Merrell Women's Moab 2 Vent Hiking Shoe Review

I've never bought hiking boots/shoes before, and I've never bought Merrell shoes before, so I can't say if the quality is the same as it has always been, but compared to my new balance sneakers these are to die for! I was afraid that buying Merrell shoes was more of a trend for hikers, but now I know that it's because they really are quality shoes. I bought these because I knew we were going hiking in West Texas and I wanted to make sure I had good grip and support in my shoes. These shoes have the best grip I've ever experienced! I was able to walk on slippery, slimy river rocks and smooth rock, with loose stones on top, at a 45 degree angle with ease. Literally no slipping period. I felt confident walking on any terrain for our entire trip. We walked 20+ miles in a few days and I have to say that my feet did hurt, but not because of a lack of support. I think my feet were just tired. I'm usually pretty sedentary. My arches never hurt, and the support in these shoes is also the best arch support I've ever experienced. I have a very high arch so I didn't feel like the arch support was perfectly snug with my arch but it was plenty. The only thing that bothered me when I first wore them was the snugness of the padding overall. It felt great because my foot felt stable and well supported, and I had plenty of room all around, but the cushioning in the top of the shoe where I laced them up felt like it was cutting off circulation. So i just didn't tie them very tight. I also had thick socks so that didn't help. After a couple of days this went away. I also have to say that I have never been able to tie my laces only once. I have always double knotted, but these laces never ever came undone even with one knot. And I walked a lot. Up and down mountains and kicking up stones. I would definitely buy these again, and I'm planning on buying these for my teenage daughters as well instead of wasting money on Nike or NB which have no support and no tred!

I recently purchased a pair of Merrell hiking boots, and I couldn't be more thrilled with my purchase. These boots have completely transformed my hiking experience, and I can confidently say they are worth every penny.First and foremost, the fit is impeccable. I ordered my usual size, and they fit like a glove from the moment I put them on. The boots provide excellent support without feeling restrictive, and I haven't experienced any discomfort or blisters during my hikes.Comfort is where these boots truly shine. I've worn them on several all-day hikes, and my feet have never felt better. The cushioning and arch support are spot-on, ensuring I can trek for hours without any fatigue or pain. Whether I'm navigating rocky terrain or tackling steep ascents, these boots provide the stability and comfort I need.Overall, I can't recommend these Merrell hiking boots enough. They combine a perfect fit, exceptional comfort, and durability in a way that enhances my hiking adventures. If you're looking for a reliable pair of hiking boots that will keep your feet happy and comfortable during long treks, these are the ones to get. Five stars all the way!

Just love these shoes. Second pair. This color is my favorite. Good looking shoes and extremely durable especially if you work outside. They are comfortable and make my feet feel protected. I broke my foot in four places four years ago and this shoe just holds my foot firmly. Just a great all around shoe.

I like the way the outer heel extends up the center back, to prevent heel becoming detached.I don't like the fact that the laces are all but unadjustable, and there is very little finger room to grasp them and pull to tighten.Tightening the laces isn't easy, & loosening them is equally difficult. The struggle to move a lace 1/2" along actually hurts my fingertips. As such, taking these shoes off and on is inconvenient. It's much more difficult than it should be. The laces must be tightened and loosened one hole at a time, and this is impossible to do towards the toe.The stiff shoe body should provide excellent support, and would, except that tightening laces is such a difficult and time consuming problem, that I tend to leave them as they are, which allows my foot to slide further into that "roomy" toe box and creates a 2-finger gap at the heel. Even going down hill shouldn't allow this shift.FIT IS NOT LIKE MY REGULAR SIZE!At home, I spend most of my time barefoot or in my stocking feet. Over a lifetime, my toes have fanned out and I hate the feeling of pinched or confined toes I get from many shoe styles I have tried. , including my last pair of Merrill hiking shoes. This excessive room at the toe of the Moab 2 is a surprising feature, one I wish I had investigated further before I ordered these. I read "roomy toe box" & thought "that's me!"Over all, my feet are a medium width, though I have sometimes purchased a wide if the toe box of a shoe I like seems confining.After my experience with Merrel hiking shoes in a size 10 1/2, I expected a much better fit in these size 11, as well as more support and comfort built into these shoes.The lack of padding on the deck of the shoe is reallydisappointing. The purchase of an insert should provide more foot comfort, better arch support, and minimize back and forth movement in the shoe, which these shoes lack right out of the box.The last pair of Merrells I purchased were a size 10 1/2. They were too tight in the toe and a bit too short, giving me blisters on the tips of my toes just walking around the house. I expected these size 11 to be a good fit. They aren't.To tighten up the fit, I purchased "Performance insoles" rated to add maximum cushioning and medium arch support. I placed them under the rigid plastic Merrell removable insoles. Although the ( Sof Sole Insoles Women's AIRR Orthotic Support Full-Length Gel Shoe Inserts) provide additional arch support and some cushioning, I only see gel in the heel, and my heel still still isn't secure, in the shoe, though it is not 2 fingers forward anymore. It still moves up and down in the shoe, and with the added insoles there is less ankle support as the additional arch is raising the foot. . I do hope that the shoes tighten up around the foot once they're broken in. The added insoles are easy to remove.The vibram outer soles seem like they will be very good for the terrain I visit, and may be the best feature of this shoe.Lastly, the color doesn't really look like it does in the listing photo. The leather is much lighter, sort of an antique white suede. Not the grreyish color of aluminum I expected. The accent color is green, not blue as it appears in the listing. That doesn't concern me at all, but I thought it worth mentioning.These are really well made, and could be outstanding shoes on someone's feet, but unfortunately, not on mine. If I hadn't been wearing them around the house to break them in, I'd send them back. Out of the box, they fit like my Mom's size 12 W she bought when her feet were swollen.And my normal shoe size is 11. These Moab2 are at least 1/2 size larger than that, and IMO, they are more like a 12.