Over the past two months, I've personally tested and reviewed the adidas TERREX Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX hiking shoes on several New Mexico trails. Previously called the AX4/AX5, the Skychaser AX5 is the entry-level hiking shoe in the adidas TERREX line. It's not as protective as the regular TERREX Skychaser or as cushy as the TERREX Free Hiker 2. But it's more supportive than most budget hiking shoes and boasts GORE-TEX waterproofing. My adidas TERREX Skychaser AX5 review shares why this is one of the best budget hiking shoes and a great value in 2026—when the prices of the best hiking shoes are skyrocketing.
Testing the adidas TERREX Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX Hiking Shoes outside of Albuquerque
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adidas TERREX Skychaser AX5 Review
My adidas TERREX Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX hiking shoes review stems from 30 miles of test hikes in New Mexico. I broke in my pair near White Sands National Park before testing them on the Pino, Embudito, Piedra Lisa, and Domingo Baca trails in the Sandia Mountains outside Albuquerque. By design, my test hikes encompass all types of terrain and different difficulty levels, so I can evaluate shoes' pros and cons and pinpoint their recommended uses.
As always, this is an independent review (not a sponsored post) based on my first-hand experience. I own a pair of TERREX Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX hiking shoes—and have years of experience selling its predecessors (TERREX AX2, AX3, AX4) at Backcountry and Appalachian Outdoors.
The TERREX Skychaser AX5 has moderate flex at the toes
SUPPORT
Most beginner hiking shoes are glorified sneakers that skimp on support. Not the TERREX Skychaser AX5. It's reasonably robust underfoot: stiff through the midfoot with moderate flex at the balls of your feet.
If you're new to hiking, that moderate stiffness prevents your feet from overflexing on uneven terrain. Plus, it adds torsional rigidity—resistance to twisting, which makes it tougher to roll an ankle.
When I tested the TERREX Skychaser AX5 on rocky terrain, my feet and ankles felt secure. The AX5 is much more supportive than the Merrell Moab 3 hiking shoe—another entry-level hiking shoe (that's much more expensive in 2026). It's not quite as protective as the regular (more expensive) TERREX Skychaser. But this shoe's support is a pleasant surprise for a budget-oriented hiking shoe.
TheTERREX Skychaser AX5 approaches 2.5 lbs per pair
WEIGHT
The downside of an entry-level hiking shoe with good support is weight. My pair of the TERREX Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX hiking shoes weighs 2 lbs 6 oz (men's size 12.5). It's the second heaviest hiking shoe I've reviewed at Hiking Feet in six years of testing.
If you care more about support or price than weight savings, the Skychaser AX5 is a good buy. If you prefer a lightweight hiking shoe, I recommend the TERREX Free Hiker SL—the lightest, most athletic adidas hiking shoe I've tested and reviewed.
Testing comfort on an easy trail in the Albuquerque foothills
COMFORT
The TERREX Skychaser AX5 is the budget-oriented adidas hiking shoe. The TERREX Free Hiker 2 is the comfort-oriented adidas hiking shoe. For travel or everyday comfort, I prefer the TERREX Free Hiker 2 by a wide margin.
That said, comfort ultimately boils down to fit, your hiking style, and your personal preferences. The TERREX Skychaser has a standard fit with traditional drop (12mm), moderate cushioning, and more support than most budget hiking shoes.
I personally prefer a wider toe box, but this shoe didn't squeeze me as much as I expected. If you're on a budget and hike harder trails, you might find this shoe's support a plus in the comfort collumn. However, this shoe's weight and support may be comfort negatives if you're a fast-moving hiker who prefers a lightweight shoe or a casual hiker who doesn't need a shoe with much backbone for the trails you hike.
While I appreciated this shoe's support on steep and rocky trails, nothing about this shoe's feel stood out during my comfort tests. Overall, my feet didn't feel as fresh in the AX5 as they normally do after a few miles of hiking.
