Merrell Moab Speed Mens Hiking Shoes, Brindle / US8.5

My initial 60 km or so on trail with these shoes has been trouble free and they’ve been comfortable right out of the box. Still very early days but I feel that the Moab Speed is a real improvement over my previous hiking shoes, the Moab 2 Ventilators. The Speed is a noticeably lighter shoe with better cushioning and the rock plate definitely improves underfoot protection. Traction is excellent too. I really like that the uppers are a slick synthetic with almost no stitching and none of the water absorbing leather trim and mesh that the Ventilators had. Dirt and water seems to mostly roll off and I haven’t had to dig any grass seeds out. Breathability hasn't suffered as far as I can tell. Width is good although I’d prefer the toe-box to be a little roomier, however ... MoreMy initial 60 km or so on trail with these shoes has been trouble free and they’ve been comfortable right out of the box. Still very early days but I feel that the Moab Speed is a real improvement over my previous hiking shoes, the Moab 2 Ventilators. The Speed is a noticeably lighter shoe with better cushioning and the rock plate definitely improves underfoot protection. Traction is excellent too. I really like that the uppers are a slick synthetic with almost no stitching and none of the water absorbing leather trim and mesh that the Ventilators had. Dirt and water seems to mostly roll off and I haven’t had to dig any grass seeds out. Breathability hasn't suffered as far as I can tell. Width is good although I’d prefer the toe-box to be a little roomier, however that’s an individual preference rather than a general criticism. So if the Speeds can hold together for close to 800 kms like my old Ventilators, and if the midsole retains most of its current cush (the Ventilators midsole faded rather fast), I’ll be very happy.

These are nice shoes, and most people will get on well with them. They're good for city walking and very light hiking, well ventilated. These shoes aren't good for people who use custom orthotics. The shoe is very soft compared with most Merrell shoes, and the orthotic gets pushed up in unusual locations, which hurts my foot. So if you have normal feet you're probably good with these shoes, but with custom orthotics skip them.

Best shoes I have bought in years

These are my new favorite shoes. I live in a volcanic area where there are cinders and very small sharp rocks that most shoe soles pick up and track into my house. These do not pick up small rocks in the tread, that was very important to me. Just by looking at the soles I was pretty sure they would work. They are different than the other Merrill hiking shoes. The fact that they are also very, very comfortable is just a added bonus. I have a wide toe area and I read they were not the best for narrow feet so that was another thing I needed and they fit my size perfect. I wear them all day in comfort. I will buy them again. They only had the brindle color but they fit so good I would wear any color but pink.

Comfortable, although not durable

I bought these to hike part of the Appalachian Trail. After hiking parts of Maine and Georgia in them, I have some thoughts...The Good: they are very comfortable right out of the box. They feel great on trail. They have a cushy ride that resulted in zero blisters over 80 miles of hiking. They are lightweight and stable.The bad: they would never hold up long term on the Appalachian Trail, they just aren't durable enough. Full disclosure, I've had two pairs of these now - one pair I took out for a modest 9.5 miles on the AT in Maine. Afterwhich the sole began peeling away from the mid-layer foam (see pictures). After a warranty replacement and a brand new pair, I took them out for 40 miles on the trail in Georgia. During which, the sole began breaking and peeling ... MoreI bought these to hike part of the Appalachian Trail. After hiking parts of Maine and Georgia in them, I have some thoughts...The Good: they are very comfortable right out of the box. They feel great on trail. They have a cushy ride that resulted in zero blisters over 80 miles of hiking. They are lightweight and stable.The bad: they would never hold up long term on the Appalachian Trail, they just aren't durable enough. Full disclosure, I've had two pairs of these now - one pair I took out for a modest 9.5 miles on the AT in Maine. Afterwhich the sole began peeling away from the mid-layer foam (see pictures). After a warranty replacement and a brand new pair, I took them out for 40 miles on the trail in Georgia. During which, the sole began breaking and peeling away from the mid-layer foam again (see pictures). I understand the trail can be brutal, but this kind of damage is simply too much to recommend these for any serious hiker. With the kind of reliable mileage these shoes are getting, you would need at least 21 pairs to get you through the AT.My recommendation: If you're walking a relatively flat dirt surface, these will do just fine. If you're wanting to have some real adventure in these, best to look elsewhere.

