Merrell and Snow Peak have furthered their partnership with a new trial running shoe. 

It’s not the first time that Japan-based Snow Peak and Michigan-headquartered Merrell have teamed up, having previously collaborated on the Moab Speed 2 GTX hiking shoe, which brought together the rigidity of a boot with the shorter cut of a typical trainer. 

The snappily-named MTL Long Sky 2 Matryx SP is a lightweight shoe designed for a ‘range of outdoor activities’ and uses Merrell’s range-topping MTL Long Sky 2 as a base. 

As a result, you’re getting a hard-wearing Kevlar-reinforced Matryx woven textile upper that aims to bring both breathability and durability, sitting atop a FloatPro foam midsole for long-distance comfort. Underneath, there’s a Vibram MegaGrip outsole with chunky 5mm lugs for the best possible traction in all types of conditions. A lack of animal products makes these shoes Vegan-friendly, too. 

From there, you’ve got Snow Peak’s typically stripped-back design, with a fully black colourway broken up by the yellow Vibram logos on the sole. The primary colour of the shoes is contrasted by a grey Merrel logo alongside the side of the shoe, too, while inside you’ll find both Snow Peak and Merrell badges on the footbed. 

You can pick up the new Long Sky 2 Martyx SP via Snow Peak’s website, priced at £170. It’s only a slight increase on the £155 you’ll pay for Merrell’s standard version, too.