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We confess to feeling some skepticism when we first saw the Adidas Terrex Swift Solo hiking shoes.  The mega-brand already makes award-winning shoes for practically every sport that requires footwear, and we worry that hiking might be their Achilles heel. Thankfully, these day hikers stride confidently into the market. After six months of testing, the shoes continue to excel.  The wear-resistant textile mesh uppers were durable and breathable during mid-summer hikes, but they offer enough warmth to work well in cooler autumn temps, especially when paired with a nice pair of merino wool hiking socks. The toe cage protects the feet from rocks and roots on the trail without adding too much stiffness, and the heel-to-toe cushioning offered out-of-the-box comfort.  We also like the molded tongue, which rested comfortably against the tendons and never slipped, even after a ten-hour slog through the trails of Shenandoah.  The tread is fairly modest compared to other day hikers, but the front outsole is climbing-specific and the proprietary Traxion grippy rubber held up well in easy rock scrambles. You won’t be doing any serious climbing in these shoes, mind you. But they may become your go-to approach shoe.
Note: we tested the early model, which had a slightly different look. But the difference between our tester and the new models are purely aesthetic.