User Review: Merrell Chameleon II Stretch

Merrell Chameleon II Stretch
Above: The current Chameleon II Stretch, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed February 20, 2007 by Neal

Rating:
Use: day hikes, retail work
Break-in Period: 0
Weight: 150

I sell hiking boots and shoes for a major outfitter and spend hours standing on concrete floors and running up and down stairs. When I first started the job, I tried everything -- Ecco walking shoes, Vasque hiking boots, Nike multi-sports and even dress shoes. No matter what I wore, at the end of the day I had sore feet, occasional blisters and a sore back. I read the literature and product reviews on the Merrell Chameleons, and decided to try a pair. I liked them so much I bought a second pair.

I've found that they are just as good on the trail as they are at work. They felt great out of the box with no break-in period required. They provide reasonable, but not rigid stability and the collar that goes around your foot does a good job of keeping debris and pebbles out of your shoes. I'd really recommend them to anybody as a high quality light hiker and as a substitute for everyday sneakers.

I have only a few complaints about these shoes. They are really, really unattractive, or maybe I'm really, really too old. I ordered one pair that was supposed to be chocolate and red in color, but the "chocolate" is actually an unpleasant greenish gray. Lastly, Merrells almost always run 1/2 - 1 size smaller than your normal shoe size. That's no problem in the store, but if you are mail ordering you need to take this sizing disparity into account. Other than that, these are great shoes that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

Save & Share