Decent boot but poor longevity for price

By Eric Darsow Ranked #588 - Men's Hiking Boots January 9, 2010

Having had my feet eaten alive by more aggressive Vasque Zephrys, I decided to try these Merrell's which certainly are a more comfortable fit than others. Surprisingly, they didn't destroy my unusually protruding heels like most boots (even after months of break-in), so I was initially very satisfied. While they are not as stiff as a full-out backpacking boot, I hiked at least 200 miles in them and the waterproofing held up nicely. I could ford small, ankle-high streams no problem for several months. Obviously, since Gore-Tex is a breathable mesh technology, they will slowly allow some water through if you're hiking all day in the rain. This is to be expected, in my experience with GTX. You can't go wrong with Vibram soles.

After a summer of backpacking and one canyoneering trip, though, the shoe began to fall apart. First, the stitching that holds the peices of dura leather together tore open. I took the boot to a cobbler and he re-stitched the 4 or so inches of split fabric. Yet I soon realized the integrity of the boot was gone. Within another 20 or so miles, the top of the boot split from the sole and there's nothing a cobbler can do. Since these are not cheap shoes, I was surprised to see stitching come apart after only one season. I'm not sure if I was just misusing them for backpacking, but I was disappointed.

In short: Comfortable and good for day hiking, but they probably will not hold up for sustained backpacking or very aggressive terrain.

View Details: Merrell Outland Mid GTX Boot - Men's

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