The outsole of the Tracerocker must provide the wearer with a decent level of grip to be considered a decent trail shoe. The shoe was designed with Adidas Traxion rubber on the outsole; this allows the shoe to provide the wearer with a high level of grip and ensures that the wearer has security in their movements while the shoe is on foot. The rubber material on the outsole on the shoe also provides the wearer with a decent length of time to be used; this is one of the reasons why the shoe doesn’t require constant replacement.

The midsole of the shoe is designed primarily from an EVA foam that allows the shoe to provide the wearer with a decent level of cushioning during use. The EVA midsole allows the shoe to remain its lightweight effect and provides the shoe with a sense of responsiveness while on foot; this also results in a natural feeling ride for the wearer while being worn on the trail terrains. The Trace rocker also has a molded foam insole that allows the shoe to provide the wearer with a sense of comfort during their time in the shoe.

The upper of the Tracerocker is designed to provide the wearer with a sense of security while the shoe is on foot. The upper of the shoe features an abrasion resistant material that results in the Tracerocker being extremely resistant to the damaging effects of the trail terrains that the shoe is worn on. There are various overlays placed throughout the upper of the shoe that also work to this effect, allowing the shoe to protect the wearer’s foot from damage. Cushioning has been placed throughout the upper of the shoe as well, to prevent the wearer of the shoe from feeling overly uncomfortable while the shoe is on the foot.

Despite the usual heavy duty, bulky design of trail running shoes, the Trace runner is surprisingly lightweight. The design of the shoe is one that allows the wearer of the shoe to perform to the top of his/her ability due to the lightweight and minimal design of the shoe. Overall, the shoe adds up to weight that is surprisingly low, 10.2 oz; it does this while still providing the wearer of the shoe a decent level of protection and even a bit of cushioning in the sole unit of the shoe. The experience that the wearer of the shoe has in the shoe is enhanced due to this; the lightweight effect of the shoe is caused by the mesh on the upper and the minimal materials that make up the sole unit of the shoe.

The upper of the Tracerocker is designed to provide the wearer of the shoe with a decent level of airflow during their time wearing the shoe. The material of the upper, as with most mesh shoes, allows the wearer to increase their range of motion as well. Mesh is known for it’s inherent ability to provide the wearer of the shoe with a certain level of airflow due to its porous design; the upper of the shoe also has very little in the way of overlays, another feature that enhances the shoes overall breathability.

Very much due to the breathability and the make of the sole unit of the shoe, the Trace runner provides the wearer with a decent level of comfort during their time wearing the shoe. The sole of the shoe features an EVA material that conforms to the shape and curves of the wearer’s foot, providing the wearer of the shoe with a decent level of support during their time wearing the shoe. The upper and the mesh make that it has, conforms to the shape of the wearer’s foot, ensuring that they have very little to worry about in terms of comfort.

The weird thing about these shoes is that, although they are trail shoes primarily, they are extremely stylish. Trail shoes are rarely produced that can be worn outside of the activity that they were designed for use on. The sole unit and upper of the shoe blend seamlessly together and have slight contrasting characteristics that enable the shoe to be worn even with other clothing types such as jeans and the like. For a trail shoe, it is important to mention that these shoes are relatively sleek; this is another thing about their design that allows for a decent level of aesthetic appeal to be provided to the wearer of the shoe.

The material that makes up the sole unit of the shoe is the main reason why the shoe can provide the wearer of the shoe with such a high level of longevity during their time in use. Adidas fashioned the outsole of the shoe from their Traxion material; this material is known for being able to handle high levels of abuse without breaking down very easily. The result of this material's ability is that the shoe functions very well on various terrains and doesn’t give the wearer any worry about constant replacement of the shoe. The upper of the shoe functions in much of the same way and is relatively durable allowing it to keep up with the needs of the wearer in terms of longevity.

Both the upper and the sole unit of the shoe can provide the wearer with a decent level of protection during their time in use. The sole unit of the shoe is relatively thick and enables the wearer of the shoe to be able to handle the rough trail terrains that the shoe is designed for use on without subjecting them to possible damage. The upper of the shoe has a few overlays that work to prevent the material that the upper of the shoe is designed from, from ripping and/or tearing, exposing the wearer’s foot to the outside and allowing the outside items to inflict damage upon them.

