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Merrell's New Hiking Sneaker is Perfect for Streets & Trails

Merrell's most innovative hiking sneaker is engineered to transition from city streets to rugged trails.

Michael Ehrlich

The Merrell SpeedARC Surge BOA in the black/white colorway.
The Merrell SpeedARC Surge BOA in the black/white colorway. / Merrell

Merrell - Wolverine's leading global hiking and outdoor footwear brand - has kicked off 2025 with the official reveal of their revolutionary new fast hiking sneaker, the SpeedARC Surge BOA.

Named one of TIME's "Best Inventions of 2024," the new shoe is highlighted by a reinvented sole construction that provides 100% more energy return than leading hiking footwear.

With trail running and hiking taking on new life across the sneaker industry over the past year, Merrell has changed the game from an innovation standpoint with the debut of their SpeedARC midsole system.

The new technology features active response coils - an innovative construction crafted with the brand's FloatPro technology and Flexplate - that is made up of coil-like shapes that deliver shock-absorbing stability and energy return.

According to the brand, the Merrell design team was inspired to recreate the shock absorption system of a high-clearance vehicle as a shoe. The SpeedARC Surge BOA now seamlessly transitions from trail to sidewalks with a unique combination of comfort and cutting-edge technology.

"We've purposefully built the SpeedARC Surge BOA to return every ounce of energy you put in, taking each stride and propelling it forward," said Merrell Senior Design Director Ian Cobb.

"With double the energy return found in our independent lab tests, it keeps your feet feeling cushioned and comfortable every step of the way so you can experience a motion that knows no bounds and zero limitations," Cobb continued. "This shoe will make your four miles feel like two."

Merrell SpeedARC Surge BOA
Merrell SpeedARC Surge BOA / Merrell SpeedARC Surge BOA

According to the brand, the SpeedARC Surge BOA also introduces a new nitrogen-injected supercritical foam called FloatPro+ SC, providing improved cushion and propulsion. The FloatPro+ SC Foam sole is doubled with two individual midsole layers and separated by an exposed nylon Flexplate™ feature in an innovative "sandwich construction."

Enhanced performance is key with the SpeedARC Surge BOA as displayed by the shoe's innovative double lacing system that enables rapid and specialized adjustments, securing your foot within the Matryx upper, a high-performance fabric made to provide lightweight, breathable and durable support and precise fit.

The SpeedARC Surge BOA launches for on January 7 for $290 in men's and women's sizes. The styles will include black/white/orange and cream/gold colorways, released globally on Merrell.com.

Stay locked to Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI for the latest footwear news from the trail, track and beyond.

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Michael Ehrlich
MICHAEL EHRLICH

Michael Ehrlich is a seasoned sports marketing executive with experience across the global sports brand, athlete representation, media and education sides of the business. The Founder and CEO of Playbook Marketing, Ehrlich consults with brands on all things NIL and athlete partnerships, advises student-athletes on their personal brand building endeavors and is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of Southern California where he teaches a course on athlete communications and marketing. As a writer, his previous bylines include Boardroom, Business of College Sports, DIME Magazine and UPROXX, among others. You can follow him across social media at @MichaelEhrlich and reach out via michael@playbook-marketing.com

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