The Merrell Antora 4’s are a quick and lightweight trail shoe ideal for moderate, dry trails. This is a women’s specific fit shoe, which is always interesting to test!
I put these to the test during a midwest winter and explored snow and slush as well as some drier, less technical trails. These are definitely better suited for the latter.
Interesting that it’s listed as their best-selling trail shoe because we’ve tested others that we believe would hold up much better for truly technical trails. These are absolutely going to be more of moderate trail or perhaps even just a great hiking shoe! And 100% we recommend trail running shoes for hiking.
Who Is It Good For?
Who is the Merrell Antora 4 a good fit for? Let’s break it down with some common categories:
- Wide Feet: They do offer an extra wide option so it’ll be a good fit for anyone.
- Technical Trails: They don’t provide enough confidence on technical trails and are best suited for moderate, dry conditions.
- Long Runs: These feel ideal from a 5k to a half marathon. Speedier runners could certainly use these up to 50k.
- Front of the Pack: Springy and light, these give enough traction to fly to the front on dry trails.
It’s not the flashiest shoe, shoot when just reviewed the funky S/LAB Ultra Glide. But what it lacks in flash it makes up for by being a budget conscious reliable shoe.
Merrell Antora 4 Specs
- Weight: 7.7 oz Women’s (women-specific fit!)
- Heel drop: 8mm
- Stack Height: 29 mm
- Usage: trail running
- 9 colors
- Available wide and waterproof
- Available at Merrell.com for $130
Merrell Antora 4 Ovreview
At first step, these felt COMFY. There is ample room in the toe box and the heel has some nice padding. The mesh upper is breathable and adjusted well to my foot. It didn’t take much to get these laced to my liking, and the laces stayed in place throughout my runs. I didn’t notice any rubbing with the tongue either.
What surprised me most was how lightweight they felt. At 7.7oz, they are quite a bit lighter than other trail models I’ve used, and it was noticeable.
The FloatPro™ Foam midsole was cushioned enough on the trails, but I still had the ground feel I always crave. It was a great balance for shorter runs.
I tested these in the dead of a midwest winter, and I can’t say these shoes are ready for that. The mesh upper was soaked immediately, and the lugs failed to give me enough traction in the snow and slush.
Once the snow melted, I still didn’t feel like there was enough traction for the mud that was left behind. A gaiter could have provided some relief, but there isn’t an attachment at the top like many other trail shoes.
That said, when I managed to find dry trails, it was a whole new shoe. They really made me want to pick up the pace.
While the mesh let in water quickly, it also drained quickly. That would be ideal for those creek crossings when it’s warmer.
The Good
The comfort of this shoe surprised me. There was no break in period, and there was generous room in the toe box. My first run was 8.5 miles, and I didn’t encounter a single hot spot. I also didn’t need to make any adjustments after the first time I put them on.
The feel was similar to a road shoe, and with the lightness, it didn’t seem too bulky on shallow gravel surfaces or short grass that can often be mixed into trail races.
I felt speedy on the few dry surfaces, and I think these shoes will be a fun rotation in the warmer months. If you can swing both a daily/long run and a race/tempo trail shoe for fair weather, this would be a great addition to your trail lineup.
The Bad
It’s currently a winter wonderland in Indiana, and these shoes struggled to keep up. I had very little confidence on the slick and slushy technical trails, slipping on the uphills and baby-stepping on the downhills.
Water immediately soaked into the shoe and they were slow to dry out over the next couple of days. Even when the snow melted, I slid constantly on even the smallest mud patches.
I also found the color to be a very strange choice. While the cream toward the bottom of the shoe wipes clean easily (who has time for this?), the cream mesh upper looked a hot mess after just two outings.
This has been a constant refrain in testing lately like the Brooks Caldera and others…what is up with white trail shoes?
Similar Shoes to the Merrell Antora
Not sure if this is right for you, maybe you want some additional traction?
- Saucony Peregrine: (Often recommended for those who like a narrow fit, moderate cushion and great traction)
- On Cloudulta: (Similar traction, slightly more cushion)
- North Face Vectiv Enduris 4: (Similar cushion, better traction)
The Bottom Line
These shoes are a great choice to pick up the pace on dry, moderate trails.
They lack the traction needed for wet, technical terrain, but the comfort, lightness, and ground-feel make these ideal for summer/fall trail races or tempo runs. If you’re one of the speedy runners, the Merrell Antora 4 could be a solid option for races up to 50k.
Personally, I’ll stick to a half marathon or less when there’s less chance of unpredictable weather.
Who Tried It
Hi, I’m Sierra Rush, primarily a trail and ultra runner in the Midwest who also spends time with my local run club on roads and clocks treadmill time on “lazy” days. I started running about seven years ago and worked my way up to a half marathon a year later. From there, I skipped past the marathon right into a trail 50k. Immediately obsessed, I’ve been seeing just how far I can go ever since. I completed my first 100 mile trail race this past fall.
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