Merrell Antora 3 review

We think that the Merrell Antora 3 is a superb pick for:

• Women with average or narrow feet who want a do-it-all trail shoe for walking, hiking, or running.
• Anyone seeking a compact-sized trail shoe filled with trail-smart features at a budget-friendly price.
• Heel strikers who want a protective ride with a built-in rock plate and a touch of flex.

We believe that the Merrell Antora 3 is not the best choice for runners needing a roomy fit. Its compact-and-narrow build clearly targets smaller feet, and in our experience, it feels restrictive for those with wider foot shapes. For a roomier alternative, we suggest the New Balance Fresh Foam X Hierro v9 for runners with average feet or the Altra Lone Peak 9 for those with wide feet.

In our view, the Antora 3 leans heavier than expected for its size. We believe that the Merrell Morphlite or the ultra-agile NNormal Kjerag are far better options for those craving a featherweight trail experience.

We found that the Merrell Antora 3 features a moderate 33.5 mm stack height—just right for short to mid-distance runs, day hikes, and everyday wear. It offers solid protection without ever feeling bulky or overwhelming.

Likewise, the forefoot stack measures 24.4 mm. That's right around average and well-balanced for most activities. It also includes a rock plate for added protection against trail hazards!

If you're looking for a high-drop trail shoe, the Antora 3 delivers with a 9.1 mm offset—making it a beginner-friendly option, and especially suited for heel strikers. 

Oh, and this photo does a great job highlighting the orange foam inserts that Merrell added to bring a touch of softness.

The Merrell Antora 3 uses their Super Rebound Compound foam, which we measured at 22.5 HA of softness. It’s a balanced setup that fits well with a versatile, entry-level trail shoe.

However, don’t let the name fool you—Super Rebound Compound might sound like something from a supershoe, but in reality, it’s just a basic EVA. There’s no high-tech A-TPU or PEBA here; just a cheap, trail-ready midsole that gets the job done without any flashy materials. If you're looking for that, check the Nike Zegama 2.

Merrell added two small inserts of softer foam to make landings slightly more comfortable. However, the difference felt minor. We measured them at 20.0 HA, only 2.5 HA softer than the main foam.

One thing we noticed during testing is that the Antora 3 avoids an exaggerated rocker, using only a mild one at both the heel and forefoot.

We found this low-profile, comfort-focused design perfect for mixing slow-paced runs with long forest walks.

The Antora 3 is a great match for runners who want top-level protection against trail hazards. It pairs a hard Vibram rubber with a blue rock plate that goes right above the rubber. No matter how sharp the terrain gets, you’ll stay protected.

The fit of the Merrell Antora 3 is better suited for narrow feet. That's common among women, who usually have lower-volume feet and benefit from slimmer uppers.

Our first gel measurement came in at just 90.8 mm, one of the narrowest readings we’ve ever recorded in the lab.

We also measured the width at the big toe area to assess the Antora 3’s toebox fit. While it’s slightly tapered, it’s not extreme—runners with narrow feet should still have enough room for natural toe splay.

Our final fit check was the upper’s height.

At 28.9 mm, it offers plenty of vertical clearance, allowing the toes to move freely without feeling restricted.

The Merrell Antora 3 features multi-directional lugs with a real depth of 3.4 mm, slightly below the 4 mm claimed by Merrell.

They’re clearly designed for light, non-technical terrain. Most lugs are rectangular or chevron-shaped with sharp edges for grip, while the perimeter ones are more aggressive. In the centre, we found flatter lugs to ease transitions on harder surfaces.

The Antora 3 features a full-length Vibram TC5+ rubber outsole with a colourful, multi-layered layout. There are some deep cutouts that expose the underlying EVA foam, but coverage is pretty impressive. We also found a small channel that runs from midfoot to forefoot.

A trail shoe needs solid flexibility to handle hikes and walks comfortably, and the Antora 3 ticks that box with a 14.4N score in our 30-degree bend test.

Weight isn’t one of the Antora 3’s standout features. At 10.1 oz or 285g, it’s not a dealbreaker, but we believe there’s clear room for improvement and Merrell could definitely trim it down in version 4.

