ROLLING an ankle might be a runner’s worst nightmare – but Merrell’s new trail shoes turn those miles on rocky surfaces into a dream.
With 30mm of foam to absorb all that tricky terrain can throw at you, their MTL SpeedARC Peak trainers are like having rocket boosters on your feet.
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Buy the MTL SpeedARC Peak here
Powered by a carbon FlexPlate, these flary dual-coloured clogs make rough steps into trekking on clouds.
Combining lightweight with abrasion resistance, the SpeedArc are rugged and hold their own whilst packing plenty of powerful punch.
They provide protection from stones, large twigs, and gravel – propelling you on tarmac when the coast is clear.
Quickfire Q&A
How much are they?
Not cheap. These aren’t shoes for beginners. They come in at £260 when new. But you pay for quality and these certainly provide high-grade spec for the top dollar price.
Who are they best for?
Merrell know what they’re doing – the SpeedArc are a trail runners dream. The cushioned foam might not be ideal for hikers and walking, but when it comes to conquering forested areas or rocky ground, they more than do the job.
What we loved:
The spring. There was so much bounce it felt like you might take off. Our tester set a new 5k PB in these beauties and broke a 10k record TWICE. Not only are these shoes strong, they are fast.
What we didn’t:
There were several early issues including colouring leaking through the tongue and onto socks and feet. The sizing is certainly small as well, leaving wider footed runners a bit cramped towards the little toes.
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And although they might primarily be for adventurous runners out in fields and forests, there is loads to offer on road as well.
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During a month of testing, these trainers got through nearly 200km and helped set three new PBs.
From a lakeside 5k over stones and tree branches to a two-minute 10k best doing laps on an uneven country path, the SpeedArc passed the test.
After five-years of work, more than 154 prototypes, and 13,000 miles of athlete testing, the effort to produce these has paid off.
As soon as you slip them on you feel the high-quality material. They are tight fitting and certainly trend smaller, leaving space for the toes a bit cramped.
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But the snug entry is held in place to ensure there is no movement, even when obstacles are in the way on whatever path.
Just standing up in them shows off the best aspect – the triple-layer design.
You quite literally feel on top of the world with these shoes and the spring in your step is real.
There is bounce in every plod with the SpeedArcs and it makes running a pleasure.
The fresh foam was seriously impressive resulted in a major kick from each stride.
They overcame random branches and tree roots sticking out, dealing with wet and dry surfaces with ease.
These were good enough to be a strong race shoe or an exceptional everyday user.
There was one very minor issue, however.
A pair of white socks were left stained by the blue tongue dye, though this did come out with some great scrubbing.
That was the sole issue for what was otherwise a very enjoyable outing – and it left us keen to get them on for more.
And boy did they deliver.
The shoes were sturdy with incredible structure, never allowing your feet to fall out of position.
And even when the ground did provide tricky challenges, they took on all of the force – so keeping your head up and eyes forward was easy.
There was no need to look down and worry about the shoes giving way.
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And when confronted with trails, that trust is vital. The SpeedArc passed every test with flying colours.