Merrell

Ontario 85 Wool Mid Waterproof Hiking Shoe - Women's

Where comfort meets quality

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

Size Bought:

8

Height:

5' 3"

Weight:

127

I don't have many miles on these yet, but I can tell you that right out of the box I knew there would be little to no break in period. I typically wear trail runners because I am not a fan of most of the hiking boots out there. The ones I see are usually clunky, crazy colors (great if that is your thing, but I personally do not want to highlight my feet while on trails) and sometimes overkill when it comes to their benefits/add -ons. I wanted something that would be more waterproof, and provide some more support and protection for my ankles- and these fit the bill! I would argue that they are almost like a hybrid of a hiking boot and trail runner. Trail runner comfort, with more stability and protection. But if you are looking for a stiff, rugged hiking boot, this will likely miss the mark for you. I am excited to get out on some more winter hikes to really test the waterproofing on these. I typically wear a 7.5 in most shoes, but always size up for boots. I got a size 8 and I have enough room in the toebox where I am not squished, but ample room to wear some nice, thick wool socks. So I would say these run fairly TTS. I would stick to your current size, or a half size up depending on how much room you like. These are plush and warm inside, so they will likely remain a Fall/Winter boot, they may be too hot for the Summer/Spring (but I will test that out once those seasons roll around) All in all, I am very happy with this boot. I will make any updates after a few more miles have been put on them, but I think these are a solid choice for hikers of all levels! (For hiking reference, I do anything from smaller 2 miles loops, to rock scrambles, river crossings and base camps.) I did not see many reviews on these floating around the internet, so I wanted to make sure I put one out there.