This shoe finds the perfect balance in the midsole - not too soft and not too hard. What this means in practice is that we get a good amount of ground feel whilst still keeping our feet protected and supported. We measured the midsole for softness by pressing a durometer to it. No surprises there - it showed 32.5 HA, the average for hiking shoes. In a combination of lab tests and getting out on the trail, we found the Hoka Anacapa Low GTX to be the Gore-Tex hiking shoe with the best cushioning. With a midsole so plush that it feels more like a running shoe, it doesn’t neglect the stability required for a quality hiking shoe either.

There’s a lot to like about the Adidas Terrex Swift R3 Gore-Tex – it’s definitely mountain-ready thanks to those tough rubber soles, which provide great grip even in awful conditions, and the Gore-Tex membrane provides robust waterproofing. Although you’ll find cheaper hiking shoes on the market, the Terrex Swift R3 Gore-Tex is well-priced for such a high-performing shoe. Gore-tex membranes are now synonymous with waterproof shoes. So much so that many attribute any shoe marketed was waterproof to be Gore-tex; however, that may not be true. Some hiking shoe manufacturers will use different waterproof technology. Puddles, streams and wet grass are no match for the Merrell Moab Speed GTX’s impermeable lining. As an added bonus, our feet didn’t even sweat while hiking! In the lab, we pumped smoke into the shoe to test for breathability. Smoke exited fairly easily through the breathable tongue, which explains the air circulation in the toe box. We awarded it a 3/5 for breathability - an improvement on the waterproof hiking shoe average of 2.3.

Our Verdict

Our SportsShoes Trail & Hiking ambassador, Ben Mounsey, has been busy putting the adidas TERREX Swift R3 GORE-TEX Walking Shoes to the test. Here he provides a detailed review and compares them to the adidas TERREX Free Hiker.

There isn’t a lot we would change here – the only issue we noted is that the Adidas Terrex Swift isn’t the most breathable hiking shoe in the world, due to its sturdy build and waterproof membrane. Personally, we’d save it for use from autumn through to spring, and switch to a more lightweight and breathable hiking shoe such as the Salomon Vaya for hiking mountain trails in hot dry weather. The adidas TERREX Swift R3 GTX walking shoes are a great choice for any serious outdoor enthusiast as they ensure you stay sure-footed on all terrain in any weather condition. As a high-performance hiking shoe that combines the lightweight design of a trail running shoe with the versatility and stability of a hiking boot, consider this Terrex style as your swiss army knife of mountain footwear!From the moment we put them on, the Adidas Terrex shoes felt stiffer compared to the other hiking shoes we tried. When worn on its own, the Swift's synthetic and cloth top is unyielding, and we discovered that the ankle collar gave the foot great support. 2. Withstanding submersion in water There are numerous elements contributing to the overall stability of this shoe and we thank our lab tests for documenting all of them. The most important one, for sure, is the torsional rigidity test that showed us why this shoe feels as stable as a hiking boot. Because we weren't able to twist the shoe, we rated it with 5 out of 5, 5 being the stiffest.

GTX stands for Gore-tex. If GTX is included in the name of a hiking shoe or labeled on the shoe itself, it utilizes a waterproof membrane made with Gore-tex fabric. The Merrell Moab Speed GTX is a master of protection. We measured 4.2 mm of extra material under the heel compared to average, and 0.6 mm below the forefoot. Rather than feeling clunky, it is neatly balanced by a softer midsole, which absorbs impact. Our durometer readings showed a squishy 22.5 HA, significantly softer than the average of 30.7 HA. Such plush cushioning keeps our feet feeling fresher for longer. Unfortunately, we would have to say no to this one. The main reason is that no hiking shoe, even models with Gore-tex, can prevent water from entering the shoe from above. For example, water can get inside the shoe if you step into deep water or mud.Both GORE-TEX versions of these respective models offer excellent protection from wet weather, although breathability is greatly reduced in hot conditions. Therefore, I would opt for the non-GORE-TEX version of either shoe if you want increased ventilation and airflow, particularly during the summer months. Tipping the scales at just 11.4 oz (323g), this shoe is 2.5 oz (72g) lighter than the average for this category. We found it most noticeable on our longer hikes when our legs had plenty of energy to spare at the end of the day. For this special selection, we employed our outdoor expertise and hiked hundreds of miles to field-test all the Gore-Tex hiking shoes in our inventory. That means wearing each pair on actual hiking trips, covering 30+ miles across wet trails and muddy routes. Our selection process includes: With such a plush shoe, it is possible for the stability to be compromised, but the Hoka Anacapa Low GTX has it covered. The widest platform ever to have passed through our lab, the 113.2 mm wide forefoot and 93.1 mm wide heel compensate for the softness of the midsole, making it next to impossible to roll our ankles when hiking on rough trails. Weighing in at just 13.3 oz (378g), its featherweight translates to more mileage on our hikes before our feet get tired. When we compared it to our lab-tested waterproof hiking shoes, we found it is 5% lighter than average. It even sneaks in below the average for non-waterproof shoes. Impressive for a completely watertight shoe! We even tested its impermeability by standing in a stream, and our feet stayed totally dry. That’s a win for the Gore-Tex!

The good news is for most people, weight differences are pretty negligible. For example, the Salomon Ultra 4 GTX weighs 380 grams, and the nonwaterproof Ultra X 4 weighs 360 grams. Waterproof hiking shoes that utilize a Gore-tex membrane will usually include “GTX” in their name, for example, the Merrell Moab Speed GTX. Gore-tex hiking shoes will also normally have a Gore-tex label somewhere on the exterior of the shoe. For example, the Adidas Free Hiker Cold RDY has a silver “Gore-tex” label on the front exterior of the toe box. These signs will signal Gore-tex was used to waterproof the shoe and not another in-house or proprietary fabric. It was first patented by Kinetic Chemicals in 1941 and trademarked as Teflon. One of its first uses was as a seal coating in uranium enrichment for the Manhattan Project. Later, Teflon was used for cookware.Bob Gore understood that he was onto something with great potential. In 1970 Gore applied for a series of patents to make Gore-tex fabrics more seriously. And shortly afterward, in 1976, he started marketing their family brand, Gore-tex. At the time, it was the first waterproof and windproof fabric. The toe-box has a particularly wide set of lace eyelets, which helps pull that area in tight, and it’s easy to get a good fit without fiddling around with the lacing too much, which is aided by the friction of the tube-style lace grommets. The top pair of eyelets are nicely-finished aluminium through-rivets, which should stand up to a lot of punishment. Swift R3 GTX gets the "best stability" medal because, in the world of Gore-Tex hiking shoes, we don't want just superb waterproofing but also a super stable platform that allows us to hike over wet and slippery terrain with no ankle twists, slips and falls. And the Swift R3 GTS nails it! That stiff midfoot provides a great platform on sloping terrain, just like a boot where you can use the edge to cut into the turf (albeit less successfully than a boot due to the lesser ankle support). The ankle support may not be quite up to boot-level, but it is certainly unusually good for a hiking shoe. The cushioned midsole adds a plushness to the ride, which is also enhanced by that stiffening armour, which lets you float over the rough stuff with ease.