 2oz	635g/1lb 4.5oz	758g/1lb 11oz	644g/1lb 6oz	740g/1lb 10oz	640g/1lb5oz	800g/1lb 12oz	640g/1lb 7oz	560g/1lb 4oz
Insoles	Removable three-layer cushioned insoles	Standard insole	Standard insole	Standard insole	Standard insole	Removable padded insole	Removable insoles	Removable padded insole	Removable padded insole	Removable padded insole	Paded, shaped 'O FIT' insole	Standard insole	Standard insole
Break-in Period	Minimal	Minimal break in	Minimal	Minimal break in	Minimal break in	Very minimal	Minimal	Minimal	Minimal	Very minimal	Short break in period	Short break in period	Very minimal
Lacing system	Standard laces	Ghillie lacing	Standard lacing system	Traditional laces	Traditional laces	Standard laces	Standard laces	Standard laces	Standard laces	Standard laces	Standard laces	Standard laces	Standard laces
Toe Protection	Rubeerized, semi-rigid toe cap with rubber rand around front section of shoe	Rubber toe rand	Rubber toe rand	Rubber toe rand	Minimal rubber toe rand	Hard but not solid	Rubberized, reinforced, but non-rigid toe and front section	Hard, but not solid, rubber toe cap.	Non-rigid PU 'TechLite' toe cap	Hardened rubber toe cap	Reinforced toe	Rubber toe rand and small toe cap	Reinforced toe

Table of Contents

Analysis and Test Results

We overall found that the Terrex Swift R3 performed very well and is a great hiking shoe for winter due to its waterproofing and rigid build. If you’re used to more flexible hiking shoes, you may find this shoe a little stiff at the start, but once you get used to it, you’ll love it. We’d particularly recommend it for alpine, mountainous, rocky, and craggy terrain as it has excellent grip.

Performance Comparison

Traction

Adidas make use of Continental rubber on their soles who you’ve likely heard of as a tire manufacturer. As you’d expect, the lugs and sole offer deep grip and are extremely durable on a whole range of surfaces. You’ll find them to grip just as well to rock as they do more slippery trails and in mud, the well-spaced lugs help to prevent clogging and extra weight being picked up on your shoe.

We’ve packed in a lot of miles in the Swift R3’s and the sole is holding up extremely well without any durability concerns – we feel like they’re in it for the long haul and should last a very long time if treated and looked after well.

Breathability

We had seen some reviews state that the breathability on this Gore-Tex version of the Terrex Swift R3’s made for sweaty feet due to the full waterproofing. However, we haven’t really experienced this problem. Yes, waterproof hiking shoes don’t give the same level of breathability as a fully mesh hiking shoe will do, but we are always happy to take that hit in order to have the waterproofing. If you’re hiking in desert conditions or somewhere with little rain, you may want to go for the non-waterproof version (which is actually a little cheaper too), but otherwise, we think it is a worthy trade.

That said, even through our tests in hotter temperatures, we didn’t really find the breathability to be anymore compromised than any other waterproof hiking shoes in our reviews. We find a thinner, breathable sock helps a long way here, and we think that any breathability differences you get from this shoe won’t be a problem for you.

Ankle Support

The Terrex Swift R3 GTX hiking shoes don’t offer a huge amount when it comes to ankle support – it’s important to keep in mind that a hiking shoe is never going to offer the kind of support you’ll get from a proper hiking boot. However, the ankle feels well positioned. That is only if you get the exact right size – because these hiking shoes can run a little big, you may experience some wobbling in the back. Admittedly, the shoes we tested felt like we could have used a half size smaller and, on some descents, they felt a little on the loose side. So, this is something to bear in mind if you want to feel an even better support around your ankle.

Arch Support

The Adidas Terrex Swift R3 Gore-Tex offers what we’d call a standard level of arch support – this does differ ever so slightly between the men’s and women’s version of the shoe, with the men’s offering slightly more than the women’s. Though this is barely noticeable. The sole of the shoe is extremely rigid, so this allows for very little in arch and foot movement on the trail, allowing the foot to stay well positioned at all times and avoiding fatigue.

Fit

It’s been said that the Adidas Terrex Swift R3 Gore-Tex runs a little large. Our reviewer has slightly wider feet and actually found the fit a little snug around the toe box, but it is roomier in the heel. It’s a little hard to keep the heel in place at times, especially as there is no fine control on the heel, so if you have narrower feet, you may want to go down half a size.

