Trail-Running Shoes Buying Guide

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Featuring lightweight, sneakeresque comfort and hikerlike durability, the Merrell Nova 2 trail-running shoes offer the perfect escape vehicle for when you're ready to answer the call of the wild.
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View the Merrell Nova Product LineView all Merrell Men's Trail-Running ShoesBest Use | Trail Running |
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Trail-Running Shoe Type | Rugged-Trail |
Running Shoe Cushioning | Moderate Cushion |
Heel-to-Toe Drop (mm) | 8 |
Heel Stack Height (mm) | 29.5 |
Forefoot Stack Height (mm) | 21.5 |
Footwear Height | Ankle |
Footwear Closure | Lace-up |
Upper | Mesh/TPU |
Lining | Mesh |
Midsole | EVA |
Outsole | Vibram TC5+ rubber |
Rock Plate | Yes |
Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 4 oz. |
Gender | Men's |
7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | 15 | |
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U.S. Men's | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
UK | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 |
EU | 40 | 41 | 41.5 | 42 | 43 | 43.5 | 44 | 44.5 | 45 | 46 | 46.5 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 |
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I received these on June 13 and is now September 16. I live in a rural area with sand/gravel roads and use the to walk my dog. I have since put about 35 miles in on these shoes and the upper is starting to separate from the lower. The foam and sole are also not holding up all that great and I suspect they will not last much longer than a year with this amount of wear in 3 months of mild use.
I was looking for a pair of shoes to walk the Camino de Santiago and I knew I would have to go for a Merrell model. Since there is no way to test shoes/boots, I had to go with a brand I was familiar with. And since I've owned 8 or 9 pairs of Merrell products, when I saw the Nova 2 Rainbow I knew I'd found what I was looking for. Even though they're comfortable right out of the box, I nevertheless broke them in by walking a good 50km-60km before flying to Spain. The Merrell Nova 2 Rainbow are lightweight, super comfy, and extremely breathable. Moreover, the sole is incredibly durable. Though I've walked over 650km over a variety of surfaces (trails, dirt path, country road, gravel road, mountain trails, paved roads and sidewalks, cobblestones, etc), by the time I reached Santiago de Compostela I couldn't believe how little wear and tear there was. Most pilgrims get rid of their footwear once they reach the end of the Camino, but my shoes are still good for a while. Here are a few pics as evidence. The Nova 2 Rainbow are my favorite Merrell shoes ever!
Love these shoes, first place I took them was Fall Creek Falls State Park in Tennessee. It was a wet and chilly day, but these shoes were up to the task. Fit my feet perfect out of the box.
I have purchased five pairs of these, and I absolutely LOVE them, aside from a serious flaw: within just a few miles of regular walking, the rubber on the inside of the heels begins to collapse. Within a week or two, the collapse is enough to force me to adjust my gait. Soon, the shoes are retired to the lawn-mowing pile. This has been true for every pair, no matter the collor of the rubber. PLEASE address this in a Nova 3–I really hate that I am considering moving to another brand, as the shoe is PERFECT otherwise.
These shoes are stellar and work well in all conditions!!!
It looks like you've taken us on some great adventures! We're happy that they're working out so well for you! Thanks for the love!
I've been a Merrell customer for many years, but am disappointed with the build quality of the last few pairs I've tried, including the Nova 2. Though SUPER comfortable and stylish out of the box, various fabrics on the shoes have worn out much quicker than they should have. I've only had these for four months, with light use a few days a week around town (NO trail runs/hiking) and already the mesh around the ball of my foot where the shoe flexes has worn thin. It is only a matter of time until there is a hole in the mesh on either side of my foot. Also, my heels have begun to wear a hole on the inside of the heel cup. Both problems are totally unacceptable given the light use I've put them through. I really hope these issues have been addressed with the Nova 3s. If so, I'd definitely consider buying them again since they were so comfortable and fit my needs perfectly.
We would love the opportunity to help at 800-288-3124 or live chat at Merrell.com.
Falling apart after 35 miles. Would have been better off in regular running shoes. Outer tread ring flaking off. Front lip peeling off. Absolute garbage unless you are “trail running” on a smooth dirt path. If that’s the case I don’t need trail runners. I hope the company contacts me because Inhave had there products before and been satisfied. But this is a disaster.
We'd love the opportunity to help; please give the team at call, at 800-288-3124. Thank you for your feedback.
I have been hiking at Thailand national park Khoa Yai. I did a 4 mile hike with these shoes and they were super comfortable. It handled the terrain really well and the ventilation at the top is an added bonus for the humid climate. My 7 year old daughter wore her’s also. She loved them. Great shoes.
Love these shoes except for one recurring theme after 4 pairs of shoes. You can tell I like them since I keep coming back, but dang, they just don't wear well. Definitely not durable at all. All 4 pairs that I have had have worn holes on hte side where my pinky toe resides... without fail, after about 4 months of wear. Think I'll move on to another shoe now, even though I love the colors and fit, they just don't last and I'm done. I used to recommend this shoe to everyone, until the 3rd pair got holey. I had already bought the 4th pair for a backup, so here I am again... with another pair of holey shoes.
I'm a huge fan of this shoe. I'm one of the creators of the video and the photo series for the original Nova and Antora shoes and the Rainbow Mountains. I never bought the originals and I'm sad I didn't. I was excited to see the campaign come around again. This time I jumped on buying the shoes. Out of the box, these are the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned. I'm was a Merrell fan before I worked on the campaign and am even more so now.