Quick verdict
The adidas Terrex Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX is a £100 all-round hiking shoe whose strongest card is grip: a Continental rubber outsole with 4mm lugs that holds on wet chalk, mud and rock. A full GORE-TEX membrane keeps rain and puddle-splash out, while a LIGHTMOTION EVA midsole gives light, cushioned mileage without a heavy boot feel. It suits day hikers and coast-path walkers who want a low-cut waterproof shoe under £110 rather than a mid boot. Being low-cut, it stops at the ankle, so deep bog will still come in over the collar.
adidas Terrex Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX: 4.5/5
A £100 GORE-TEX hiking shoe with a Continental rubber outsole and 4mm lugs, light LIGHTMOTION EVA cushioning and a low-cut, everyday fit.
The full review is below.
The adidas Terrex Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX sits in the sweet spot a lot of walkers are actually looking for: a proper waterproof hiking shoe that costs £100 rather than £160. It pairs a full GORE-TEX membrane with a Continental rubber outsole, the same tyre-rubber grip adidas uses across the Terrex range, and keeps the whole thing light with a LIGHTMOTION EVA midsole.
That combination makes it an easy shoe to reach for on the wet British half of the year. I want a low-cut shoe that shrugs off puddle-splash on a chalk track and holds a line on greasy Purbeck limestone, and the Skychaser does both without asking me to spend Salomon or Meindl money. If you want the wider field, it sits in our best waterproof trainers roundup, but here is the full case for this one.
Who the Skychaser AX5 is for
This is a day-hiker's shoe and a shoulder-season workhorse. If most of your walking is coast path, downland, forest track and the occasional fell in reasonable conditions, the Skychaser covers it at a sensible price. It is light enough to wear on the drive, in the pub after, and on a 15km loop in between.
It is not a technical mountain shoe and it does not pretend to be. There is no rock-plate stiffness for scrambling and no mid-cut ankle support. What you get is a comfortable, grippy, waterproof low-cut shoe that does the everyday jobs well. For anyone weighing a shoe against a boot, it slots neatly alongside the Salomon Genesis 2 GTX and the Meindl Respond GORE-TEX as an all-round option, just at a lower entry price.
Waterproofing
The Skychaser AX5 uses a full GORE-TEX membrane, not a cheaper own-brand liner, and that matters. GORE-TEX is the benchmark for a reason: it keeps rain, wet grass and puddle-splash out while still letting sweat vapour escape, so your feet stay dry from both directions on a long damp day.
On the coast path after overnight rain, or crossing a churned-up gateway on the South Downs, that membrane is the difference between carrying on and squelching home. Wet chalk and standing water on the trail simply do not get through.
The honest limit is height, not the membrane. This is a low-cut shoe, so the waterproofing stops at the ankle collar. Step into a bog or a stream deeper than the cuff and water comes in over the top, no membrane can fix that. For deep-water crossings and sustained wet moorland you want a mid boot. For everything short of that, the GORE-TEX does its job.
Grip and outsole
Grip is where this shoe earns its keep. The outsole is Continental rubber, the tyre compound adidas builds into its better Terrex shoes, and it is cut with 4mm lugs. That is a real, aggressive lug depth for a shoe at this price, deep enough to bite into mud and shed it, shallow enough to still feel planted on hardpack and rock.
Where I notice it most is wet limestone and chalk. Both go glassy in the rain and both are everywhere on the Jurassic Coast and the Purbeck ridge. The Continental compound holds on that greasy surface far better than the generic rubber you get on budget shoes, and the 4mm lugs give you a solid edge on muddy descents and grassy slopes.
It is a confidence-inspiring outsole for the money. If your walking involves a lot of wet rock and slick chalk, this is the standout reason to pick the Skychaser.
Cushioning and fit
Underfoot, adidas uses its LIGHTMOTION EVA midsole. It is a light, springy foam that gives you all-day cushioning without the dead, heavy feel of a cheap slab. On a long coast-path day the shoe stays comfortable and never feels like a chore to lift, which is exactly what you want from a low-cut hiker.
The fit is a standard adidas Terrex last, which runs on the slightly performance-oriented side rather than roomy. It holds the midfoot securely, which helps on side-slopes and quick descents. If you have a wide forefoot or like a lot of toe-splay room, go and try a pair on or size with that in mind. Most people will find true-to-size correct, and if you are between sizes and wear thicker winter socks, sizing up half is the safe call.
If you want a more running-biased fit from the same brand, the adidas Terrex Agravic GORE-TEX 2 is the lighter, faster stablemate. The Skychaser is the more grounded, everyday-hiking option of the two.
Colours
The Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX comes in two colourways at Tiso. Shaoli is the lead and the one shown throughout this review, though stock is currently limited to size 10 only, so check availability before you set your heart on it. Brown is the alternative and tends to carry a fuller size run.
Buy the adidas Terrex Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX (Shaoli) at Tiso
Buy the adidas Terrex Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX (Brown) at Tiso
Specs at a glance
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Membrane | GORE-TEX, fully waterproof and breathable |
| Outsole | Continental rubber, 4mm lugs |
| Midsole | LIGHTMOTION EVA cushioning |
| Cut | Low-cut hiking shoe |
| Price | £100 |
| Best for | All-round day hiking, wet chalk and limestone |
Pros and cons
- Continental rubber outsole with 4mm lugs grips wet chalk, limestone and mud
- Full GORE-TEX membrane, not a budget own-brand liner
- Light LIGHTMOTION EVA cushioning, comfortable over long days
- £100 is strong value for a genuine GORE-TEX hiking shoe
- Secure, performance-oriented midfoot hold
- Low-cut, so deep bog and stream crossings come in over the collar
- Terrex last runs slightly narrow for wide feet
- Shaoli colourway currently limited to size 10 only
- No rock-plate stiffness for technical scrambling
Verdict
At £100 the adidas Terrex Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX is one of the easiest waterproof hiking shoes to recommend for everyday UK walking. You get a real GORE-TEX membrane and a Continental outsole with 4mm lugs, the two things that actually matter when you are out on wet chalk and churned trail, at a price that undercuts most of the field. It scores 4.5 out of 5 from me, held back only by the low-cut limit and a last that suits medium widths better than wide.
Buy it if you want a light, grippy, genuinely waterproof shoe for coast path, downland and forest track and you do not want to spend £150 to get there. If you routinely cross deep bog or want ankle support, step up to a mid boot instead. For everyone else, this is a lot of shoe for the money. Browse the full waterproof trainers category if you want to compare.
Buy the adidas Terrex Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX at Tiso Or the adidas Terrex Skychaser AX5 GORE-TEX on Amazon
