Lightweight, immediately comfortable, and genuinely waterproof, Merrell’s latest trail runners prove themselves as versatile adventure companions despite a few minor quirks.
Founded in 1981, Merrell has become a well-known name in outdoor-centric footwear, including its hiking boots and trail runners. I’ve owned Merrell footwear before and never had a bad experience.
In fact, I still have a pair of Merrell Ontario boots that have held up for nearly five years. OVR’s other Feature Editor, Mercedes (also my wife), and I recently got into a pair of the brand’s waterproof trail runners, the Nova 4 (men’s) and Antora 4 (women’s).
These are nearly the same shoe, but they’re cut and sized differently for men and women, and there are different colorways.
Athletic Design, Everyday Wearable
Merrell says these best-sellers have an athletic design that provides everyday comfort while blending a clean style with functional running comfort. This makes them great for both daily wear and light trail use.
These models are waterproof, something we often seek out in an adventure shoe. Even if we’re not using them for trail running, we are using them as day hikers or when we’re traveling or camping.
Both models showcase a breathable mesh and TPU upper, padded collar, bellowed tongue to keep debris out, and reflective details for visibility in low light. These shoes are also treated with Cleansport NXT for natural odor control—always a good thing.
Merrell uses some recycled materials with these shoes. This includes 100% recycled items like laces, breathable mesh linings, and mesh footbed covers.
These shoes are available in medium and wide widths, too. My Nova 4 are medium width, while Mercedes’ Antora 4 are wides.
Super Comfortable
It’s rare I get a pair of shoes as comfortable as bedroom slippers from the moment I put them on, but the Nova 4s were just this. They felt like pillows on my feet yet offered plenty of traction and decent support for a low-top runner.
Both Mercedes and I have wider feet, and these shoes fit us well (including her wide-width Antora 4s). If you’re looking for wider shoes, these might be just-right for you.
Lightweight but Loud
I really like the shoe’s style. As with many of the latest runners, the sole is large, but not as big as massive as Hokas. There are six colorways in men’s and five in women’s, and they run the gambit from being colorful and bright, to stark white or all black. There’s bound to a color you’d like.
Both the waterproof Nova 4 and Antora 4 are lightweight which is great for travel and overall wearability.
The men’s weighs about 10.6 oz; women’s just 8.5 oz. Merrell uses its Floatpro Foam footbed for enhanced cushioning and energy return and lightweight comfort. Both pair are somewhat noisy when walking, however.
Both pairs make a subtle crunching sound which sounds like a bit like walking on cellophane, or perhaps, well, noisy foam. I’m not sure if this comes from the sole or the upper, but there is audible sound from these shoes.
Lots of Features, Easy to Clean
Both Nova 4 and Antora 4 have an elastic lace keeper on the tongue, but the placement is different on men’s and women’s models. I’m not sure it does much, or perhaps we’re simply not taking advantage of it.
Mercedes isn’t a fan of it on the Antora 4. “I found it bunches up on the tongue and looks odd,” she said. She tried laces under the bulky elastic and with laces over it, but both ways made the elastic poke out over the laces, looking awkward.
Both pair have this feature, and frankly, I’m not sure if the laces are supposed to go over or under it. Merrell’s own photos show the laces on top.
In general, I seek out waterproof trail runners (even though I’m not much of a runner). They’re great for travel, camping, and general outdoor activities. I put the Nova 4’s waterproofing to the test when we did the TransAmerica Trail from Nags Head, NC to Port Orford, OR—29 days and 7,100 miles—including lots of dirt.
We had some torrential rain, and the waterproofing worked as advertised. When the trails weren’t wet, I had them on lots of dirt, clay, rocks, and mud. No matter the surface, they were comfortable and offered up plenty of traction.
My Drab colored Nova 4s hid a lot of dust; the black areas were easy to clean up with a wet cloth, too.
Great For Everyday or Adventuring
It’s not common for me to find a pair of shoes that are so comfortable, feature-packed, easy-to-clean, and great for travel, but the Nova 4 (and the women’s Antora 4) were just that. In fact, I liked them so much, I went and purchased a second pair in a different color.
The slight noise while walking doesn’t bother me, but does Mercedes, but any negatives outweigh the positives.
My wife likes the Antora 4s, too as they were also immediately comfortable. And while she’s more particular about the noise and the elastic lace holder on the tongue, she also finds the shoes comfortable overall.
While neither of us are avid trail runners, we can happily report the Merrell Nova 4 and Antora 4 are great for outdoor recreation, stand up to wet conditions, and are lightweight and great for travel.
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