Adidas Trax Graphic Speed Ultra 2: First Impressions of Adidas' Trail Super Shoe Update

Introduction

The original Adidas Trax Graphic Speed Ultra, shortened by almost everyone to ASU, is one of those shoes that arguably defined what a trail super shoe could be. It combined super foam, a propulsive mechanism, and a lightweight build into a ride that genuinely felt like the road super shoe era translated to dirt. The updated Trax Graphic Speed Ultra 2 keeps that winning recipe and focuses on small, targeted improvements: less weight, a more dynamic feel, and fixes for the comfort problems that caught some runners out the first time around.

After the first couple of runs, mostly on snowy and icy gravel roads, the early picture is promising. This is shaping up to be a top contender in the ultra running race day category, not just another incremental refresh.

What Has Changed in the Ultra 2

Adidas clearly did not want to reinvent a shoe that already worked. The goal was single-digit percentage gains on an already successful formula: make it lighter, make it more dynamic, and address the fit and comfort complaints from version one.

The fit correction is the headline change. The original ran oddly on sizing, with some runners needing to size up and down more than once to find the right length, and the heel construction bit hard enough to cause blisters for some, along with forefoot irritation from the mesh. The Ultra 2 now feels true to size in a 10.5 where the original required trial and error, and added padding around the heel has already made a noticeable comfort difference in the first runs. The engineered mesh upper has also been adjusted to be more breathable, lighter, and more structured.

One early caveat: the tongue bunched up and behaved oddly during the first couple of runs. It is a small issue, but one worth watching in longer testing before calling the comfort fixes fully complete.

Midsole and Ride Feel

The Lightstrike Pro foam carries over, with adjustments aimed at making it softer and more responsive. In the first runs, the difference reads as marginal, which could partly come down to the shoes simply being brand new. More miles and more variety of terrain are needed to confirm it, particularly single-track, which will really put this foam to the test.

Even so, the character of the ride is intact. This remains a shoe with a genuinely unique, propulsive feel, the kind that made the original earn its reputation as the trail equivalent of a road super fly. It is still a lot of fun, and the claimed updates seem to be holding true so far.

Outsole and Traction

The outsole is the other visible update. The new lugs are bigger, broader, and deeper, with roughly the same coverage as before. The intent is confidence across a wide variety of terrain, and on early snowy and icy gravel roads the shoe still delivered the same playful, engaging ride the original was known for.

Traction claims deserve proper single-track testing before a final verdict, but the groundwork for an all-terrain race day outsole looks right.

The Original Trax Graphic Speed Ultra

The first ASU still matters to this story. It set the template for the trail super shoe: super foam, a propulsive mechanism, and lightweight construction, with a ride that felt special from the first run. Its weaknesses were fit and comfort, including harsh heel construction, forefoot blistering for some runners, and inconsistent sizing.

If you already own the original and it fits you well, it remains a capable race day shoe. The Ultra 2’s appeal is that it keeps that ride while smoothing out the rough edges.

Buying Advice

For runners shopping in the ultra race day category right now, the Ultra 2 is the version to look at. It fixes the sizing guesswork, adds heel padding, keeps the Lightstrike Pro ride, and adds a more confident outsole.

Early impressions suggest it is not merely a contender but a potential top dog in the category. The main reservations are the early tongue-bunching quirk and the fact that the foam and traction updates still need more miles and more terrain variety to be fully confirmed.

Who Should Buy Which Version

Runners who were burned by the original’s fit, especially heel irritation or sizing confusion, should head straight for the Ultra 2. Those corrections are real and already noticeable.

Runners who loved the original’s ride and found a size that worked have less urgency to upgrade, but anyone racing ultras and wanting the lightest, most dynamic version of this formula will find the Ultra 2 an easy recommendation once longer testing confirms the gains.

Conclusion

The Trax Graphic Speed Ultra 2 is a disciplined update: lighter, more dynamic, more comfortable, and truer to size, without disturbing the recipe that made the original a defining trail super shoe. The early runs support Adidas’ claims, with a minor tongue quirk and more extensive terrain testing still on the checklist. For ultra race day, this looks like the version of the shoe most runners should buy.