Materials

These hiking shoes make use of at least 50% recycled materials in the upper, which is great to see. All the materials used on the Swift R3 GTX are synthetic and are classed as abrasion resistant. We put this to the test in deep, root prone forest and we had no problems at all with rips and pulls. Over longer-term wear, we feel confident that these shoes should stand the test of time.

Appearance

The look will be a little bit divisive for some people on these hiking shoes. They certainly look more at the fashion end of hiking shoes – and take a lot of their cues from Adidas’ other shoes. That said, we quite liked the way they look and would have no problem wearing them around town in the evening after a day out on the trail. They’re also offered in a few colorways, with some more understated and others a little bolder. It’s worth noting that if the waterproofing isn’t important to you, that you can actually get more color options in the non-waterproof version.

Unlike some of Terrex’s other shoes, these offer a smoother design from start to finish rather than being boxy, which we think is a nice addition to their portfolio and makes for a streamline shoe that has all of the benefits of a boot (minus the ankle support).

Durability

Given that Terrex make use of both Continental soles and Gore-Tex within their design for the Swift R3, we have no concerns about their durability for longer term wear. So far, these hiking shoes so no real signs of giving up, and they’re going as strong as ever – we think they will likely last you a long time if looked after well. The ripstop and rip resistant finish will also help with longer term wear and there are plenty of areas that when you look at these shoes, you’ll see they’re reinforced well in key areas.

Sustainability

We were happy to see Adidas making use of 50% recycled materials on the upper of the Terrex Swift R3 GTX hiking shoes. Hopefully over time, this will be more until it reaches a point where their shoes are fully recycled. We also truly believe that sustainability comes from not buying as much, or buying less over time, and with that in mind we have no concerns about the durability and useability of these hiking shoes. They should stand the test of time if you look after them well.

Water Resistance

These hiking shoes are marketed as fully waterproof – they make use of a Gore-Tex membrane and from our tests live up to their waterproof claims. Waterproofing is relative though – you can’t expect to go through a deep puddle or deep snow with shorts on and expect for your feet to come out unscathed. You could, however, make use of waterproof trousers and a gaiter to create a really good, waterproof layer with these. That said, these offer excellent protection from the rain.

Weight

The Adidas Terrex Swift R3 GTX hiking shoes weigh in at 700g/1lb 7oz (this varies depending on which size you buy). Compared to the other shoes in our guide to the best hiking shoes on the market, this falls pretty much within the average. They feel very lightweight on the trail and their shape, as well as their design feel very swift and fast moving.

Insoles

On close inspection, these hiking shoes come with a very standard looking insole, and there is no further information from Adidas about this. This will suit most hikers easily, but if your insole is of specific concern, you will have no problem replacing the insole with something more suited to your needs.

Break-in Period

Whilst these hiking shoes were pretty much comfortable straight out of the box, we did find they needed a little bit of a break-in. This is obviously personal preference, and you might find them trail ready pretty much straight away. Our tester found them to be rigid and a little tight around the toe box, so they took a few wears to feel really comfy and get the tension right in the lacing. We’d never recommend heading straight out on a long hike with a new pair of hiking shoes, you should always feel they’re ready before you take them for longer adventures!

Lacing System

The R3’s use a standard lacing system. The laces do feel a little bit thin, and these could fray over time, so you may want to look at replacing them for something a little more durable.

Toe Protection

The rubber toe rand on these shoes feels really robust and durable – we tried a lot of kicking into rocks and general clumsiness to see how they fared, and they stood up exceptionally well. The only thing of concern is that if they are a little large on the heel for you, you may find your foot moves forward and is more prone to kicking the front of the shoe – proper lacing and working out the best pattern for you should stop this – read our article on correct lacing here.

Conclusion

Like most of the Terrex shoes we’ve tested, we liked the Swift R3 Gore-Tex – they felt like a really great contender amongst some of the biggest names in the outdoors world and gave some of those a real run for their money.

If you’re looking for a hiking shoe that feels as close to a hiking boot as you can get without actually being a hiking boot, then you may well have found it with these hiking shoes. They might not be for you if you want something more flexible, but if you want a well versed sole that is ready to take on all weathers and a waterproof model, you will be glad you bought the Swift R3’s.

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