Merrell is bringing its most ambitious trail running shoe yet to market. The MTL SpeedARC Peak, where MTL stands for Merrell Test Lab, will launch on July 15 in the U.S. and July 29 in Europe. According to Product and Marketing Director Jonny Quint, it represents the culmination of five years of development.

»It’s been quite a process for our product team,« said Quint. »I think this is the seventh version, actually. It’s been five years in the making with various prototypes along the way, sometimes with minor changes and sometimes with major ones.« Major athlete testing went into the development of what turned out to be Merrell’s pinnacle shoe for ultra-trail running.

The brief, he says, was simple: to incorporate all of Merrell’s expertise in performance footwear into one shoe. »If you’re a trail runner looking to cover long distances, we believe this shoe has everything you could need. That’s its USP.«

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A dual-foam midsole built for distance

At the heart of the shoe is a three-piece midsole that combines two different types of foam. »This three-piece midsole has two different types of foam,« Quint explained. The top layer is a PEBA-based foam, which Merrell calls FloatPro™ Race Foam. Quint says this foam provides »a lovely, spongy, energy-return feeling.« Beneath this sits a firmer foam layer that adds control, which is most important late in a race.

»So you’re going to get good responsiveness and really nice, plush cushioning, but also control,« said Quint. »When you’re getting tired over longer distances, you’ll still get support and stability from the shoe.« Further, the lacing and the stretch zone fit construction of the shoe gives feet more room on longer distances when they tend to swell.

The MTL SpeedARC Peak doesn’t feel as though it’s been designed purely for ultra-distance racing. »It isn’t particularly heavy. So, even if you’re training over short distances, you can still benefit from those technologies compared to ultra-trail running,« Quint says.

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A carbon plate engineered for trail, not road

The standout feature is the three-quarter-length, forked carbon plate built into the midsole using Merrell’s SpeedARC technology, which is also used elsewhere in the brand’s range but has been adapted specifically for off-road running.

The forked design is a deliberate departure from the full-length plates found in road racing shoes. »Our testing definitely shows that a full-length carbon plate, like those found in road running shoes, is not really ideal for trail running because there are so many lateral forces,« Quint says. »If you’re running in one direction and all the forces are acting in that direction, then a full-length carbon plate is fine. But this is specifically tailored for the demands of trail running.«

According to Quint, the payoff is that runners get propulsion without sacrificing stability on technical terrain. »You can tackle some pretty extreme terrain in these shoes, and you’ll get that energy return and the control that the plate provides. But it still enables the lateral movement you need to stay stable and connected to the ground.«

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Grip, upper and fit

Rounding out the package is a Vibram® Megagrip Elite outsole with 4 mm lugs for traction across mixed terrain and a Matryx® upper reinforced with Kevlar fibres. Quint describes the upper as »really hard-wearing, really lightweight and really quick-drying«, with a stretch zone around the vamp designed to give room to the feet as they expand during long activities.

When asked what sets the shoe apart from anything else on the market, Quint pointed to its combination of top-notch features and how they add up, rather than any single one: »This shoe has all the technologies you could want in one place. You’ve got the foam, the carbon plate, the Vibram MegaGrip Elite outsole and the Matrix upper. We’re putting all our technological expertise into one product. If you’re serious about your ultra-distance running, then we think this is the shoe for you.«

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Technical Specs

• Midsole: Two-layer construction with an integrated, forked carbon plate (SpeedARC technology).
• Cushioning: PEBA-based FloatPro™ Race Foam (top layer) and firmer stability foam (bottom layer).
• Outsole: Vibram® Megagrip Elite with 4 mm lugs
• Upper: Matryx® with Kevlar fibres, stretch-zone fit system and water-repellent properties
• Heel height: 32 mm
• Forefoot height: 26 mm
• Drop: 6 mm
• Weight: approx. 300 g
• Release: July 15, 2026 (July 29, 2026 in Europe)

The bottom line

Seven prototypes and five years of testing across muddy climbs, rocky ascents and gravel trails went into the MTL SpeedARC Peak, and its recent European Outdoor Award is the added outside recognition and validation for Merrell’s achievement of creating a trail-specific, carbon-plated racer that doesn’t compromise on stability. Ultra and long-distance runners looking for a single shoe offering propulsion, cushioning and control should look out for the SpeedARC Peak, due to be released on July 15 in the U.S. and July 29 in Europe.