Print This Page
Customers most agreed on the following attributes:
from indianapolis,in on 5/31/2008
lightweight...but very stable. first day i wore them they felt great...10mi jaunt and no irritation. i greatly recommend!
From the day I first got these boots they fit great. The trails where I hike are rocky and these boots are great on the rocky surface. I do not feel like I am going to slip and fall which is a big concern on the rocks. Also I feel like I finally have ankle support in these boots.
I normally love Merrells because they fit my feet well, are nicely supportive, and last a long time (I've got a pair I wear daily that are over 3 years old now!). I had hoped these would replace my old pair, and at first I was pretty happy with them. Unfortunately, the junction between the mesh over the toe and the reinforcement the laces attach to occurred at just the wrong spot for me. As they broke in, the shoe began to crease sharply where the shoe bends as you bend your toes, which resulting in rubbing. I tried different insoles etc to vary the height, but could never get rid of the problem, so I reluctantly returned them.
from Shenandoah Valley, Virginia on 9/24/2007
First, I'm a guy with an uncharacteristically small foot. So I forget the gender wars and just buy the shoes that fits. Any serious hiker that won't wear the right gear because it's a W vs an M isn't that serious about the sport and is probably more of an arm chair hiker, and thinks driving a Hummer makes them an outdoorsy person.
I searched for 2 months and purchased and returned over 9 pairs of shoes. I tried Montrail, Vasque, La Sportiva, and even the Merrell Chameleon and Switchback before getting these.
Wanted a summer weight, light, waterproof, taller than sneaker, good sole shoe for hiking. I have wide feet in the front and narrow heel. Merrell shoes tend to run wide in the toe box for their size. Chameleon was too light and felt thin, and sole wasn't stable enough. Switchback had the sole, but the full grain leather was hot and heavy. It also felt a bit big even though it was the same size as the Moab.
Recently went on a short but good 850 ft climb with 30-40lb pack over rocky trails in 87 degree weather. Moab had good traction over rocks and where there was lack of stability (would prefer if these were full height boots) I relied on hiking poles. Heel strike was comfortable (I tend to step heavy on them). Amazed at how well the sole sprung back after twisting around, over and between rocks. Only con was that when my foot jammed in between rocks, I could feel it through the material?but that's expected, they aren't full grain leather. Most of the boot is mesh like material which made for a very cool foot?very appreciated since it was hot. I paired these with a pair of mid-height Darn Tough socks (1/4 sock cusion, In Country series/Hike & Trek). A thicker sock would have been too tight.
Out of all of the brands I tried, I'll stick with Merrell. I had a pair of Merrell Wilderness boots about 15 years ago, those fit like a glove. Over the years I tried other brands, but keep coming back to Merrell since they are the only brand with a wider toe box to fit me.
Get em. I still have the Switchbacks that I'll use for hunting this winter. But will have to wear a thicker sock.
Where the boots took me.
Tags: Using Product
Rocky and steep terrain. Boot did fine.
Tags: Using Product