A quick review of merrells speedarc surge boa – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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Thomas Ricker
A quick review of Merrell’s SpeedARC Surge BOA.

This hiking shoe incorporates similar midsole tech as those Nike running shoes that helped so many marathoners break records since 2017. As an avid hiker myself, I had to test Merrell’s new FlexPlate and the promise of “underfoot propulsion.”

Spoiler: It works, and helps reduce foot fatigue over long distances, but the stack height made me feel unstable at times. Oh, and Merrell’s SpeedARC Surge BOAs ain’t cheap at $290.

<em>Merrell’s SpeedARC Surge BOA in the wilds of Luxembourg’s “Little Switzerland.”</em>
<em>The styling is a real departure for the company and a bit too marshmallow-y for my tastes. I do love the orange nylon FlexPlate sandwiched between the midsoles. Merrell says it “delivers 100 percent more energy return than the leading hiking boot.” </em>
<em>For testing, I’d swap back and forth between my trusty Adidas trail runners and new Merrells over a total of 40km (about 25 miles) — I couldn’t wait to get back to the FlexPlate each time.</em>
<em>The FlexPlate prevents things from feeling squishy while also providing a slight but noticeable boost to each step. That propulsion makes the SpeedARC feel lighter than its 14.35 ounce (almost 407g) weight would suggest.</em>
<em>The dual-BOA system is satisfyingly clicky and cinches the shoe tight through a series of turns. The fit is supremely comfortable and secure with the pressure evenly distributed around the foot.</em>
<em>The heal-to-toe stack height of 38-30mm and rubber treaded outsole with moderate 4mm lugs combined to diminish ground feel. The height also made me feel a little unstable when moving quickly over technical obstacles or on steep sloping declines. </em>
<em>The upper is covered in a stretchy, breathable, and abrasion-resistant knit fabric reinforced with Kevlar. This is a dry-weather shoe not to be worn in the mud or rain.</em>
<em>The gaps between the nitrogen-infused midsoles are going to collect mud, dirt, and debris over time.</em>
<em>I’m not a fan of the raised internal stitching used to secure the lowest tab on the BOA cinch system. It protrudes enough that it began to rub on the top of my left foot, just behind the pinkie toe. I was able to alleviate this blister-maker by cinching the shoe more tightly than I wanted. I did not have a similar issue on my right foot which is ever-so-slightly smaller.</em>
<em>Who is the Merrell SpeedARC Surge BOA for? Anyone looking for a breathable, fair-weather shoe that reduces foot-fatigue on long hikes over terrain that’s not overly technical.</em>
1/10
Merrell’s SpeedARC Surge BOA in the wilds of Luxembourg’s “Little Switzerland.”
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