Merrell Men's Moab 2 Vent Mid Hiking Boot

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BOTTOM LINE: These boots fit the bill to replace an aging pair of waterproof hikers from New Balance. These Merrell Moab boots fit pretty good right out of the box and were just what I was looking for: stylish, waterproof, with breathable mesh side panels for cooler feet. Lets just hope they hold up for a few years worth of use out on the trails. THOUGHTS: Id had a pair of New Balance hiking boots forever. They finally started to fall apart and I knew it was time for replacements, but I just couldnt find anything from NB that I liked, style-wise. I stick with them primarily because I have short, WIDE feet and its a pain to find footwear that fits me PROPERLY, right out of the box. Nothing from NB was mesh/breathable, so I was forced to shop for a different brand. Thats intimidating after so many years as a loyal New Balance wearer. A friend raved about his Oboz, and my wife has a pair that she really likes, so I bought their Sawtooth boots. They were standard (M) width but I had heard that they have a wider than normal toebox, so I crossed my fingers. They pinched right out of the box and even after trying to stretch them with a pair of shoe stretchers I knew theyd never feel truly comfortable, so I sent them back. After some further searching I settled on these Moabs from Merrell. As soon as I put them on I knew they were the ones. They have a nice fit, are surprisingly light - always a good thing with footwear youre gonna be stuck wearing, possibly for hours even days at a time, ofttimes in the middle of nowhere without the option to change into something else. The inserts are really nice. The padding feels really thick, with extra at the heels. It almost feels like theres a rolled up ankle sock in the heel area of the insets, theyre THAT thick. Really feels good after along day on my feet. They are much less swollen / fatigued. My only real gripe is that I wish the laces were longer, and those wavy laces Ive had in some footwear are nice and seem to come loose far less often, but thats a fairly minor quibble. If these Moab boots hold up for more than a couple of years Ill consider them a good purchase. If they hold up longer... well, I will definitely buy Merrell again if they do! If I have problems or any failures I will come back and amend my review - and list any issues. Heres to hoping!

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Bought these less than 2 months ago and didnt get a chance to wear them until a month ago. The soles are already falling off. Pretty ridiculous that the soles start to fall off about a month of wear. Do not think you will get any long life from these shoes. Spend a little less so you can throw these out after a few uses which I plan to since they are falling apart. See the pictures attached, bottom is basically perfect but sole is already falling off

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I tried on another similar Merrill boot at a local sporting goods store so I knew theyd fit. They didnt have this shoe in stock. So far the shoe does seem comfortable, however Im surprised at the relatively hard and cheap insole in this boot. Considering its marketed as a hiking boot, and its not inexpensive, I would have thought it would have had a softer insole. I just replaced the original insoles with a gel insole and there is a big difference, much better. I would have rated the shoe a 5 if not for that. Im not a hardcore hiker, but I hate walking or hiking in low cut shoes because inevitably dirt and small pieces of debris get into the shoe and I have to stop and empty them out. I didnt want a waterproof shoe either. I wanted something with ventilation to help keep my feet cool. Hopefully these fill my need. Ill wear them for a while and see how well they hold up and maybe update this review at a later date. March 2018 update - After wearing these boots for a while and giving them some time to break in I can now say theyre not as comfortable as I had hoped. The issue I have is that the arch inside the boot is too high and too narrow. I tried different insoles and still couldnt get them comfortable for me. I ended up donating them to a clothing charity.

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These shoes are pretty much the old MOABs. The only remarkable difference—and its a big one—is the wide width I used to wear is now too wide; the normal width are far too narrow. It fits everywhere except the toe box, which feels like Im wearing a shoe two sizes too big or two sizes too small. Not sure why Merrell had to screw with perfection.

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I generally write reviews if things are amazing or just down right awful. I’ve had these exact Merrill’s before for about 2.5 years with no issues. I ordered another pair in April and the other day, August 21st, the sole of the shoe actually peeled off while I was walking. I generally keep boots or shoes for years and replace once they begin to deteriorate but it hasn’t even been a full half year and I’m pretty darn disappointed. I’m writing this review to find out if they’re under a warranty or not. Here’s to hoping! I’d normally recommend this brand in a heartbeat but my friend swears by keens so to my dismay, I might abandon the ship that is Merrill’s.

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