Disappointing fit

These have a much different fit than the Merrell Speed Mid winter boots which are a great combo of winter boot and running shoe, Have used the winter version with max comfort as a liftie in NH for 8 weeks and they are the best boots ever! the Merrell Moab Speed lows have a much stiffer sole plate and don't fit the same as the winter boot . Still completely love the winter boot as it is the most comfortable/soft cushioned winter boot that I have ever owned. The summer shoe is very different.

Great Summer Shoe

I bought these for a trip to Las Vegas where I was doing some hiking. I used them for a couple of 600m elevation gain hikes and lots of walking around and had no problems. They are good light summer shoes that fit my foot well. I had previously bought several pairs of Salomon XA Pro 3D shoes that fit perfectly and I was used to buying them online since I knew size 10 would fit well, so I was skeptical with ordering these online but they fit perfectly. I have no problems with the shoe after 3 weeks of use. The shoelace comes undone sometimes but that is to be expected.

Great upgrade from Moab 2 Ventillator

As my daily shoe I?ve been wearing Moab 2 Vent?s for many, many years. I prefer a ?tennis shoe? type shoe so these light hiking types of shoes are my preference as they give far more support and durability.The Moab Speed is a fantatsic shoe. They feel much lighter and far less bulky than the Moab2 and the fit feels more like a running shoe. I just bought a second pair after my personal evaluation period.I use them as my daily shoe, my gym shoe, mountain biking shoe, walking and hiking shoe. I always replace the stock insoles with Superfeet insoles for an even better fit.It a standard (D) width shoe and I?ve always bought a 1/2 size up (11 to fit my 10.5 foot measurement).Please don?t stop making this shoe Merrell!

Not what I expected from Merrills

Not a fan of these shoes. I bought these on line because they looked light and breathable. (I live in Phoenix) I went a size up and these were still very tight and narrow. The soles pinched in the arch of my foot. Not well suited for the desert as your feet swell as you hike.

Section hiker

I absolutely love love love the Moab Speeds! I am building up mileage to thru hike the AZT and have not found a more comfortable shoe. My feet love these shoes. Incredibly lightweight, awesome aggressive tread design and amazing support. I have done numerous 18 mile days with these and have no complaints whatsoever. I check the REI outlet frequently and snag up as many Size 12's as possible. Highly recommended.

Sloppy Fit & Questionable Traction

I bought these a couple weeks ago and didn't love the fit in the store but they told me I could bring them home and wear them around the house to see if I could get the fit dialed in - and as long as I didn't go outside, because I have a membership, I could return them.Well, the results are in - regardless of the socks and the lacing method (I'm an avid hiker and have used different lacing styles to lock in my heel or give the shoe a different feel) they always felt sloppy. I can't speak for the traction outside, but on the steep stairs in my house, which I ran up and down with them, they slid all over the place - something my other hikers doing the same test do not do. It's weird because the traction looks good and they are Vibram soles, but the grip is poor. So ... MoreI bought these a couple weeks ago and didn't love the fit in the store but they told me I could bring them home and wear them around the house to see if I could get the fit dialed in - and as long as I didn't go outside, because I have a membership, I could return them.Well, the results are in - regardless of the socks and the lacing method (I'm an avid hiker and have used different lacing styles to lock in my heel or give the shoe a different feel) they always felt sloppy. I can't speak for the traction outside, but on the steep stairs in my house, which I ran up and down with them, they slid all over the place - something my other hikers doing the same test do not do. It's weird because the traction looks good and they are Vibram soles, but the grip is poor. So with fit and traction a big NO I can't give these more than 2 stars and will return them.The version I wore are not meant to be waterproof - there is no such thing in a low "waterproof" shoe anyway and I don't buy waterproof runner-style footwear because it adds weight, slows down drying when they get wet, and turns your footwear into a canoe full of water if you step in anything deeper than a S'more. The plus side of these are their weight - very light - and the style is actually decent, which can be hard to find in these hybrid trail-runner/hikers. The material looks like it would dry fast and the ventilation was good, but not as good as trail runners.I have low-volume feet so generally I don't like how these are laced - I prefer eyelets in the shoe. These looked like they would work however, so I was hopeful, but no matter how hard I cinched them down or what socks I wore, the fit was always sloppy. Looking at it, you can see the lacing system is way too simple for a hiker. Altra, Oboz, and Salomon all do a much better job in general with their lacing systems.I can't recommend, sorry Merrell. Maybe after a few more generations of this shoe I'll try them again. They have potential, but are just way off right now.