Home » Review: Merrell All Out Terra Trail Running Shoes

Review: Merrell All Out Terra Trail Running Shoes

J32437

The Merrell All Out Terra Trail running shoes are designed with two things in mind, running in cold (Autumn and Winter) weathers as well as running on rough terrain. They do these two jobs brilliantly, keeping your feet warm and cosy as well as providing you with great grip on all kinds of rough terrain, from muddy and grassy all the way to sandy, beachy and rocky.

Highlights

  • 360° protection from rock and debris as you dig in rugged terrain with a built in sock liner, and deep, diamond pattern lugs.
  • Upper Lining consists of mesh and TPU upper.
  • Reflective details for increased visibility in low light
  • Synthetic leather lacing system
  • Midsole/outsole:
    • Removable footbed
    •  TrailProtect ™ pad offers under foot protection
    • 6mm Drop/16mm Cush/24mm stack height
    • 6mm lug depth
  • Men’s Sizes: 7-12, 13, 14, 15
  • Weight: 299g per shoe

The looks

MRLM-J32437-050415-S16-135

Featuring high-viz yellow on a black background, these are highly visible. Reflective bits on the back ensure that you can be seen from behind at a long distance. They look good, and they look business.

The Weight

Like all good running shoes, the first thing you notice on these shoes is how light they feel. Under 300 g makes them extremely light on your feet, making running in them a great and lighter experience.

The feel – outside

Overall, the shoes feel quite solid on the outside. This is due to a hard and strong encasing, giving you protection from the elements.

The feel – inside

Inside is a little different on these, mainly because the inner sock liner that these shoes come with. The inner liner does not mean that you don’t need socks. It just means that your foot is gripped really well when inside, and it protects things like debris and small pebbles to go in when you’re running or walking. This works reasonably well, but as I discovered while walking on the magical material called sand, and its ability to get everywhere, it does kind of manage to squeeze in. Of course, this isn’t a major problem, as one hardly runs on sand that deep, and sand will get everywhere, whether you like it or not.

MRLM-J32437-050415-S16-270

The fit

The inner sock adds to a very cosy and snug fit on the inside. I normally wear 8.5 shoes, and somewhere between 9 to 10 trainers. I went with size 9 for these, and they provide an extremely good fit, right from the toes to the heel. The base of the heel can fit a bit hard when you first get your feet in, but it eases out as you wear them for a while. Similarly, it seemed that they were a bit tight around the toe area in the first few days, but as I have worn them for a few weeks now, it has all expanded and settled around my feet.

The same goes with laces. In the early days, I had to untie and retie the laces every time I used these. However, now I can slide my foot in and out with ease, and the laces stay as they are.

Overall the fit is supportive and comfortable. I have done long walks and runs in them, and comfort is definitely not a problem.

The Grip

One of the biggest highlights of these shoes is the grip. I have been lucky enough to not only try them in rainy England, but also in hot and pebbly/rocky Egypt. The grip has not disappointed at all.

The bottom of the shoes are covered in diamond shaped lugs, that dig deep whether you are on mud or grass, or whether you are walking on sand, pebbles, or making your way around rocks. Slopes and climbs are great, as is making your way down slopes.

Interestingly though, wet tiles can be a bit slippery for the bottom of these shoes, but that is something I have only noticed in Egypt, and not really on any floors in the UK. Even when I say slippery, I don’t mean the kind you will fall on, but the kind where you need to be careful as you walk or run across.

Long walks/hikes

I have used these for a few long walks and hikes, going a few miles each time. The shoes keep your feet very warm and provide a good comfortable fit while you are on these long walks. Can definitely recommend these even if running is not your thing, and you just want good hiking shoes. Walks have been done both around Oxfordshire and on the pebble and rocky surfaces found around the coastal areas of Egypt.

The run

Oh yes, now to business. What you really want to know about is how well do these fair in the run, and the short answer is, very good. The following made these really good for running:

  • The grip, which allows you to run on surfaces of all sorts
  • The comfort. A good snug fit gives your foot the comfort you need.
  • The sole. While I have not talked about the sole, this really kicks in when you are running. Support from below gives you a slight spongy feel, as you run across. This means you can run harder, faster and longer.
  • The weight, making sure there is the minimum possible drag on you as you run.

All in all, these have been great running shoes for me, and have become the running shoe of choice when I go running, walking, or even do casual sports in parks and fields.

Running in

These shoes needed about 10 odd miles of running in for me, which included both runs and walks. You soon start to notice the differences as they start to soften around your feet, and by mile 10, I can happily say they are one with my run.

More information

More information on the Merrell All Out Terra Trail can be found on the Merrell website. They retail for £100 and can be bought directly from the website. They come in yellow/black, black/orange and blue/dragonfly.

Verdict

With a wet and cold winter ahead of us, these are exactly the kind of shoes you need to keep yourself running. Warm, comfortable, and a grip that works in all terrains means these boys tick all the boxes.

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *