How to Choose Hiking Boots

Trail insights and hiker feedback led to this latest innovation of the Merrell Moab shoes. They're more breathable, comfier underfoot and give you better traction on the dirt.
Imported.
View the Merrell Moab Product LineView all Merrell Men's Hiking ShoesBest Use | Hiking |
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Footwear Height | Ankle |
Footwear Closure | Lace-up |
Upper | Engineered mesh (39% recycled)/TPU |
Lining | 100% recycled mesh |
Midsole | FloatPro foam |
Support | Lightweight FlexPlate |
Outsole | Vibram TC5+ rubber |
Vegan | Yes |
Weight (Pair) | 1 lb. 7.97 oz. |
Gender | Men's |
Sustainability | Contains recycled materials |
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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I’m in my 50’s with a lot of hard miles of wear and tear. US Marine radioman grunt and a catastrophic injury to my feet it has made finding the best fit of footwear difficult at best. That is until now! I don’t know why I decided to buy these but I’m very happy I did! I am on my feet for long periods of time in my current profession these shoes are SO COMFORTABLE that I actually look forward to wearing them and at the end of my days my feet aren’t killing me. Lightweight and airy as well as having support that allows me to climb a ladder without pain from the rung. I pray that they never change these. I bought a second pair for casual wear and use my original purchase for work.
Thanks for the awesome feedback!
I bought these recently. Went hiking in the Colligiate Mountains in Colorado. Steep, rocky, loose gravel trails. These shoes did great! Great traction, sure-footed. Highly recommend them.
I have walked the 500-plus-mile Camino de Santiago Pilgrimage four times, with another one coming up this September. The first year, I used a competitor's shoe and almost had to drop out. More blisters than I could count. Since using this shoe, I'm blister-free. No break in needed. As soon as I finish one trek, I buy another pair. I continue to use them at home for trail running and at the gym. They must have 1,000 miles each on them. Please don't make any major changes as they are perfect now. Thanks,
Thank you for your exceptional feedback!
I am a lifelong Merrell hiker. Since the original Moab, I have enjoyed the out of the box fit, durability, and performance. I decided to try the Speed 2’s for the GR 65 in France after buying a test pair and putting 75 miles on them in Arizona. I purchased a new pair just for the hike which is 750km/500 miles in 31 days. It’s a trail that is 60% mixed trail and 40% paved. The good: great comfort and style as usual with Merrell’s They are lightweight and dried quickly after several rainy days. They performed well for a lightweight trail runner. At first. The bad: They just didn’t last. After 250 miles I had to replace them with something else on the trail. I usually get about 1000 miles from my Moab’s. Not these. Not even close. 4 lugs were worn to the base plastic layer. Very disappointed and it was very difficult to find something to replace them with in rural France. My experience is that these are great for casual hiking but not for any serious or long-term duty. 2 Stars. 1 Star for each hundred miles these shoes lasted.
We'd love the opportunity to look into this and help at 800-288-3124 or live chat at Merrell.com
These seem pretty good so far, cushioning is nice and a step up from the standard Moab 3, traction is excellent, breathability is high and they dry very quickly after getting wet. My only real complaint is it's taken a little fiddling with lacing to get a good secure heel lock because the foot opening is very generous. For anybody wondering these are just a hair narrower than the Moab 3, I think if you wear the 3s in a wide and find them comfortable then these should work, much more width than the Novas I tried previously.
Thank you for sharing your review with us.
The midsole foam is just waaaay to soft and sloppy. The rubber seems to dampen rather then return the energy very well, and the result is a shoe that is extremely hot on the bottom of the soles. After 4 miles, my soles were so hot I thought I was getting blisters. @merrell: I would remove about 20% of the stack height and stiffen the foam up a little to be just barely softer than a moab ventilator. Aim for that 30 durometer range.
Thank you for your feedback. If we can help please give us a call at 800-288-3124.
The Moab Speed 2 in wide has been great for me in the first month. I was looking for a casual shoe with a very stiff platform which flexes where my forefoot flexes and the Speed seems to fill the bill. I wear custom orthotics and even with them in my shoes I still have plenty of height around my ankle. A bonus; the laces stay tied even without double knots! For walking on gravel or a very rough single track with my two German Shepherds I have found my old-school Moabs give a bit more protection against rocks and sticks coming through, but I love the fit and feel of the Speed 2. At first I thought they were too short in my regular size (11W) but the toe box is a little shallow compared to regular Moabs and I can feel it with my big toenail. Not enough to create a problem, though, and now after a month the mesh has stretched in that are and I do not notice it. I will buy these again!
Thanks for sharing your experience!
As someone who has trouble finding footwear and ski boots wide enough for my feet, these fit wide feet well. Even if tight out of the box, they break in with use and adapt to your feet well. They give a solid platform and enhance balance in uneven terrain. I will purchase another color in this same model.
Thank you for your fantastic review!
I have several pair of Merrell low rise Moab boots. The Speed 2 is lighter overall, including the Vibram sole. The Speed 2 has a lower profile and thus is better for summer or warmer climates and walking around town. The wide version of the Speed 2 is also more comfortable than the traditional Moab.
Thanks for sharing your great feedback!
I bought these specifically for their light weight and great tread. I’m not a runner, but these were the perfect choice for packing for hikes on trails in Europe. Their first big test was hiking the very rugged, hilly, rocky trails and steps between towns in Italy’s Cinque Terre. They were perfect.
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