At first glance, we expected the Merrell Antora 3 to struggle with ventilation due to its rugged TPU overlays—but we were way off.

When we hooked up our smoke machine, it nailed a perfect 5/5 airflow rating. That's the highest possible in our lab and a rare feat for trail shoes.

Shining a light through the upper revealed that most ventilation is concentrated in the forefoot, while the midfoot and heel remain heavily reinforced for durability and support.

Under the microscope, the engineered mesh showed no large vents, but its tiny openings still allowed air to pass through with ease.

The real game-changer was the perforated inner layer—unusual in budget-friendly shoes—which helped the Antora 3 earn this top-tier breathability score. Kudos to Merrell for this one!

One benefit of using a firm-ish foam is the added stability it brings compared to softer midsoles. On top of that, Merrell included their so-called "External Rear Sling"—a rigid support structure that acts like a cage, locking the heel securely in place. And yes, it looks like a slingshot!

This isn’t one of those bendy trail shoes at all. The added rock plate created a more rigid structure, and we scored it 4/5 for stiffness during our lab test.

The heel counter scored a 3 in our stiffness test, landing right around average—even with Merrell’s added “Sling” structure. We were slightly surprised by the result, but it still provides enough support for heel strikers.

The Antora 3 upper works best for low-volume feet, and the midsole design reinforces that with its compact shape. It felt narrow the moment we unboxed it, and our caliper confirmed it—measuring just 104.5 mm, which is clearly below the average.

The shoe has a compact overall shape, so we expected the heel to follow suit… and it did. Our measurement confirmed it at just 82.8 mm, clearly on the narrower side compared to the average.

We tested the toebox in our first Dremel session and found it earned a respectable 3/5 score—not bad, especially since we targeted the mesh itself rather than the tougher TPU overlays around the toe cap.

Unfortunately, the heel padding wore down in seconds during our test, forcing us to give it a disappointing 1/5 score—definitely not the result we were hoping for.

We’re usually glad to see the Vibram logo on trail shoes—it rarely disappoints in terms of durability. True to form, we measured just 0.8 mm of wear on the outsole after putting it through our Dremel test!

We discovered that Merrell used a thinner-than-average outsole, but that didn’t surprise us in the lab—it’s a common design choice for shoes built with a rock plate underneath.

The insole is made with 50% recycled materials and has a standard thickness of 4.2 mm. It also features Cleansport NXT treatment for natural odour control, which is nice for those long days in the wild.

Unlike premium foams, EVA loses a good part of its softness in cold conditions. After 20 minutes in the freezer, the softness reading decreased by 27%.

If you want to swap the insole with one from your collection, you absolutely can.

It was a bit disappointing not to find any reflective elements on a trail shoe like this. If someone comes up behind you with a flashlight, there’s nothing back from your feet. Sure, hi-vis clothes help, but still...

The Merrell Antora 3 features an interesting lacing setup with a mix of fabric loops and punched eyelets on both sides. The synthetic loops are stitched directly into the upper, helping to evenly distribute pressure when tightening the laces. We also found a tongue strap that keeps the laces in place, along with a small blue loop for attaching ankle gaiters.

The tongue is thick and soft, clearly built for comfort over weight savings. Merrell went all-in on plushness here, and our callipers confirmed it with a generous 8.6 mm reading.

Like many trail shoes, the Antora 3 features a gusseted tongue attached to the sides, helping improve lockdown while keeping debris from sneaking into the shoe.

Merrell has priced the Antora 3 slightly below its main rivals to attract newcomers or undecided buyers—and that strategy might just work. For us, it’s a fair price considering the Vibram licensing and how well the shoe performs across different activities.

The Merrell Antora 3 features a finger-loop heel tab that’s securely fixed to the slingshot-like heel counter. We found it incredibly useful especially when wearing thicker socks. We also liked that it’s made from a durable woven material with reinforced stitching and a grippy texture that prevents slipping when pulled.

Another smart touch in a budget-friendly shoe like the Antora 3 is the Velcro-based gaiter attachment—something even many higher-priced models tend to leave out.