MerrellMen's Moab 2 Mid Gtx Hiking Boot

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 wouldn't 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 couldn't be more pleased with my purchase. I can't 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 you're looking for the quality but at a lower price, they would be a good bet.

I bought these to compare with a new pair of Merrell's Moab 3 light hikers. Both were available in the wider width I need and can rarely find. Both are true to size but the Moab 3 might be *slightly* longer. Both feel like you'd expect a light hiker to feel, with a pretty stiff and rugged sole, and both are comfortable on long walks. The tongue on both is a bit stiff and needs to break in; they pressed on the top of my feet and were a bit uncomfortable until they'd been worn a few times. The biggest difference between this and the Moab 3s is in the waterproof lining. The Moab 2s have genuine GoreTex, and the Moab 3s have Merrell's own waterproof fabric. And, after wearing them all day, you'll notice the difference: my feet feel comfortable and dry with the Moab 2s, and noticeably sweaty in the Moab 3s. Over the years, I noticed this in all Merrell's shoes, and now spend the money for genuine GoreTex if that option is available.

I bought these for a hiking trip, but when my go-to sneakers got destroyed last minute, I grabbed these out of desperation before leaving on vacation. I didn't really have much of a chance to break them in before wearing them for 6 days straight at a family vacation to Disney World. We probably walked at least several miles a day going from one side of the park to the other multiple times trying to catch whatever ride had the least wait times. The boots broke in easily and were immediately comfortable. Despite the waterproof construction, it allowed moisture to escape and my feet were never sweaty despite spending 12 hrs standing and walking in the Florida sun. Good cushioning and cradled my feet well. Despite being new out of the box with minimal break in period, I didn't have any blistering or any hot spots.I have moderately wider feet than the norm and prefer to wear New Balance and Brooks sneakers as they are more roomy at the toe box. These boots were just as roomy and comfortable as my sneakers, although probably just a hair tighter at the toes. A few weeks ago I wore them on a legit 5 mile hike and they did well on moderate trails with rocks and inclines. Good ankle support despite being mid high boots, good grip on rocks and loose dirt, and darn good on comfort. The boots wrap around your feet well and there were no loose spots or tight spots. Just very well made boots. There wasn't a stream or anything to test the waterproof factor, so can't comment on that.