The midsole of the shoe is designed from an EVA material. EVA is known for its ability to conform to the shape of the wearer’s foot and provide them with a comfortable overall ride. Aside from this, the material in the midsole of the shoe is very impact absorbing and takes in a decent amount of the energy that is taken in during runs; this energy is then transferred into the wearer’s movements and allows them to have an extra bounce in their step during their runs. The Traxion material in the sole unit of the shoe provides the wearer of the shoe with a decent level grip that then provides the wearer with quicker movements while the shoe is in use.

The EVA material in the midsole conforms to the shape of the wearer’s foot and provides a decent level of cushioning for various types of runner’s. Despite the lightweight feel of the shoe, Adidas was able to place ample amounts of cushioning throughout the sole unit; this allows the shoe to provide the wearer with a decent level of support for the heel of the wearer’s arches. Another thing to mention is that the shoe is designed for those who have a more neutral style of running.

This shoe is designed for use on rural landscapes; therefore, the shoe is considered a lightweight trail shoe. The shoe features a Traxion outsole that allows the shoe to get a decent level of grip on the variable trail surfaces that the shoe is designed for use on. The shoe can be used on other surfaces, but it is important to note that the material that makes up the sole unit of the shoe may encounter a high level of degradation if used on those surfaces. All in all, the shoe functions relatively well and enables the wearer to be able to face the more strenuous surfaces such as trails with little to no effort involved.

A great thing to note about the Tracerocker is that the shoe is extremely inexpensive. While the shoe has various materials that provide the wearer of the shoe with a high level of functionality and is also extremely durable, the shoe can be found in various places for well below that of other trails shoes. The technologies incorporated into the shoe's design enable the wearer of the shoe to go above and beyond that of other shoes in the Trace rocker’s category, making the shoe the ideal choice for various runners.

As mentioned earlier in this review, the shoe features an outsole unit that is fashioned primarily from Adidas Traxion rubber material. The shoe has various lugs placed throughout the sole unit, protruding enough to provide the wearer with a decent sense of grip on various surfaces. The lugs of the outsole work incredibly well for the wearer’s purposes due to trails varying surface types; trails generally aren’t level and require protrusions to really get a grip on them.

Another great thing about the shoe being so lightweight is that the Tracerocker bends relatively easily to the will of the wearer’s foot. The mesh make of the upper of the shoe allows the shoe to move and flex when necessary; this helps when one needs to get a grip on unlevel surfaces such as trails. The sole unit of the shoe is also relatively flexible and bends easily to the movements of the wearer’s foot. The outsole of the shoe has grooves placed on both the heel and forefoot of the shoe allowing the shoe to move relatively easily in those parts of the shoe.

For a shoe to function well as a trail running shoe, it must have a design that incorporates a bit of stability into it. The upper of the Trace runner has a few overlays that allow the shoe to provide the wearer with a decent amount of security in their movements; this is accentuated by the upper of the shoe’s thick cut. The cut of the sole unit prevents the shoe from experiencing rollover and results in a stable experience being provided to the wearer of the shoe.

The drop in these shoes is a bit above that of another trails shoe, but that’s okay. The heel-to-toe drop on these shoes is about 10mm, which is about average when compared to all other shoes. Trail shoes though, tend to have a natural overall feel and usually also tend to have lower drops. The drop on this shoe doesn’t really hurt it though, simply because of the shoes flexible and lightweight design. Transitions in this shoe are still relatively smooth and enable the wearer of the shoe to achieve a high level of performance while the shoes are worn.

• Traxion pattern
• High traction rubber
• Mesh upper
• EVA midsole

Overall, the design of the Tracerocker is one that promotes functionality for runners in the trail environment. Despite their title of being a trail running shoe, the shoe is one of the lightest that has been seen in a long time. The grip provided by the outsole is also something to take note of simply because of the ability that it imbues the wearer of the shoe with; it provides the runner to make quick decisions while also limiting their risk of inflicting damage upon themselves. Overall, Adidas did a great job with this shoe and it should be considered by those seeking an inexpensive shoe to take out on the trails with them.