In production · trail · Race day / Trail · $220
Featherweight Matryx racer for vertical and short technical racing.
Built for race day, trail, at a target pace of 6:30–9:30 /mi on trail.
Merrell tuned this midsole firm (2/5 on our cushioning scale). Energy return is moderate — comfortable and predictable rather than bouncy. 25 mm of heel stack keeps you low and connected, with more ground feel than most current trainers. Combined, the ride reads as lively at 3/5 responsiveness.
A rock plate sits between the foam and the outsole to spread the load of sharp stones and roots. It is protection, not propulsion — it does not add pop, but it keeps the underfoot bruising out of long days on technical ground.
A 6 mm drop is the mainstream middle — familiar to almost anyone coming from a standard trainer. The geometry is fairly traditional and flat, so the shoe follows your foot rather than steering it. Forefoot flex is middle of the road. Support is light — neutral, with a mildly steady platform.
The toe-box is wide, with space for the toes to spread late in long runs. It fits true to size. Expect roughly 300 miles from the outsole, about $0.73 per mile at $220.
For the foams and plates Merrell uses across its line, read the Merrell brand guide.
Measured against the 542 currently-available shoes in the catalog. The bar shows where this shoe sits in that range.
Weight
200 g / 7.1 oz
75 g lighter than the catalog median of 275 g
Heel stack
25 mm
11 mm lower than the catalog median of 36 mm
Drop
6 mm
Level with the catalog median of 6 mm
Price
$220
60 pricier than the catalog median of 160
Responsiveness
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Cushioning
2 / 5
Catalog median 4 / 5
Energy return
3 / 5
Catalog median 3 / 5
Durability
~300 mi
Catalog median ~400 mi
Within the Merrell line it is lighter than the brand's median (263.5 g / 9.3 oz) and sits lower than its median stack (29.5 mm).
Current shoes with the nearest combination of weight, stack, drop, foam feel and plate.
Merrell MTL Long Sky 2 Matryx
250 g / 8.8 oz · 28 mm · 6 mm drop · Rock · $200
Mountain race shoe for single-track and long sky-race days.
Nike Kiger 10
263 g / 9.3 oz · 29 mm · 5 mm drop · Rock · $160
Nike Kiger 10: 29 mm heel stack, 5 mm drop, 261 g — specs from independent lab testing.
Hoka Torrent 3
247 g / 8.7 oz · 23 mm · 5 mm drop · Rock · $150
Hoka Torrent 3: 30 mm heel stack, 5 mm drop, 258 g — specs from independent lab testing.
New Balance DynaSoft Nitrel v6
285 g / 10.1 oz · 27 mm · 6 mm drop · Rock · $100
New Balance DynaSoft Nitrel v6: 27 mm heel stack, 6 mm drop, 291 g — specs from independent lab testing.