MerrellMen's Moab 2 Wp Hiking Boot

Just got back from Inyo County after my first hike in these shoes. Having just retired my Salomon X-Ultra Pros I was wary of switching to Merrell, especially since I loved my Salomons and how comfortable they are.Couple of points:1) They are truly "Wide" and fit my feet perfectly. Just can't seem to find any Salomons that fit any more which is why I switched.2) They didn't seem to feel "nice" when they first arrived, mostly on the sole, so they did require some breaking in... not much though.. a few hours in 3-4 separate wears was enough.3) They are waterproof... I stepped in a stream 200 yards away from the finish of a 7.5 hour hike and my feet came out dry. Lucky for me I didn't get in deeper than the cuff.4) They are warmish given they are waterproof, but I wore wool socks and was able to manage it well. Still, it also requires some camp shoes to wear otherwise these shoes and your feet will get a bit dank.5) The sole is wider and thus more stable than my previous shoes. I have a supinated gait so I had a tendency to roll my ankle, but I didn't have that issue at all on this trip.6) Has a roomy toe box. I have squarish toes so I often have trouble with shoe fit and my pinky toe. Lost a nail once before, but had no issues with these Moabs.Personally loved them; they were comfortable and affordable. I did choose to swap out the laces for some shock cord laces with a spring loaded slide, an inexpensive but very helpful upgrade. If I had to do it over again... well, I would do it all over again. While I was willing to pay more to replace my Salomon's I just couldn't afford to have a shoe that didn't fit on the width. I still think Salomon X-Ultras are more comfortable for me, but because of the natural fit of Merrell, as well as they're reputation, OH, and the wider sole that caused fewer ankle rolls, these Moabs are exactly what I needed.

These are pretty good hiking shoes. I'm on my second pair - the soles last somewhere around 2 years with moderate+ use (~15 miles per week). They are not really waterproof but sort of. Being all synthetic they dry quickly. I can leave them tied and slip them on and off which is a plus. I have some foot and leg problems and these are roomy enough and provide reasonable support. Wish they had a bit more cushion.

I tested these against the similar, Oboz Firebrand II BDry (more expensive) and the Columbia Men's Valley Pointe (less expensive), all in the same size and width. All three share similar profiles and technical characteristics. I found the Columbia's less comfortable, with a cramped footbed (even in wide). Construction felt cheaper as well. They seemed like decent shoes for the money, but I suspect they'd fall short in terms of comfort and durability with heavy use. The Oboz and Merrill versions seemed equally comfortable and both of very high quality. They main difference for me was in the design of the outsole, which was more aggressively lugged for the Oboz shoes, making them more suitable for rough, off-trail hiking. The Merrill sole has deep ribbing, but a less aggressive tread pattern, providing less resistance on smoother surfaces. Since I plan to use them mostly in cities and only occasionally off road, I went with the Merrills.

While they're the typical quality you'd expect from Merrell, the extra quality isn't there.I've had many pairs of them through the years and my most notable is the quality and comfort of their products. Had I spent the usual $100-plus for these shoes, they'd have been returned.While everything lines up, side by side, they are visually a little different when you look at them. This may be the reason for their price though Vibrim is usually particular about what product carries their logo.They were extremely uncomfortable at first. Not what I've experienced with any textile product. Usually Merrells are super comfortable, right out of the box.Overall these shoes were bought for hiking and camping in the Carolina mountains so they're purpose built but I've never experienced a break in period with a textile shoe. That's normally more in the over-ankle height, leather boot category.After wearing a few times they have gotten more comfortable. They have a good, sturdy toe point and on wet grass and clay, they were well footed.I am curious about their longevity because their shoes typically outlive their looks for a few years. That said, I always rotate the old shoes in to my yard work shoes and throw them away well before they're dead. I still have a pair of hiking mocs at my in laws house for when we visit and I do outdoor work there, where they have major water drainage issues. They're no newer than 2008 and still nust as comfortable and water tight as they were when I got them. Besides looking like a homeless guy, I'd wear them anywhere that stability and keeping water out would be an issue.Most likely these will last just as long but, there's got to be a reason they were only $60.00 ($75-$110 elsewhere) and it may be that they're not very attractive and not the normal quality shoe that they turn out.Again, they're Merrells and they were only $60. I'm probably setting the bar in the $120 shoe range and had I paid that, they'd have been returned. Otherwise the reason for 4 stars was really the break in time and aesthetics.So far they feel like a great hiking shoe I the under 80 dollar range. I will loop around after some gorge time on wet rocks and steep hills to update. I'd really like to give them the 5 stars they so deserve but now it's a solid 4 star.

Buen producto excelente calidad

Très bon rapport qualité/prix, merci

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They hold the feet strongly yet very comfy. They really are waterproof and they look great ! Excellent hiking shoes.

Great fit and good when using orthotic insoles This is my forth pair with no complaints