Merrell  MTL Adapt Matryx Trail-Running Shoes - Men's

I need to eat a bit of humble pie. In my first review I complained about the upper being the weak link of this shoe. While I still feel there could be a bit of improvement with the shoes lockdown, and the laces included are atrocious, I’ll say that after about 200 miles in the shoe, with new and better laces, the shoe is amazing. The midsole and grip are practically the same as when the shoe was new, and the upper shoes very little signs of wear. Honestly, Merrell has done really good things with this shoe and it has remained a workhorse in my rotation. A bit of frustration in the beginning has blossomed into one of my favorite shoes currently.

Beautiful shoes, great for running and walking. Inspite of the high stack, the midsole is on the firmer side, more comfortable for trail running, can feel a bit hard on road / concrete

Thank you Team Merrell for making the MTL Adapt Matryx. Great cushioning & a roomier toe box than the Agility Peak 5. Took me from Grand Canyon R2R with zero distractions.

I’ve run muddy trails in this shoe a few times and I like it. I was hoping for a bit more cushioning than the Agility Peak 5–there’s more of it but it’s not softer, rather it seems firmer and stiffer ever without the rock plate. It’s great on uphill muddy trails but I would prefer 5mm lugs to the 4mm on this shoe, especially for steep downhill muddy/leafy trails. It’s supportive with a higher arch. The laces hold well but are too short for me to easily get a secure heel lock. I love the green/black color. Though this is a heavy shoe it doesn’t feel heavy. Overall it’s a terrific winter trail shoe. (No snow/ice experience yet.)

All the comments on the laces crack me up, as I think they are fine. Distilling this to key points. Grip 4/5, Technical Terrain Ability 3/5 (Stack height does provide some instability, not a scrambling shoe), Comfort 5/5 Upper is gold in terms of comfort over long miles, Durability 4/5 thus far ~160 Miles only notable wear is on exposed outsole, performance 4/5 - not quite Sportiva Prodigio Max, but it rolls along very nicely and I feel is more comfortable for ultra distance and is my pick for over 100K distance. Looks, 3/5 not super keen on the Michelin man outsole but it's not as bad on foot as isolated photos.

Was already a fan of the Agility Peak 5 -- I have two pairs -- and had eagerly awaited these since I began seeing early reviews. They're fantastic. The fit is true to size, similar to the Agility Peak 5, and are perfect for my feet. Some reviewers have complained of some looseness in the heel collar, as with the Agility Peak 5, but I haven't had any trouble. Fits like a glove (and perhaps a little roomier in the toe box than the Agility Peak, which is welcome). They're more cushioned than the Agility Peaks but they still feel really agile on technical terrain, despite all that foam. (The Brooks Caldera 7, in contrast, feels wildly unresponsive to me.) I did 27k on the Camí de Cavalls, which is an incredibly demanding, technical trail, just a week after receiving them, and they were a dream to run in. They're also great on gravel. Another reviewer mentioned the fluid transition from heel strike to toe off, and I agree, the energy return is great. Just a really fun, pleasurable shoe all around. My only two complaints: I wish the laces were a tiny bit longer, and the tongue occasionally shifts and scrunches a tiny bit, but not in any way that's ever caused me any discomfort. Incredible shoe, I really hope Merrell keeps this model going.

Three stars from the midsole down, maybe 1-2 stars for the rest. I’ve got about 150 miles in this shoe and am extremely conflicted. The midsole and outsole are the best. Just as good if not better than any other shoe on the market. Durable, grippy, etc. The upper though, that’s where I’ve been let down. I was concerned about the ankle lock down after trying the Agility Peak 5 last year, but decided to take a chance with these. While the heel lockdown is improved, the rest of the upper just gets sloppy. The laces that come with the shoes are awful, and loosen up after just a few miles, and the general low profile of the upper makes the shoe super sketchy (and probably encourages the loosening) in technical terrain. I’m surprised that with this much stack, they’ve chosen to have such a low profile and generally unsupportive upper. I’m no shoe designer but I’d imagine that as the stack gets higher, the upper needs to be designed appropriately to combat the extra forces it will be subject to given the height of the shoe. High school physics right? For a shoe that feels so good underfoot, and one that is advertised as being capable on technical mountain trail, I find this aspect really disappointing. It’s great on moderate to easy trail, but as soon as things get steep and technical, all I can think while I’m running is how my feet are just sliding around inside the floppy uppers. I’ve tried everything from different socks, different laces, and over tightening the laces, but I’m still left with a less than ideal fit, that gets sloppier as my run goes on. It’s a really disappointing and frustrating feeling. The shoes look (yes that counts!), midsole, and outsole are top notch. Just please Merrell, redesign the upper to work with the higher stack-especially if you’re marketing this shoe as one that can tackle the trail when things get hairy. Initially I felt this shoe was a bargain given how durable it is, but if I don’t like the way it feels on my feet during my runs, I’m really not going to be tempted to get the full life cycle out of this shoe. If your runs generally take you on flat, non-technical trail, this shoe is a home run. But if, like me, you prefer to be in the mountains and tackle whatever terrain is in front of you, you might reconsider and wait for an update. Bummed that a shoe I looked so forward to, and one that seemed to be a quiver killer, just doesn’t live up to what I thought it would.

I have owned many trail running shoes but this is my favorite!The combination of fit,stability and grip for me is a winner.It easily accommodates my pair of orthotics.The foot strike for me is different from the others as it seems an easier transition from heel strike to toe off.Energy return is excellent.I took them out on my favorite local trial network here on Whippoorwill Road in a pouring rain over rocks,streams and mud.Never felt this stable and secure before.I’m looking forward to using them more!

Great 100 mile shoe. I tried numerous shoes in 2025 and this Merrell MTL Adapt was the best for long distances. No blisters, great underfoot feel, flex grooves do give better ground feel than other max stack shoes. First time running in a Merrell shoe and would buy again. True to size in my men’s 11.

Not as cushy as they appear to be. Tha's OK with me 'cause I bought these purely for how they look.They look exactly like the picture (damned good). My only complaint is that the logo is barely visable due to its color. I'm someone who likes for people to see what I'm wearing.