Merrell Trail Shoe Review
Merrell Agility Peak 5- Pear/Burgundy, non waterproof version
Shoe review of Merrell’s Women's Agility Peak 5
Thank you to Merrell for sharing a Coupon code for the OMR Trail running Community.
25% off: OrneryMule_Merrell25
***Good through 9/30/2023
Hi Friends!
Exciting! Merrell shoes reached out to me recently to test their trail shoes. I said, “Yes!”. What a fun opportunity! They did not ask me to write about the shoes or do anything in return. It was simply them reaching out to me in the OMR Trail running community. I decided to write a review in case my experience helps someone out.
Review of the new Women's Agility Peak 5
Not the typical shoe I gravitate towards with their beefy sole…. In the past… I have tried out higher cushioned style trail shoes and they have left me feeling unstable on technical trails and hills.
There is a lot of research that goes into designing shoes to help keep our bodies healthy. Cushion, rocks plates, shoe drop, grippy Vibram soles are all things that are designed to positively support us in our training. Merrell has a long time reputation for quality shoes, but have been a little quiet in the trail running community.
I love the idea of shoe cushion to ease the pounding that I put on my legs. This year I’ve been working on building my average weekly mileage. If shoe technology can help me, I am there for it.
About my feet & training- Size 11 women’s. Average width. I run Midwest Trails. Dirt, rocks, roots, grass, lots of hills. I occasionally travel out West to visit friends or family where I run rocky, harsher trails. Trail running is a part of my every day life and travels. Currently I run 34-42 miles a week. I slowly built this up from 10 mile average a week in January of 2022. I am 56 years old, love to run and train, and have a very busy life schedule.
I am in training for a 50 mile race, which will be the first 50 mile race I have done in the last 10 years. I am scared and excited for this challenge. You can look at my ultrasignup finishes here.
First impressions out of the box: Great looking shoe! Everyone is always trying to tell us that the color of a shoe does not matter, but man….I love it when my shoes are pretty! These are a beautiful earthy purple and green tone, which happens to be my all time favorite color combination. I ordered a size 11 & they fit with plenty of room. Not snug or big. I would describe them as roomier than some other shoes I own, but not sloppy.
Rock n roll…… It is interesting how these shoes “roll” smoothly when you run forward. It feels as if they give you a boost and propel you forward. I have never felt anything like this before. The cushion is comfortable and appreciated on a long run. Bouncy, yet stable on all surfaces… from rocky, or technical trails to even a smooth bike path the shoes performed well.
I have listed the shoe specs below. I wanted to point out one spec that I always look for. Going with at least a 4 mm drop. The Agility Peak has a 6 mm drop. This means that the heal is 6 mm higher than the toe. I have found that a slight lift in the back of my shoe gives my calves and Achilles some relief or support to keep them healthy. Both these areas are prone to tightness for me, which can lead to pain & injuries. A local podiatrist gave me this suggestion after a tough case of achilles tendinitis I worked through years ago. I have found this style of shoe helps me stay healthy.
The Merrell Agility Peak 5 is a fun shoe to tackle any trail! Thanks so much for reading! Love you all ♥ ~Michele
See website for full specs, I listed a few:
Vibram® MegaGrip® high performance rubber outsole features unparalleled grip on both dry and wet surfaces
Vibram® traction lugs specifically designed to increase traction and shed debris with each step
Vibram® traction lugs specifically designed to increase traction and shed debris
WEIGHT PER SHOE:
10.58oz
LUG:
5mm
STACK HEIGHT:
31-25mm
DROP:
6mm
Rock Plate
Yes
Next Review will be on the Merrell Women's Antora 3
It was fun for me to have the chance to run in a style of shoes I would normally not have bought for myself. I have to admit that this is my current favorite!