Merrell - Agility Peak 5

I have the Merrell Agility Peak 5 non gtx. Worth it and they dry pretty fast too.

The AP5 is a really great shoes. The durability is ok but it's not like a Norda or a NNormal. I am on my 4th pair. I had problem with ripped eyelets. So I asked a cobler to put metals eyelets in my new pairs. Merrell send me a new free pair regarding this matter. I found that there is a breaking period. So I wear them casually for a week prior to run in them. Also I find that they killed it with the colors, they are absolutely beautiful. The brown and purple are the best looking shoes I ever had !

Agility peak 5. 4th pair !

Yes I agree that they are slightly too high, but shouldn't be a major issue for intermediate runners. Although they feel slightly heavy and stiff, they are like you said easy to run at albeit at slow to moderate paces. I don't see any fit issues apart from them being slightly loose in the heels. I disagree a bit on the technical part as they are at least as good or even better than speedgoats in technical terrain performance. Really i have other trail shoes like the Peregrine 13, zegama 2, speedgoats 4 and 5, and the AP5 feels more technically inclined than the rest. The deeply lugged outsoles also seem more durable than the other shoes that I have including those with Vibram soles. That being said, although they are not super comfortable nor speedy, they get the job done better than most competitors at a better value for money. I love them.

Merrell Agility Peak 5 Insane lugs, better than speedgoats, incredibly protective, great for extreme terrain. Nike Zegama 2 Comfy but heavy, the vibram grips well, but somehow the lugs are shallower. Good for walking and slow runs up to moderately rough terrain, but doesn't excel at anything. Saucony Peregrine 14 Good fitting shoe, protective, comfy with sightly lower stack height. Great for everything up to 10 miles, that's when my feet get sore due to the thinner midsole. Very nimble, but they do not grip well on wet rocks or roots. Oh yeah the lugs wear out faster than i hoped affecting the longevity, that's something to be considered as well. Puma Deviate Nitro 2 They are the bomb if you are running your trails instead of walking them. Super light and have enough grip to handle moderate terrain. But they have very little protection on the uppers and outsole (shallow stack height), so you kind of have to watch where you place your feet to avoid sharp rocks and stuff. But goddamn they are fast. I much prefer the Merrell and Puma over the others, because they excel for certain usage conditions. The Zegama is meh (weak energy return) except for walking, while the Peregrine is limited by low stack height and incapability to gain traction on certain surfaces.

The Merrell Agility Peak 5 is a narrower shoe with a terrific outsole. 5mm lugs. As a pure, fast, trail runner it is a bit dead. But for technical, slower terrain I like it. It can also be found really cheap right now.

I have the Merrell AP5 and my criticisms is I find it a very dead shoe (lacks energy return). That is confirmed by RunRepeats review of the shoe (once I’ve learned about such things). They have an energy return metric as well as a shock absorption metric. It does “ok” in shock absorption (average) but low energy return. Their lugs are deep, which is great, but a little less grippy on bare stone than I’d expect, good for mud though. Basically I like as a hiking shoe but find it only ok as a running shoe. Have you tried the Endorphin Edge? Has a carbon plate, great energy return, ok shock absorption, and you can get them for $70 because they are considered old technology. Great, fast shoe.

They are built like a tank, I would have zero durability concerns. It is a dead running shoe though, very little energy return. I think it is a much better hiking shoe than running shoe.

I have 2 pairs of these, one Gore-tex and one not and I went TTS on both. I have pretty wide feet though.

Very cool shoe that is hard to find, especially the original blue colorway. Solid waterproof choice though.

Have served me well on many trail runs and races. Very comfortable & good grip however the build quality varies from shoe to shoe. People say the upper glue isn’t very strong but I’ve had no problems with mine on over 500+ Km. Come in many colours too so pick one that suits you!

Anything made for technical stuff like from La Sportiva or Salomon. I like the Merrell Agility Peak 5 and am mostly into technical, slippery downhill stuff.

I had issues with the SG6 and asked for recommendations awhile back. Many folks recommended the Merrell Agility Peak 5. I picked these up a couple weeks ago and couldn't be more pleased. They check all the boxes. Lightweight, comfortable and responsive ride, rock plate, and aggressive Vibram Megagrip outsole. The price is right too.

I also have AP5 and can confirm this. This is literally my only complaint for this shoe. I wish the foam was a little more responsive and comfortable. Other than that it checks every single other box. I did pick up the new Mount 2 Coast T1 and it is now my new favorite (if you remove the trash lacing system and replace with traditional lacing). They do not have a rock plate but I run in an extremely cheese grater rock style area and haven't had an issue with any rocks impacting my feet. The foam is next level. So bouncy and comfortable. Grip is also very good and the upper is comfortable. I can tell they will work great for sessions with a lot of time on feet.

Really depends on what kinds of trails you'll be running, and what kind of milage. I have and like the AP 5 a lot, but use it mostly for muddier and/or steeper terrain on longer runs. It has aggressive lugs, that you don't need for smoother, flater single track. They'll of course work for that, but won't be as fun. Same with the Speedgoat (which I also own) but they're a little more stable, while not a agile. If you're coming from the road and some fast running, something like the Salomon Genesis might work better. Or even the Sense Ride, if you'll be doing mostly shorter runs. The Sense Ride is what I use for "speed" work on the trails, and it's a fun shoe. But it doesn't have deep lugs or a lot of cushioning/stack height, so I don't use it for longer runs.

Merrell Agility Peak 5.

I haven't tried any of those, but did try an earlier Peregrine (10 maybe), and didn't like it. Too "dead" and heavy for my liking. But the newer versions are better from what I've read. It could be worth a try, given how popular they are. I do have all three of the Salomons I mentioned, but also have and like the Merrell Long Sky 2 and their Agility Peak, which I'm wearing more these days because they have a wider toe box.