MerrellMen's Moab 2 Waterproof 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.

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.

I have been hiking in Moabs for about four years now. My first pair were the Moab Mids (Gore tex), and I hiked the Inca Trail over 4 days with them. Kept my feet dry and never got a blister. I put about 700 miles on that pair. I still wear them. Besides having significant wear on the bottom of shoe, the only reason I bought new Moabs was because the sole does feel thinner and thus I feel rocks more.I own both the Ventilator and the Waterproof. I've put about 50-100 miles on each. I do a weekly 6 mile hike with 2000+ elevation gain for my training. I've done 14 mile hikes with 4500 ft elevation gain with ease in these shoes. I plan to wear them to do Half Dome which is about 16 miles. The reason I choose Merrell over "more serious" hiking shoes is that I do all of my hiking on trails. I will take comfort over ruggedness because I'm not walking through bushes, through rivers, etc. Merrell equals comfort. Here are a few other points that stand out to me regarding this second edition Moab.1. The Moab 2s are an improvement in my opinion. The heel is the biggest difference that I can feel. They feel more stable than the first edition. I like the stiffer feel of this second version. I believe they perform better when it comes to having more support in the heel.2. The waterproof version feels thicker than the Ventilator when you put your foot into the shoe. I've worn them in the rain and walked through puddles. They keep your feet dry. They are thicker because they have a waterproof layer to keep the water out. While they don't vent like the Ventilators, they do keep water out.3. The shoe strings are also an improvement. They are less slippery than the first edition and thus are more secure.4. I usually wear size 9, I have wide feet. The 9W fits me really well. Thank you Merrell for providing the wide versions.5. The Vibram soles are long lasting. I hike a dirt/rock trail and my first edition Moabs have lasted 700 miles. They look worn on the bottom but they still have life in them. Solid sole.6. I carry 20-25 pounds in my pack for my training and the Moab 2 have no problem handling this weight.I highly recommend the Moab 2s for casual and serious hikers.

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