Merrell Agility Peak 4 Review

Name: David Garcia

Shoe Tested (Brand/Model):  Merrell Agility Peak 4

 

 

 

PROS (What did you like about the shoe?)

 

The Merrell Agility Peak 4 has a lot of great design features that I like.  The single piece upper and gusseted tongue do a good job keeping debris out of the shoe.  The upper also boasts an integrated lacing system that not only allows you to dial in the fit but it also does a great job holding your foot in place while you bomb down your favorite trail.  The Float Pro midsole along with the rock plate provide superb protection on technical terrain.  Lastly, the Vibram MegaGrip outsole with the 5mm lugs gives you confidence in its traction that you won't slide around on loose soil or wet rocks.

 

 

CONS (What didn’t you like about the shoe)

 

The Merrell Agility Peak 4 had a few surprising "cons" for me.  Given its thickness, I was expecting a softer ride from the Float Pro midsole, similar to my Hokas.  Instead I was greeted with a more firm spingy midsole which is not bad unless you're expecting a soft ride for your long run.  Also, the heel cup in the Agility Peak is a bit shallow for my liking.  I've experienced this with other Merrell shoes before so maybe that's just their design. I would also caution against the breathability of the upper.  Although it does a good job at keeping small debris out, it lacks the breathability that could be useful for those long summer runs.  Lastly, the Agility Peak 4 weighs in around 10.7oz which is by no means heavy nor is it very light.  It seems like Merrell could cut away a few things to lighten the Agility Peak to make it lighter and less clunky feeling.

 

 

OVERALL IMPRESSION. 7/10

 

The Merrell Agility Peak 4 was one of the first shoes to arrive for this season's testing and I haven't taken them off since.  It's a well thought out shoe with great design aspects, but it falls short in some categories.  I wish it were a tad lighter.  I wish the heel cup was a bit deeper and I wish the Float Pro midsole offered a softer cushioned ride.  However, these are just personal preferences.  Regardless, the Agility Peak 4 is a workhorse of a shoe that can handle just about anything you throw at it.  It has a decent amount of cushioning for shorter, speedy runs or longer days in the mountains.  It's comfortable for cruising around on flowing singletrack or can keep you going on a gnarly downhill.  If you're looking for a wide ranging versatile shoe, then I would recommend checking out the Agility Peak 4.  

 

 

FIT  6/10

 

The Merrell Agility Peak 4 is a medium volume shoe with a forefoot that is slightly wider than a standard width shoe.  If you have narrow feet, don't let that scare you away.  The Agility Peak has the ability to accommodate a narrower foot with its integrated lacing system that locks your foot into place.  The upper is a simple single piece fabric that flexes with your foot without creating any hot spots but still holds it in place well.  I would say that the Agility Peak runs true to size, however, it is worth mentioning that I had to wear thin socks so I didn't overcrowd my foot in this shoe.  One of the more noticable details that I didn't like was the shallow heel cup.  I never felt like my heel was very secure in the shoe unless I really cinched down the laces.

 

 

RIDE 6/10

 

I feel like the Merrell Agility Peak 4 could be good all around shoe. The ride starts with the integrated lacing system which secures your foot without suffocating it.  It does this through the use of separate loops that start at the base of the midfoot and move up the side of your foot locking it in place.  Moving down the shoe, the Float Pro midsole, although thick, is not as soft as you might think.  Instead, it has a springy vibe that will surprise you with its reactive nature. Personally, I wish it was a softer ride but I can compromise that for the trade off.  

 

 

TRACTION/PROTECTION (For trail shoes only)  8/10

 

The Vibram MegaGrip outsole on the Merrell Agility Peak 4 was one of the stars of the shoe.  It inspired confidence to keep pace on rocky, more technical terrain regardless if it was a steep up or downhill. I'm going to include the upper in this section because it is worth mentioning that the upper is a single piece and although the material is probably not the most breathable, it does a great job keeping small debris out.  On the flip side of this, the upper makes the shoe a bit hotter in exchange for that level of protection.  Also, with the thicker midsole, it's probably not necessary to include a rock plate in this shoe, but Merrell does anyway.  As much as I like that protection, it might be a nice to save that weight and make the shoe lighter.