How to Choose Hiking Boots

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Stay cool and connected to the trail with the nimble Merrell Grassbow Air Low Hiking Shoes. The airy uppers keep your feet comfortable while the grippy soles offer excellent traction.
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View all Merrell Men's Hiking ShoesBest Use | Hiking |
---|---|
Footwear Height | Ankle |
Footwear Closure | Lace-up |
Upper | Synthetic leather/synthetic mesh |
Lining | Synthetic |
Midsole | EVA |
Support | Forefoot shock absorbtion pad |
Outsole | Rubber |
Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 5 oz. |
Gender | Men's |
7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | 15 | |
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U.S. Men's | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
UK | 6.5 | 7 | 7.5 | 8 | 8.5 | 9 | 9.5 | 10 | 10.5 | 11 | 11.5 | 12 | 12.5 | 13 | 14 |
EU | 40 | 41 | 41.5 | 42 | 43 | 43.5 | 44 | 44.5 | 45 | 46 | 46.5 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 |
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While working at the Adventure Store in Yellowstone National Park last summer I mentioned to my boss that I was in the market for a new pair of hikers. Without hesitating she led me to the Merrell shoe display and pointed out the Grassbow Airs. After a very brief walk about I purchased the Grassbows. They are simply the very best hiker/trail running shoes I have ever worn and that is saying a lot. I have worn them on all types of terrain. They are light, offer great support, and let my feet breath. Five Star comfort. I have put away my Asics and New Balance and now ignore my Brooks. The Merrell Grassbow are and will be my shoe of choice. Ordering second pair now....
I wore these shoes on a three month section hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. Hands down, they are the best hiking shoe I've ever purchased. They performed awesomely in varied conditions, including the SoCal desert and the southern High Sierra Mountains. They can even be fitted with traction devices for the snow. Grassbows breath like trail-runners but offer enough protection to be considered a long distance hiking shoe. My only complaint is that you have to replace them about every 800-900 miles, but that's pretty common. Highest recommendation.
I'm a trail runner and like light shoes. These feel like I could run in them, very light and well made. On my first day with them I went 8 miles in Yosemite. Normally, after a long hike I can barely wait to take off my shoes and put on flip-flops. I didn't feel the need to take these off. I also expected hot spots or blisters for wearing new shoes for the first time. None. I couldn't get over it. Last weekend I took them through the snow in Tuolumne and then through desert scrub near Mono Lake. These are the best hiking shoes I've owned in 30 years of hiking.
I purchased this shoe for a lot of walking on hard pavement during a vacation to the east cost of the USA. Although I'm sure this shoe will be fine in the mountains, I want to use this shoe for practical day to day activities. After hiking up many flights of stairs, walking across bridges, or walking on uneven pavement to and from events, my feet felt just fine at the end of a long day. The fabric allowed air flow and kept my feet from too much heat and sweat. Its very light but kept up to the Merrell hiking standards. I have/had 3 other Merrell hiking boots which I used for similar purposes.
Lightweight , comfortable and highly breathable. I bought this shoe for light hiking and around town use. The majority of use is on 3 - 4 mile hikes on mixed terrain. I have found the Grassbow to be surprisingly durable although I wouldn't take them off a groomed trail. I might have given five stars except for the useless insole that comes with the shoe. It provides no support or cushioning. Do yourself a favor and pick out a better insole if you plan on any kind of serious walking or light hiking. Otherwise, I highly recommend this shoe for summer use.
I've had plantar fasciitis on and off and for some reason these shoes seem to really aggravate my "bad" foot. I tried them twice for around 10 miles and both times my foot was screaming. On the other hand I also picked up a pair of Solomon's and had zero problems. As a matter of fact I wore the Solomon's for a 5 day 50+ miles backpacking trip brand new out of the box after I realized these shoes were not working for me. Then I gave the Merrel's another try thinking maybe it was just my foot at the time, but same results. I also do not like the laces since they seem to too slick and like to loosen up too easily. The laces on my Solomon's do not have this problem.
I bought these about a year and a half ago. Great shoes! Didn't use them much for hiking as intended. Mainly worn at work and urban trekking. Only about a month ago i forgot my running shoes at gym and ran in these. Next day i threw my running shoes away! These Merrells are extremely light and breathable without sacrificing support! I will buy a second pair when its time.
I purchased these shoes several months ago to use for day hiking. Have done about 10 trips from 5-10 miles in them. They provide adequate support and fairly good traction. Fit is true and very comfortable. Once in a while I have slight slips on smooth steep descents. Some areas with lots of sharp rocks can get tiring as expected with a shoe this light. Might try the superfeet from my ski boots to see what that does.
I purchased the Merrell Grassbows specifically for a ten day tour of Israel in October/November 2016 and they were perfect matched with Superfeet Green insoles. Temperatures ranged from low 70s to low 90s and the ventilation and comfort were superb. Support was just right for moderate hiking with a day pack - as much as 8 miles daily along rock paths/cobblestones and plenty of uneven rocky surfaces in the dessert. My REI salesman showed me a great lacing technique to keep the toe box roomy yet provide adequate ankle support and a firm fit where needed. I look forward to many more treks with my Grassbows. I'm 59, weigh 175 lbs., and normally wear a 9.5 D dress shoe - the 10 M were just right.
I've beat the heck out of mine for 200+ miles of fast hiking on the AT and mine have lost a small chunk of tread but will still be good for maybe another 100 miles. I comfortably wear a size 13 in almost any shoe but my little toe on right foot is getting squeezed in these which leads to a nasty blister. They drain very and dry out very fast on the trail. I might be happier in a 14 in these.