Merrell Agility Peak 4 GTX | Tested and reviewed

Outdoor and sports apparel are awash with technical names specific to each brand. In the case of Merrell’s Agility Peak 4 GTX you get FloatPro and FLEXconnect. These are all well and good in a game of Top Trumps Jargon Edition, but not always terribly helpful when trying to decide on the best trail running shoes for you.

The Agility Peak 4 GTX is a tough trail runner designed for rugged routes. As such, it has chunky lugs for grip, a thicker midsole than its predecessor for protection, and some other additions to make it a hardy yet lightweight shoe.

There are a lot of trail running shoes vying for your attention in the £150-odd price range, so the Agility Peak 4 GTX has its work cut out to stand out. We’ve been testing them over several weeks to find out if they are worth your time and hard-earned money.

Features and design

Let's begin with the superficial stuff. As far as appearances are concerned, the Agility Peak 4 GTX looks wicked. The proportions are very pleasing, primarily because the sole isn’t swollen in relation to the upper. All the technical names tattooed over the shoe is a big boost for the aesthetics too.

The upper of the Agility Peak 4 GTX has a degree of stiffness and there are additions all over that signal its intentions as a rugged trail shoe. A Gore-Tex lining is one thing, but there is also a D-ring at the base of the laces for gaiters and a stiffened toe cap that extends right around the toe box.

The midsole has been beefed up in this fourth version but tries to keep extra weight at bay by using a lightweight foam Merrell calls FloatPro. For the outsole, Merrell has used Vibram MegaGrip with aggressive 5mm lugs.

With all these features, you can immediately tell this isn’t going to be the most agile trail shoe. It’s an unapologetically hardy and durable model for rough stuff.

With a moderate stack height of 30mm at the heel and 24mm at the forefoot (6mm heel drop), this is a shoe that follows modern conventions. Barefoot style runners will want something flatter, and those who have perhaps had an Achilles injury may want something with a bigger drop.

Performance and comfort

In terms of fit, the Agility Peak 4 GTX is on the right side of snug. Those with regular or narrower feet will find the fit ideal, but those with wider feet will want to go up half a size. Upon fitting the shoes, the first thing I did was lace them up heel-lock style. The heel, though nicely padded, felt a tad shallow and like it needed some extra security. With heel-lock lacing, the Agility Peak 4 GTX is much better.

This shoe doesn’t initially mask its personality like some do. You don’t have to wait 15 miles down the path to find out. The Agility Peak 4 GTX lays its cards flat on the table for you to see the moment you run in them. What you find is indeed a comfortable and versatile trail shoe that is most at home on gnarly or damp trails.

Beginning with grip and responsiveness, the Vibram MegaGrip sole features on a lot of hiking footwear and the result here is a vast amount of grip across a range of terrain. Wet surfaces and rock are of particular note. There are trail shoes that are better on specifics terrains, but few are as capable across such a variety.

The beefy midsole does a superb job – along with the toe cap – of protecting the foot. Combined with plentiful grip, this shoe instils a lot of confidence. However there’s not much feel that penetrates the sole. The lack of feel isn’t a problem per se. This is often a personal preference whether you like more padding and less feel or less padding and more feel. In our opinion, we think a little padding could have been sacrificed in favour of more feel, but it’s a heavily subjective point.

If you’re thinking that the Agility Peak 4 GTX traits suggest it’s not the speediest shoe ever, you’d be right. Something like Saucony’s Endorphin Edge is better in that department. We’d recommend the Merrell for slower runs, or when you’re exploring a new trail and unsure what lies ahead. You can even use them for fast hiking if you wanted to.

One of the let-downs with the Agility Peak 4 GTX is that it does get warm. Its foot-hugging fit, combined with the extra Gore-Tex layer and thicker midsole explains why. This shoe’s waterproofness isn’t something we’ve touched on yet and it can be summarised thus: it’s excellent. Just remember to clean the fabric and that’ll continue.

Sustainability

The Agility Peak 4 GTX is vegan and has 100% recycled laces and footbed cover. Merrell is part of a larger conglomerate called Wolverine Worldwide, and it would be fair to say there is room for improvement on the sustainability front.

Merrell has some quite general sustainability goals for 2025, such as including recycled material in all its products and reducing plastic packaging. But it doesn’t specify how much. Overall, it’s quite hard to gauge Merrell’s sustainability efforts due to a lack of detail. Hammering this point home is the 2022 Fashion Transparency Index, which rates Merrell in the lowest bracket. The annually updated Index rates apparel brands on their ‘public disclosure of human rights and environmental policies, practices, and impacts, across their operations and supply chains.’

Price and competition

We see some similarities between the Agility Peak 4 GTX and the Inov-8 Roclite G 315 GTX V2. The two are equally versatile as trail runners and hikers if you want. Both are the same price (at the time of writing) and capable across varied terrain. Likewise with durability.

We’d say the Merrells have a bit more cushioning. They’re a tad lighter too, which is always advantageous.

In terms of value, we think the Agility Peak 4 GTX is decent. There are marginally cheaper alternatives such as our current favourite waterproof trail running shoes, the Salomon Speedcross 6 GTX. But for the comfort and robustness on offer, the Agility Peak 4 GTX sits at a reasonable price point.

Verdict

Overall, the Agility Peak 4 GTX is an impressive trail running shoe. Though not for speed, and somewhat mired by sub-par (or at least unclear) brand sustainability, it’s a versatile option.

Those who like exploring new trails and tackling tricky ones will find the Agility Peak 4 GTX a worthy companion.

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