Helly Hansen Terrak Trail Running Shoe Review

Active Gear Review is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

When I hear the name Helly Hansen the first thing that comes to my mind is high quality skiing and sailing outerwear. And that is as it should be, considering that Helly Hansen was started by Norwegian Captain Helly Juell Hansen after he spent many wet and cold years at sea. Captain Hansen and his wife started producing oilskin apparel using linseed oil to waterproof his gear. They became an immediate success because of the need in the industry. And thus the Helly Hansen brand was born. Enough of the history lesson, my point is, when you think of Helly Hansen you don’t think of trail running shoes… or do you? Let me introduce you to the Helly Hansen Terrak, a trail running shoe.

Helly Hansen Terrak Trail Shoe

First Look

The Helly Hansen Terrak is a lightweight, low cut, 5mm drop trail running shoe, allowing it to fall into the category of minimalist running shoe. The outsole of the Terrak consists of multi-directional lugs featuring the Helly Grip. The Helly grip is a design that has utilised Helly’s experience of the outdoors and created an entirely new outsole material that is said to yield tremendous grip and consistent durability over any terrain the trail throws at you.

Multi-directional Lugs – Helly Grip

Protecting the foot from the impact of running, is a premium lightweight EVA midsole. Working in unison with the midsole is the C-Zone technology, which is strategically placed under the heel to absorb the immediate shock of heel striking and add energy-return properties to the platform, said to make every stride more effortless.

Eva Midsole and C-Zone on the Helly Hansen Terrak

The upper of the Terrak consists of two main components. First is the HellyWear Protection, which is a high abrasion TPR/Synthetic compound placed on the high impact zones on the upper, it will protect the foot from the trail environment and help the longevity of the shoe. Second is the breathable mesh that will allow air to flow through the shoe, to deliver a more comfortable environment for the foot to sit within through your run.

HellyWear Protection and Breathable Mesh on the Terrak

And last but not least, one of my favorite features of this shoe; one side of the tongue on the Terrak is attached internally to the upper, which will help keep debris out, hug the foot better, and keep the tongue in place.

Attached Tongue on the Helly Hansen Terrak

Testing

The sizing and fit of the Terrak is on point. The toe box fit falls into what I would call the normal category, it is not roomy but it is also not cramped. Which you would think would be considered perfect, but I prefer a roomier toe box that allows space for my toes to splay, so I can’t label it as such. The wraparound tongue gives a very comfortable and secure fit. I managed to take the shoe through just about every environment and it performed exceptionally well. The HellyGrip traction was able to provide plenty of grip on snowy hills, driving down dirt trails and even sticking to slippery wet pavement. While minimalist running, in my mind, is based more so on form then relying on the cushioning of a shoe, the Terrak did offer up a pleasureable low impacting ride, while still allowing for good ground feel. After putting more than 80 miles on the shoes, the EVA midsole has shown some compress as you can note in the pictures above. The rest of the shoe has held up perfectly, the upper still looks new and the outsole shows almost no signs of wear. Overall I found the Terrak quite comfortable throughout my runs, whether they were fast paced short runs or slower longer runs.

Running Up a Snowy Incline in the Helly Hansen Terrak

Features

• Breathable Mesh
• Padded Collar
• Attached Tongue
• C-Zone Heel Cushioning
• Premium Eva Midsole
• Removable Eva Performance Footbed
• Hellygrip Rubber
• Hellywear Protection
• Multi-Directional Lugs For Increased Traction

Caught in the Air with the Helly Hansen Terrak Trail Shoe

Final Thoughts

The Helly Hansen Terrak is great shoe that will continue to get a lot of use from me. If you are a fan of minimalist shoes and looking for a flexible, lightweight trail shoe that will handle almost any trail condition, the Terrak is a really solid option from Helly Hansen and one to consider.

For more information or to purchase visit :  www.hellyhansen.com

Tearing Up the Trail in the Helly Hansen Terrak Trail Shoe

Outside is Free! Get Out There and Be Active!