Merrell Morphlite Review

With the frequent inclement climate the place I dwell in Colorado, I discovered myself in want of sneakers that might be appropriate for highway operating, as our trails have a tendency to shut very often, forcing me to run on bike paths and roads. The Merrell Morphlite ($100), a road-to-trail shoe, was first on my checklist to check for a possible hybrid-type shoe.

True to its supposed objective, the Merrell Morphlite is gentle shoe with a snug higher and midsole that performs admirably on roads and lightweight trails. Additionally true to that supposed objective, it fell quick when hitting extra technical trails. That is undoubtedly a road-to-trail shoe and a great one at that.

The Merrell Morphlite additionally lives as much as its identify, with a svelte precise weight of 8.6 ounces (243 grams) for a males’s U.S. measurement 9, a claimed stack top of 26.5 millimeters on the heel and 20 millimeters on the toe, and a 6.5-millimeter drop.

We additionally recognize the tremendous affordable price ticket on the Merrell Morphlite, in a market at the moment overfilled with excessive value fashions.

Store the Girls’s Merrell MorphliteStore the Males’s Merrell Morphlite

The Merrell Morphlite. All photographs: iRunFar/Bryon Powell

Merrell Morphlite Higher

The Merrell Morphlite boasts a Jacquard higher, engineered with a tighter weave and a built-in bootie building. This design characteristic ensures a locked-in match, offering stability and assist, particularly on gentle trails. The important thing level is “on gentle trails.” I don’t advocate taking this shoe on technical trails. Merrell advertises this shoe as a road-to-trail shoe, so there isn’t a shock that it isn’t the shoe you’ll seize in the event you’re headed to the mountains.

I discovered the higher to be very comfy and comfortable when operating on the roads, however after I ventured onto a technical path, “accidentally,” the shoe lacked the locked-in and steady really feel of a real path operating shoe. On sharp turns and rocky sections, my foot felt prefer it was in every single place. That being stated, I used to be testing it exterior of its supposed use. Sooner or later, I’ll simply follow roads, gravel, good paths, and easy singletrack.

One factor to notice — the laces. I wanted to cinch them right down to get a comfortable match. They tended to return unfastened on runs — however not whereas strolling, apparently. So, the repair for that was merely double knotting them. I might nonetheless tuck them into the lace keeper when double-knotted.

A lateral view of the Merrell Morphlite.

Merrell Morphlite Midsole

Geared up with FloatPro Foam, the midsole of the Merrell Morphlite provides distinctive light-weight consolation. This materials not solely reduces the general weight of the shoe, but in addition gives lasting cushioning for prolonged distances of as much as 25 kilometers, as advisable by Merrell.

The lightness of the shoe is actually spectacular. photographs, I believed it might be considerably heavier than it’s, however it’s deceptively gentle. It seems highway and hybrid sneakers simply don’t want all these heavy lugs that true path sneakers do.

The medium cushioning strikes a steadiness between responsiveness and influence absorption, supreme for numerous terrains encountered when going from highway to gentle trails.

The shoe has a 6.5-millimeter drop, which is a bit steeper than I usually run in — 4 millimeters is my candy spot — however that didn’t trigger any adversarial results to my operating or gait. The shoe has a bigger foam heel, which does present some stabilizing qualities, whereas not being overly corrective.

A medial view of the Merrell Morphlite.

Merrell Morphlite Outsole

The Merrell Morphlite contains a sticky rubber outsole, making certain sturdy traction on totally different surfaces. The three-millimeter lug depth gives ample grip with out being overly aggressive, making it appropriate for gentle path operating. You’ll discover a variety of uncovered midsole there, too. Once more, it’s a road-to-trail shoe, so it additionally performs nicely on paved roads the place traction isn’t fairly as large of a deal.

The outsole’s design and materials composition supply dependable traction the place and when it’s wanted, offering confidence and stability throughout runs. The outsole on this shoe was an ideal answer to the rationale that I wasn’t carrying my path sneakers on roads — it destroys the lugs and shortens the lifetime of these sneakers. The outsole held up nicely on the roads and bike paths in Fort Collins, Colorado, and the lugs are nonetheless in fine condition after a month and a half of operating and strolling in them.

The outsole of the Merrell Morphlite.

Merrell Morphlite General Impressions

The Merrell Morphlite is a light-weight and versatile shoe designed for gentle path use and highway operating. Its Jacquard higher building gives a comfortable and comfy match for its supposed use. For me, this shoe is a superb winter coach. I are inclined to run much more miles on the roads, because the snow and dust in Colorado tends to intrude with constant path operating.

The FloatPro Foam midsole delivers lasting consolation with out compromising on responsiveness, whereas the sticky rubber outsole provides sturdy traction on numerous surfaces. This shoe is a stable selection for runners looking for a mix of light-weight consolation and lightweight path capabilities. We’re stoked on its affordable value level as nicely. I like to recommend this shoe as a winter coaching shoe, a shoe for people dabbling in gentle path operating, and even simply as an off-the-cuff shoe.

Store the Girls’s Merrell MorphliteStore the Males’s Merrell Morphlite

Name for Feedback

Have you ever tried the Merrell Morphlite? What have been your ideas?
How does this shoe evaluate to different hybrid sneakers?
What different sneakers would you advocate for road-to-trail use?

[Editor’s Note: If you’re affiliated (i.e., an employee, ambassador, etc.) with a brand, please share your relation in each of your comments on this article. Thanks!]