Merrell Moab Ventilator Mid

Summary

I would highly recommend these! Used only two pairs on my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2012.

I could not recommend these shoes enough. Let me explain.

I had no idea what to do for shoes while prepping for my Appalachian Trail thru-hike, and I spent a ton of time researching. I had a list of a dozen or so different brands, styles, sizes, etc.,  and I knew that I wanted a mid size because I thought it would be a good compromise between ankle support, weight and sturdiness. I came across these Merrells which retail right at $100, but I happened to find a good deal somewhere online for only $60. So I bought them. I think I tried them on maybe once at REI, but that was about it.

They came in the mail, and I was pleasantly surprised. Right out of the box they are extremely comfortable. That doesn’t tell you much until you start hiking for 8-12 hours a day in them though. So when that started, I was again pleasantly surprised. Normally you’ll have to purchase boots several weeks in advance, and then spend that time breaking them in, but honestly I didn’t do a bit of breaking these bad boys in.

They’re pretty breathable and so dry out fairly quick. As a side note, definitely do not get a Gore-Tex boot, because those will take days to dry out and will make your feet miserable.

These Merrells had another couple of awesome surprises. My first pair lasted for 1600 miles all the way until Massachusetts. In fact, they looked brand new all the way until I got to the awful state of Pennsylvania which pretty much shredded them. When I was in Virginia, a fellow hiker had told me about a deal that Merrell had specifically for AT thru-hikers, in which they would replace your boot for free one time only, and send it to you anywhere on the trail. Let me repeat. Fo’ free. 

Mine were sent to Dalton, Massachusetts and my second pair lasted all the way to Katahdin. So I essentially spent $60 on two pairs of boots. I heard of people having to purchase 3-4 pairs of shoes, spending upwards of $300. These were extremely popular on the trail, and I saw dozens of other hikers with these exact same shoes.

I’m very happy with them, and combined with my Superfeet insoles, they made for some extremely happy feet.

Summary

These boots have done it all for me including taking me up to the top of Iztaccihuatl's glacier in Mexico (17,000+ feet).

I'll start by saying I don't necessarily always use products by the book and tend to make things work outside of what they're necessarily meant for. However, I've had these boots for 2 years now and they've really done it all for me!

The Goretex, which I had previously read "wears out," has been amazing and has always kept my feet dry even in creek crossings (I just wouldn't go trudging through water, but for a slip up here and there they've kept my socks dry!).

They're great for hot weather with their breathability, and I've also managed to use them quite successfully in cold weather as well. I'll note that their cold weather use has been limited to late fall in the U.S. Midwest, so maybe down to just below freezing at night... and an Iztaccihuatl trip in Mexico which does have a  permanent glacier and requires crampons, however the summit was not EXTREMELY cold either.

Summary

Don't buy these boots with the expectation of having completely dry feet.

Although these boots were very comfortable, they are not waterproof. The seams that hold the boot together are done by machine and in the process, the waterproof "bootie" is punctured.

Save your cash, and get a boot that is not made in an Asian country.

I bought a pair of Moabs because the store didn't have the Chameleons I wanted. As everyone else has correctly pointed out, they are very very comfortable!

As most mistakenly say, these shoes are Not true to size! You will most likely need a size bigger then you normally wear, especially if you get the Goretex.

As with the other 5 styles of Merells I own, durability is not a strong suit of the brand. The Vibram soles are indestructible. But the uppers separate from the sole and the inner lining turns to toilet paper quickly and the foam comes out.

If you want a pair of comfortable shoes to wear out to the coffee shop, these shoes are great. For anything resembling hard use, look elsewhere.

I bought these boots a year ago this November and I have been unsatisfied with their performance. Although the boot has been gore-tex proofed, I have had a major issue with leakage.

I used this boot as a camping boot and as a hiking boot in appropriate weather. The boot, as I have found with many Merrell boots, were very comfy and good ventilators. I was unhappy to find out that the upper front of the boot came away from the sole, reading previous comments on this boot this seems to be quite a common problem, design fault maybe?

Another issue I have with the boot is they always seemed to lose heat. This issue may be related to the fault of the upper front and sole. I have found that the boots had fairly good traction but overall I was disappointed because I have previously owned Merrell boot and shoes and they have been outstanding.

I wouldn't recommend these boots and this experience has unfortunately put me off buying Merrell boots.

Out of the box on Monday, six miles on Tuesday.

I am a 64 year old kid who likes to hike, camp, and ride motorcycles. This winter I had to replace my summer boots and wanted a pair that would be both practical for all three activities and comfortable to wear all day long. You see, over the years I have put on about 60 extra pounds and have developed some kind of problem (heel spurs?) that make my size 14 feet hurt after being on them very long. Over the years I had discovered that some shoe/boot brands may feel comfortable in the store but can cause a lot of discomfort after brief use and that a few brands cause more discomfort than others. Therefore, I wanted to find a summer boot that would cause the least amount of discomfort.

I knew that I wanted a boot that was cool to wear in the hot summer months here in the deep south so I decided up front that boots with waterproof liners were out of the question. But I also knew that I would likely get caught in a few rainstorms on my motorcycle and wanted a pair that would dry quickly.

After a few weeks of reading boot reviews, I decided to buy a pair of Merrell Moab Ventilator Mid Hiking boots. They have side mesh panels that go down to the insole that reportedly allow water inside the boot to drain quickly and they reportedly dry very quickly after getting soaked. They also have a Vibram sole that provides secure traction on wet streets—this is good for motorcycle riders.

They arrived in the mail Monday afternoon and were surprisingly lightweight and comfortable. They felt like a pair of moccasins or sneakers. To break them in, I decided to wear them to work on Tuesday. After work, my feet still felt good so I decided to walk a short distance and my feet still felt good. So I continued the walk and completed a brisk six miles with no hint of a problem. These boots felt like a pair of running shoes and I think it is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

A very versatile boot! I left my GTX hikers at home when I trekked in Arctic Alaska with these boots and it proved a wise choice. I wanted excellent water drainage due to many stream crossings for which changing to waders was impractical. The vents go right down to the top of the insole, so there was no chance for puddles of water inside. (When water has breeched the top of my GTX boots, I was walking in water buckets.) After 10 minutes of hiking out of streams, my feet were wet but warm, and I found these boots dried overnight (I know that would not have been the case with leather and GTX).

I tested all this in Chicago winter weather, so I know the boots stay warm while wet down to the low 30s. My only concern is that traversing talus slopes, the sides of the boot uppers were not so stiff that my feet would slide well off-center of the soles, but in fairness I should note that I greased my feet with water-repellent cream. I actually preferred having these more flexible uppers compared to leather. The overall weight savings compared to my other boots was 1 pound, and that's sweet. It's a great choice of boot where you cannot fight off getting wet feet, so you must manage the situation instead.

I liked these boots a lot when i first bought them. they started leaking after a few weeks. took them back to the store and after a month they changed for new ones. that was 6 months ago.

they have never been 100% waterproof but i put up with that because they are v comfortable. now the soles are coming away from the uppers at the front and i've lost my receipt. i will never buy another pair which is a shame as i also have a pair of Merrell sandals which are great.

I bought these as summer dayhiking boots. I've bashed them on many SW trail miles, and they have protected my feet fairly well. They are light, and as breathable as they look, but they are much sturdier than their mesh/suede construction would suggest. The Vibram soles are solid, handling wet talus with no problem. These boots feel nimble, yet have a great stride. I have found a new go-to boot for dry weather.

Used them for two weeks on the AT and didn't have any blisters and they were dry on the inside every morning even after 4 days of rain due to the excellent breathability. LOVE them!!