The TERREX Skychaser AX5 has a standard fit
FIT
The adidas TERREX Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX hiking shoe has a standard fit. I sized up a full size from my everyday shoe size and got adequate width for my moderately wide feet. That said, the toe box still felt a little narrow, especially on steep descents. The fit wasn't as roomy as the new TERREX Free Hiker SL—the widest fit I've found in the adidas TERREX line.
Choose the Free Hiker SL GTX for GORE-TEX waterproofing
TRACTION
The TERREX Skychaser AX5 features moderately aggressive lugs, which can handle mixed terrain. On the moderately steep trails I hiked, those offset chevron shapes dug into snow, sand, and gravel relatively well. I experienced some slight slips on slickrock and minor slippage on the steepest switchbacks and chutes I hiked in New Mexico's Sandia Mountains. adidas angled those lugs in such a way that they're not lined up as true climbing and braking lugs. There's a little bit of a heel brake, which helps on the steepest descents.
Overall, I consider the traction average—best for moderate hikes on mixed terrain.
GORE-TEX waterproofing is a big plus at this price
WEATHER PROTECTION
As its name suggests, the adidas TERREX Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX hiking shoe has another big plus for its budget price: GORE-TEX waterproofing.
Most hiking shoes in the $100 range use cheaper, proprietary waterproofing. adidas, however, upgraded the AX5's weather protection with a waterproof and breathable GORE-TEX membrane. In my experience, GORE-TEX is more reliable and more breathable than other waterproof membranes.
Two of my test hikes involved miles of snow. As expected, the GORE-TEX kept my feet dry. With New Mexico mired in drought, however, I couldn't extensively test this shoe's weather protection. Still, getting a GORE-TEX hiking shoe for $120 is almost unheard of in 2026.
Women's TERREX Skychaser AX5 (Photo Credit: adidas TERREX)
VALUE
Thanks to inflation, tariffs, and other political shenanigans, the best hiking shoes now start around $175 and often top $200. Gulp. In contrast, the TERREX Skychaser AX5 GORE- TEX hiking shoes only cost $100 (nonwaterproof) to $120 (GORE-TEX). That's not only a budget-friendly price. This shoe actually provides real support and GORE-TEX waterproofing at that price point.
If it fits you, the adidas TERREX Skychaser AX5 is one of the best hiking shoes for budget-strapped buyers and bargain hunters in 2026.
Men's adidas TERREX Skychaser AX5
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Women's adidas TERREX Skychaser AX5
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adidas TERREX Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX Hiking Shoes: Pros vs Cons
Based on my first-hand test hikes, here are the pros and cons of the new TERREX Skychaser AX5 GTX:
Should you buy the adidas TERREX Skychaser AX5?
The TERREX Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX Hiking Shoe is a solid, entry-level hiking shoe for hikers who prioritize support and price over weight savings and comfort. It's a great value because it's more supportive than other budget hiking shoes and features GORE-TEX waterproofing, which you normally can't find in hiking shoes that cost less than $150.
At the same time, the AX5 is heavy for a hiking shoe with average traction and questionable comfort that I noticed 3-4 miles into my test hikes. Compared to its adidas TERREX siblings, the Skychaser AX5 is not as cushy as the Free Hiker 2, not as light and athletic as the Free Hiker SL (my favorite adidas TERREX hiking shoe), and not as protective as the regular Skychaser GTX.
The TERREX Skychaser AX5 is not one of the best hiking shoes—but it is a great value for the occasional hiker and hikers on a budget.
Conclusion
Based on my first-hand testing, I've added the TERREX Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX hiking shoes to my list of the best budget hiking shoes.
If you're stoked on adidas's entry-level hiking shoe, please consider purchasing the TERREX Skychaser AX5 through the affiliate links in this post. If you click on those buttons and buy something, the retailer may share a few dollars of the sale with Hiking Feet. This is FREE for you—and keeps this site alive.
If this review hooked you up with good intel on the Skychaser AX5, I appreciate you hooking me up, so I can continue to provide free, independent, and expert reviews to help others buy hiking shoes that fit their feet and match their hikes. Cheers!
Men's adidas TERREX Skychaser AX5
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Women's adidas TERREX Skychaser AX5
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