How to Choose Hiking Boots

Redefining high-performance, amphibious hiking boots, the Astral TR1 Merge 2.0 hiking boots are very breathable and ultralightweight, and they have grippy soles that perform on wet and dry trails.
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Imported.
View all Astral Men's Day Hiking BootsBest Use | Multisport Hiking |
---|---|
Footwear Height | Over-the-ankle |
Footwear Closure | Lace-up |
Upper | 100% recycled polyester mesh; vegan suede; TPU reinforcements; Ariaprene collar |
Lining | 100% rPET |
Midsole | 52C closed-cell EVA foam |
Support | Top Shank |
Outsole | Nonmarking G.15 Rubber |
Vegan | Yes |
Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 9 oz. |
Gender | Unisex |
Sustainability | Contains recycled materials |
5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 13 | 14 | |
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U.S. Men's | 5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
U.S. Women's | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | ||||
UK | 4.5 | 5 | 5.5 | 6 | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12.5 | 13.5 |
EU | 37 1/2 | 38 | 38 2/3 | 39 1/3 | 40 | 40 2/3 | 41 1/3 | 42 2/3 | 43 1/3 | 44 | 44 2/3 | 42 1/3 | 46 | 46 2/3 | 47 1/3 | 48 | 49 1/3 |
Foot Length (in.) | 9.3 | 9.4 | 9.6 | 9.8 | 10 | 10.1 | 10.2 | 10.4 | 10.6 | 10.8 | 11 | 11.2 | 11.3 | 11.4 | 11.6 | 11.8 | 12.3 |
Measurements are stated in inches unless otherwise indicated.
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Bought these for wading bonefish flats in the Bahamas. They are almost perfect for this, except the mesh is too coarse. While this lets them drain well, it lets in the fine Bahamian sand. Unfortunately, I had to stop a couple times a day and empty out the accumulated sand. Otherwise, these are great boots. They dry quickly, are lightweight and provide a nice amount of stability without being clunky. Still giving them 4 stars because I'm sure this is not the end use Astral had in mind. If you guys made a boot like this with fine mesh that keeps sand out, I would snap them up in a heartbeat and recommend them to all my fishing friends.
Bought these on a whim for a wading boot after having great luck with the tr mesh for wet wading season (altho that one def needs a sock) and wow these are by far the most lightweight, quick drying boot for fishing and just the right amount of support, def had to order a half size bigger to fit over waders but wow these are a sleeper excellent wading boot, should market this thing for fishing, few friends have been turned on to these for this purpose and love them more than Simms or Orvis brand boots.
As a physical therapist, proper footwear is high priority and I will highly recommend these to everyone that loves to get out in nature to hike. Just tried these out for the first time in Guatemala for a very difficult hike--over 15 miles with over 5,000 feet of elevation gain and LOVED them. Good combination of 'minimal' and flexible, yet also supportive.
I purchased the Soil Taupe in size 7. Opening the box, I loved the look of these shoes. They are stylish and fresh. As I laced them up, I thought to myself “wow, these feel really good on my foot”. They are a true 7 - IMO. Upon use: Not too much cushion that I can’t feel the trail, and the perfect amount of structure for my ankles to feel supported. The 3 star reflectors are a nice brand touch that catch the light perfectly and IMO look cool. Also, the bottom sole color is a unique take that I haven't seen elsewhere and adds to the overall style of this shoe. I did not own the previous version of the Merge and I realize now I’ve been missing out! Highly recommend.
Got them a week ago and have been loving them on and off trail! The fit feels true to size, 10 feels good like in all my shoes. Instant comfort straight out of the box onto some mellow hikes. I really like the mesh construction! Helps keep the feet cool and let moisture out while you are charging! The outsole grips well on steep dusty trails, wet slimy rocks, everything in between! Haven’t gotten them on the water yet but they feel like they would be the perfect expedition boot on the river.
Although I haven’t used them yet, based on a test drive I am very impressed. They seem to be the most comfortable and stable yet free forming hiking boot I have ever worn. Not to mention I don’t think there is a lighter comparable mid hiking boot on the market. It seems to have great ankle support and the treads on the bottom get excellent traction. I started canoe tripping in BWCA in 2023 and have been searching for the perfect hybrid boot to fit the bill for portaging and canoeing ever since. Based on the previous BWCA review I bought these and I know already they are going to be awesome on my upcoming canoe trip in May. Thank you Astral for developing a wonderful all around mid hiking boot!
i hiked with these for a summer camp where we did a two day hike, a three day hike, and a four day hike and they held well throughout the whole time. we hiked about 2-3 miles per day and i never felt any discomfort. At one point the shoes got wet during a river crossing and in about 6 hours became completely dry again. 10/10 would recommend.
Junk - they fall apart in the washing machine. Ridiculous.
Hi Steve, Here's our best advice for cleaning your shoes - https://explore.astraldesigns.com/how-to-clean-your-trail-shoes-or-water-shoes/ But this looks like something that might be covered under our warranty, we can help you out here! - https://astraldesigns.com/pages/warranty?srsltid=AfmBOoo0p1V2z_G6fjdDhiITiuXwD3xVkeWtk4X3tTL38acplBU3nZJM Best,
I bought theses for a 6-day canoe trip with wet portages. They were lightweight and comfortable and drained well. The soles gripped the rocks, both dry and wet, well and the boots provided a surprising amount of support. With drying, I needed to take the insoles out, otherwise water became trapped in the bottom of the shoe. Also, the flip side of the drainage was gravel got into the boots more easily than the Merrell Moab. My only other gripe was the boots ran just a little small.
Very comfortable, stable shoe that is really light and sure in its grip. The wide toe box is particularly comfortable without being too roomy (and I don’t have an especially wide foot), and the neutral drop makes for a very pleasant hiking experience with no heel grab or toe sliding. I typically wear a men’s size 13, but had to go up to a size 14 which fit just right without being too large. (At that size, half sizes are hard to find, so getting the fit is a challenge.)