Olympus 6 vs Agility Peak 6

The Altra Olympus 6 is a maximum cushioned trail running shoe built for going long and staying comfortable when the miles pile up. It pairs a deep, plush platform with Altra's signature zero drop geometry, so your heel and forefoot sit at the same height and your foot spreads naturally over rough ground. At 345g it is a substantial shoe, and you notice the weight on faster efforts, but that heft buys you real protection underfoot on rocky, root strewn trails. This is an ultra shoe first and foremost. It is happiest on all day adventures, long training loops and technical terrain where a wide, grippy outsole and a stack of soft foam keep your legs fresher for longer. If you want a lighter, nimbler trail tool the Altra Lone Peak 9 or the Hoka Speedgoat 7 make more sense. For runners who prize comfort and a natural foot position over speed, we rate the Olympus 6 highly.

The Agility Peak 6 is Merrell's do-it-all trail running shoe, the one you reach for when the route mixes mud, rock and long slow miles. It sits in the cushioned-but-planted camp: a generous FloatPro midsole under an aggressive 5mm Vibram Megagrip outsole, with an 8mm drop and a 38mm heel stack that soaks up rough ground without floating you off it. This is not a racer and it does not pretend to be. It is a dependable daily trail trainer built for grip, protection and staying comfortable when the run drags on. We rate it as one of the best value all-rounders in its class, and RunRepeat's 84/100 backs that up. If your trails are technical, wet or steep and you want one shoe that copes with all of it, the Agility Peak 6 is an easy shoe to recommend. Compared with the pricier Hoka Speedgoat 7, it trades a little plushness for a firmer, more connected feel underfoot.