ProView – Merrell Men’s Nova 4 Review

From a trail runner’s perspective, there is a very high level of specialization within the shoe market, with products marketed for every single type of human-powered movement conceivable. Personally, as a mountain guide who spends every working day on my feet, I have run the gamut of trying out many different types of shoes to help prevent long-term fatigue, and high-use injury issues. Throughout the process, I have always come back to the center of this spectrum and found that a durable, comfortable all-round trail shoe that grips moderately well can accomplish 95% of what I need from both a professional and recreational point of view. After testing the Nova’s this past month, I would confidently say they pleasantly surprised me throughout the entire terrain spectrum this spring. 

Merrell’s everyday trail runner came to me here in Colorado last month, right at the tail end of a classic “false spring” weather cycle. After a couple weeks of getting to test these shoes on everything from dry, rocky approaches to Boulder Canyon sport climbs to 2’ deep postholing at 9,000’, I was already impressed with the traction of the outsole, and the excellent, comfortable fit. 

Now at this point, I know what you’re thinking next. How would these shoes perform tromping through Hawaiian jungle waterways, running on cobblestone roads in France, Spanish conglomerate rock climbing approaches and rocky lava stone trails in Iceland? Well, not to (place)name-drop too hard, but I was fortunate enough to get to put these shoes to the test in all of those environments as well over the past few weeks. Over all of these places and diverse conditions the standout theme I found in these shoes was that they were always comfortable, and gripped well to the surface I put them on. For a shoe that Merrell seems to market as their jack-of-all-trades trail shoe, there’s not much more I would reasonably expect from it. 

I found they performed well in Hawaii, gripping to wet rock and fern-riddled “trails” as well as can be expected, while managing to keep me on my feet sliding through muddy ravines while running a jungle-specific canyoneering course. After this, I was able to switch gears entirely and put over 50 miles on them in France and Spain, on old and uneven cobbled roads that were built before our country was likely even formed. The biggest takeaway I had from these days was how good my feet felt after many days of morning/evening runs and miles of walking through refreshingly pedestrian-focused cities. They impressed in technical terrain scrambling up through the worn trailways above the ancient monastery above Montserrat, outside of Barcelona while climbing the beautiful conglomerate towers there. I was also surprised at their warmth when getting to use them on a long run on a chilly morning in Iceland on a long layover while flying back home.

Fit & Comfort

Out of the box, the Nova fit slightly larger than other trail shoes I’ve had in the past. I usually go no larger than a 9.5 (42.5) for a longer-distance shoe, and found the 9.5 in the Nova’s as borderline being too big, even with swollen feet after days of high mileage. It also has a wide enough toe box for my splayed out feet, which was great for high-mileage days.

The fit in other areas, especially the heel, was excellent and I never felt slippage. This came in handy in more technical terrain, where I’ve run into issues with my forefoot sliding around with other leading trail shoe brands. I also couldn’t be happier with the padded tongue on the Nova 4. I’ve seen an unfortunate trend in modern trail shoes to shave weight by dropping the padding in favor of a very thin tongue. Personally, I find after a long summer season of hiking 16 miles back-to-back up 7k’ on the Grand Teton week after week, this is one of those overlooked features that makes a huge difference in foot health.

Look & Style

I’m no fashionista, but I was really happy with the style of these shoes. The high-cushioned heel design stays sleek enough with these to avoid the “clown shoe effect” that can happen with some other shoes. I also liked how well the Greige color option continuously washed mud stains out of the mesh lining. Choosing a lighter color option is always a good(read: dangerous) way to see how quickly a shoe will succumb to the elements.

Features

The Nova 4 is a simple shoe without too many frills, but the design works where it counts. Flat laces and a padded tongue meant no top-of-foot pain. Even with the slightly large size, the laces weren’t too long, and Merrell includes an elastic lace keeper just in case. They also boast a natural odor control treatment, which worked well—after getting soaked in mud, they dried out with no residual funk.

Weight

The Nova 4 tips the scales at 9.7 oz per shoe, impressive considering the padded tongue and substantial outsole rubber. They felt light on foot, and were still packable enough to cram into my overflowing duffels.

Performance & Durability

With modern lightweight construction and the heavy use I put into trail shoes, I don’t expect more than ~4 months of life. I haven’t had the Nova 4s that long yet, but based on how they look now, I’d be shocked if they didn’t last through summer and into next year. The foam is solid, and the outsole hasn’t shown wear—a welcome change from shoes where grip drops off noticeably after a month of heavy use.

I found the rubber to provide excellent “gription,” and felt confident on technical terrain. I wouldn’t climb 5.9 in them, but they’re well-suited for everything from flat dirt to technical scrambling. Surprisingly solid on snow, too—they never got sloppy or waterlogged from postholing and dried out well. (Worth noting: Merrell offers a waterproof version I didn’t try.)

Earth Friendly

Merrell takes recycled materials seriously in this shoe: 100% recycled laces and webbing, 100% recycled mesh lining, 50% recycled mesh footbed cover, and 50% recycled EVA foam. Their broader sustainability claims are detailed by third-party sites, but specifics aren’t verified on their website.

The Final Word

The Nova 4 raises the bar for all-round trail shoes, blending comfort, durability, and a great fit. I’m a big fan of the wider toe box and cushioned tongue, and impressed with their performance after a month of testing. The design isn’t flashy, but it’s thoughtful where it matters. The biggest compliment I can give: I’m genuinely looking forward to using them through the busy guiding season ahead.

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