Our review: A fantastic blend of comfort, support and traction makes the Agility Peak 5 a top trail running shoe pick
Buy for women from Merrell (£140.00)
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Merrell has been producing outdoor gear for over 40 years, and the Agility Peak 5 is the latest in a long line of trail running shoes.
Interestingly, the shoe won an ISPO award in 2022 (ISPO is Europe’s largest sports trade fair), but does that translate to real-world performance for the average runner?
First impressions
This is a popular line of shoes and it’s easy to see why. It has distinctive ‘trail’ styling, with six colour options for both men and women.
Those include bright, vibrant options and more dialled back designs.
Meanwhile, the mesh upper feels breathable and, on the face of it, it looks like this could be a good all-rounder.
There’s also provisions for adding gaiters and a heel loop to help you get them on or off, while the brand has made an effort to use recycled materials in some aspects of the shoe’s construction.
Another thing to note is that the integrated tongue is sewn into the edge of the shoe’s midsole, making it harder for small stones or dirt to find its way inside.
Will they fit me?
They should do. I found fit true-to-size and took my normal UK size 11. However, if you do have high-volume or particularly wide feet they may not fit you so perfectly.
What’s the grip like?
The traction provided by the Vibram MegaGrip outsole and its 5mm lugs is generally pretty good.
I had a few slips in particularly sloppy mud, but less than I’ve experienced with many other trail shoes (though the Inov-8 Ultra G 280 outperformed it in this regard).
Generally, however, I’d say that the outsole makes the Agility Peak 5 a good all-rounder that’ll be up to the task in varied terrain, with the multidirectional lugs providing good stability underfoot.
Though, the shoe isn’t going to be as enjoyable to use on stretches of tarmac because of that aggressive outsole, which is worth bearing in mind if you’re after a hybrid option.
How’s the ride?
The Agility Peak 5 doesn’t feature the most responsive ride, but it strikes a good balance.
It’s not particularly harsh or plush, yet it feels like there’s a reasonable amount of energy return when picking up the pace.
The cushioning around the ankle and the solid platform underfoot offers good support, and you won’t be moaning about anything digging through the sole into your foot.
The flipside of that is that there’s limited groundfeel, but you can still get a relatively decent feel for the terrain.
Best for…
These are versatile trail shoes with deep lugs that provide great traction in varied terrain, while the ride is balanced between stable, comfortable and reasonably propulsive.
They’re not lightweight racing shoes, but they’ll perform well for most weekend warriors.
How we tested
Our team tested a number of hiking water bottles, in varying temperatures and hiking conditions, taking the following questions into consideration: is the water bottle easy to carry and use? How effective is the insulation? Is it leak-proof? Is it good value for money?
We rated them on how well they packed into a backpack as well as how practical elements such as carry handles, care instructions and material weight made them. Durability was also a factor we tested the bottles for, by using the bottles for everyday use, as well as for specific hikes and long excursions. Insulation was also put to the test, by assessing how long specific designs could retain heat effectively for that all-important brew with a view.
