I bought these to go on a hiking trip in gatlinburg tn. The boots performed flawlessly and kept my feet nice and dry after hiking through 9.5 miles of wet trails. I paired the boots with a pair of darn tuff wool socks straight out of the box and went 9.5 miles with no blisters or hot spots
Monsieur Tarzan
5
Comment
No break in time needed for these boots. The first time I wore these, I walked 13 miles in them. They were very comfortable, no blisters. I had a very slight hot spot on the ball of my right foot, but very minor. I cant imagine a more comfortable shoe of this type. Nice traction as well, even on smooth surfaces, like wet granite stairs. My feet were dry walking on the sidewalk in heavy rain. Cant say how they hold up against mud, slush and snow, but Im confident they would.
C. Raditz
5
Comment
Just spent two weeks hiking rocky trails on Greek islands. The boots are light and comfortable and I can feel my toes and feet against the ground and still be protected from bruising. When I walked a mile in several inches of water in a stream bed, the Gortex material kept my feet dry. During my 13 hour, direct flight back home, I unlaced them loosely almost all the way, and my feet were comfortable wearing them on the plane. They are not mountain climbing boots, but for hiking, they get the job done.
Elliott T Retkowski
5
Comment
I purchased my first pair of Merrells a few years ago and instantly feel in love with the quality of the brand. They are comfortable, durable and the vibram sole is great for keeping sure footing when hiking and in the outdoors. That being said, the last model of Merrells has a few design flaws that left them a little wanting. They were not waterproof past a few weeks of owning them and even then they only kept dry if you got them a little damp or briefly stepped in a puddle. For the majority of the time I owned them, though, they soaked through easily in wet conditions. The inside of the heel also wore through rather quickly and the seam along the outsole began to part after a few months of moderate to heavy use. I wouldnt consider the latter two issues so bad considering that they happen to most shoes after prolonged use. The biggest problem was the poor waterproofing. I can say, however, that Merrell has addressed all of these issues with the new model of Moab hiking shoes, particularly in the waterproofing department with these Goretex ones. The heel is made of tougher but just as soft material that wont wear as quickly and the seam along the outsole is tighter and better secured than before. Most importantly, my feet stay dry no matter how much water I walk through or even stand in. You can tell that the shoes do take in a bit of water if you completely submerge them repeatedly but the layers of moisture wicking material in the mesh fabric parts of the shoe keep any moisture from getting too your feet. I have taken these Merrells hiking in rain and heavy snow, walked through half frozen creeks and along the frozen shores of Lake Erie. They stay bone dry and even keep my feet reasonably warm in freezing temps as long as I wear thick socks. Additionally, Merrell has slightly improved upon the design of the treads. I have gone up steep snowy forest trails and climbed rock formations and the vibram soles grip better than my last pair. On a looks note, the new Merrells look sleeker and the smooth Goretex material looks quite nice in my opinion. All in all, the Merrell Moab 2 GTX is a well made, quality, waterproof hiking shoe that is worth the price. I couldnt be more pleased with my purchase. I cant say if the non Goretex Moab 2 hiking shoes are as waterproof but they are likely just as well made and at the very least very water resistant. If youre looking for the quality but at a lower price, they would be a good bet.
rickiecc
3
Comment
I have worn Merrell Moab for the last two years, and have hiked almost 2000/ miles in them & loved them (perfect fit). The new Merrell Moab 2, Is stiffer and the toe box is smaller (I have hiked 90-miles in the Moab 2) whats unusual is that the left shoe is tighter then the right shoe. They are ok for the first 10-miles of my hikes but start hurting if I hike longer?