The Merrell Agility Peak 6 has received glowing reviews from runners who've been lucky enough to get a pair pre-release. Lets see if our tester agrees...

I received the Merrell Agility Peak 6 shoes to test back in Nov 2025 and have had plenty of time to use these in various conditions over a variety of terrains.

I must admit, when I first picked them up, I was a little apprehensive due to the amount of cushioning and stiffness. I had been running in the VJ iRock+ quite a bit at this point and they are quite a different offering to these. But, as the AP6 looked to have great grip and were very light for the amount of cushioning, I was determined to give them a good test.

First run out was 10 miles on local trails, over muddy, wet terrain. Shoes felt a little stiff to start but felt comfortable, stable and light. The grip was excellent on boggy ground, wet rock and gave confidence to let the brakes off on the steep descents.

Second run was another 10 miles, the Settle loop. The shoes felt a lot less stiff, my feet were bedding in, and the sole was flexing and conforming to the terrain and felt very responsive picking up the pace on the Pennine Bridleway.

The rock plate did enough to protect my feet whilst absorbing the impact, keeping you stable rather than being too stiff that it throws you off.

Next up was a run up Skiddaw via Skiddaw House, a good test to see how they perform on steep climbs. Ido struggle to climb if the shoe has too much cushion or are too rigid however, these climbed very well, flexing enough so they worked with me.

And I got my first real test of the toe protection; having kicked a large rock on the decent, nearly stacking it, quick look around to see if anyone saw, quick check on the foot, all good, and so continued bounding down happy in the knowledge no damage done!

These are now a frequently used shoe for my training runs and are my go-to shoe when I’m unsure of the terrain.

Would be my choice of shoe if limited to only one pair to take away on holiday (rather than my usual 5 or 6 pairs!) and would confidently use them for ultra races such as The Lap or Lakes In A Day.

Summary:

Distance covered: 100km+

Longest run: 18 miles

Upper:

  • Light, breathable mesh, tightly woven to prevent debris ingress
  • Dries quickly and doesn’t hold water

Midsole:

  • Well cushioned and protective
  • Slight firmness aids stability and responsiveness

Outsole:

  • Fantastic grip on all surfaces
  • Flex grooves and light rock plate helps conform to terrain enhancing traction and stability

Fit:

  • Lightly padded, gusseted tongue creating a comfortable, sock like feel
  • Holds well in the mid-foot with plenty of wiggle room in the toe-box
  • True to size with a good heel lockdown

Conclusion:

  • A great trainer that can pretty much handle anything
  • My go to choice when not sure what the terrain will be like

Would be happy to use for races up to 50 miles for the protection and cushioning.

If you've been inspired to try the Merrell Agility Peak 6 check it out on our website here.