I recommend Salomon. I wear Salomon XA Pro almost daily. I have found them to be very comfortable, and they provide excellent arch support for me.

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:
Sadly Merrell no longer offers either wide widths or special order.

Not true. A ton of Merrel models are still available in Wide Width: https://www.merrell.com/US/en/...de-width-boot-shoes/

(Their Wides are ostensibly 2E width, but I wear a 4E, and their Wides fits just fine if I go up a half-size, so they run a bit wider than 2E...)

quote:

Originally posted by got2hav1:
Oboz, the only hiking shoes I will buy. Very good if you have plantar fasciitis. A little heavy and kinda hot, but are very comfortable and good in the wet.

I’m very happy with my Oboz hikers as well.

Vasque and Keen.

For Shoes I do like the Merrills.

For boots, I have found the Irish Setter brand to be extremely comfortable and supportive.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by bald1:
Sadly Merrell no longer offers either wide widths or special order.

Not true. A ton of Merrel models are still available in Wide Width: https://www.merrell.com/US/en/...de-width-boot-shoes/

(Their Wides are ostensibly 2E width, but I wear a 4E, and their Wides fits just fine if I go up a half-size, so they run a bit wider than 2E...)

Glad the 2E work for you but they certainly don't for me.

quote:

Originally posted by mike56:
I'm done with Merrill. Don't last at all.

Lowa and just started with Keen. Ugly as sin but wide toe box feels great.

For awhile Keen was known for being the most comfortable pair of birth control in the outdoor industry

I’ve been using the heck out of Oboz Firebrand for years. I usually wear out the tread in a couple years with no issues along the way. I haven’t tried the mid top boots yet but will
Soon

I am on my last pair of Keen work boots.

Loved the way they fit, but the soles delaminated on my current pair in less than 1 year, the insoles have holes worn through and are crumbling.

Used to like Doc Martin, then Sketcher shoes, Teva sandals, and they all had the soles crack or delaminate.

Looking for something better. Ymmv.

Edit to add for clarity: I have had many pairs of Martins, Keens, Sketchers, and all were great until they weren't.

I still have my first pair of Teva sandals, tread is gone, almost wore a hole through them but they are still usable. I got a new pair of the exact same ones, and before one season was up the soles came apart like a dollar pair of flip flops.

My guess is they found a way to reduce costs, and it came out of their souls, uhm err, soles.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: dynorat,

I've worn several different brands, Vasque, Merrell, and Oboz.

While I would recommend each, Oboz fit me best and seem to have an edge in quality.

I wear Merrell Moabs daily, Solomon Ultra mids for day hikes and trails, and Scarpa and Danner are for the really reals hikes.
On Merrells website you can get Moab 2's on sale. Use EXTRA30 in the discount code for 30% off.

Salamon and Lowa have fit me the best.

I've had Merrells in lighter models I liked, but it has been a while. Also, they didn't hold up quite as well as Lowa.

It is a lot about fit. Asolo make a good boot or shoe, but they don't generally fit me right.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er;
The Merrill’s are comfortable but I wouldn’t consider them durable hiking boots beyond casual day hikes.
...

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by Black92LX:
Had one pair of Merrell Moabs because folks raves about them and I blew through them quite quickly.

Yep. Merrell Moab 2s are fantastically comfortable and functional shoes... For about 6-9 months of regular use before they start to wear out.

They give up the ghost noticeably faster than other brands in their price range, and noticeably faster than the older Moab shoes did.

I love them, but I hate dropping $100+ for less than a year's worth of wear.
...

quote:

Originally posted by mike56:
I'm done with Merrill. Don't last at all.

Lowa and just started with Keen. Ugly as sin but wide toe box feels great.

Yeah, these are my experiences with Merrell also, and I'm always surprised when I hear people raving about them.

Years ago (mid '90s), one of my brother who was also into hiking, had just let me know he was coming out for a visit and I wanted to check out some local trails in the new area I was living in, so I rushed out to buy a new set of hiking boots, in hopes that I'd have them broken in by the time he arrived. Bought a pair of Merrell suede leather full length hiking boots (on sale). The uppers lasted fine but, after only 6 months and a handful of day hikes only lasting a few miles, the soles of both boots quickly separated from the uppers, starting at the heals and progressing forward. It got to a point where my boots would make this annoying double clap as the separated sole would rebound and slap the upper with every step I took. Store wouldn't take 'em back and I stowed them for a while before realizing there was no real hope of saving them and trashed them.

Early mid 2000s I bought a second pair of Merrell sneakers to use at work and just general knock around shoes. Within 6-8 months the soles started to separate from the uppers and the backs of the uppers against my achilles heal area were frayed and blown out, causing pressure and sores/ irritation.

I love the comfort and looks of Merrells, but they just don't seem to last long.

Although I haven't used them for hiking, the couple pairs of Keens that I've owned and used for general urban use have lasted much longer than my Merrells, and I rate them on par in terms of comfort... but the Merrells have the edge when it comes to looks. As mike56 pointed out, the Keens have a generous toe box. I've got one pair of Keens that are probably 10 years old and, while they are tired and worn, and the insoles don't offer much impact cushion anymore, they are still wearable and I still use them for light easy walks. I'll get around to replacing them eventually.

The absolute best pair of hiking boots I've owned and used significantly on both hiking trails and urban use were my leather midweight Vasque Ibex. Causing some blisters on my Achilles heal area when new when I started hiking on trails with inclines/ declines, they were painful to break-in and and I almost gave up on them, but after @ 3-4 day hikes they suddenly stopped hurting and became incredibly comfortable, and gave me incredible support and fantastic traction on treacherous terrain...and I loved how quiet a boot they were.

Interestingly, I thought my Vasques were from the Italian mfr. era, but just checking the box the label indicated they were actually Chinese mfr.

I wore my Vasques right into the ground, after hundreds (thousand??) of miles of use, to the point where both soles literally broke in half and my feet were sticking out. I kept them for another couple years because I couldn't bring myself to throw them away, even tried to duct tape them together, but that didn't work, and I finally manned up and tossed them...I should've built a raft and a funeral pyre for that pair of Vasques.

Not having read the thread, I have these coming tomorrow.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've been wearing Merrell Moabs for years. The ones on the left are the ventilated version. The ones on the right are the waterproof model. One of them is "walnut" color and the other is "beluga." After these wear out, I'll be buying the same shoes, assuming they haven't changed.

A friend of mine was a Sargent in the Marines.

I forget the boots he suggested for other shape of feet, but I have flat ones, and he suggested Keens.

Oddly, my brother had high arches, and also finds keens very comfortable.

He was a big fan of buying the lightest boot which would work, and replacing them every 6 months.

Weight on the feet is very tiring. I noticed a significant difference in how I feel after quail hunting in S TX between my old Heavy, last forever boots, and keens.

I guess none of you Merrill folks have Sasquatch feet? I wear a 13, and the Moab 3 was way to short for my foot. Still looking for something I can get to fit well.

Put me in the "Merrill don't last like they used to" camp. I bought a pair of Merrill Moabs in college to wear at a summer long geology camp in southern Utah. I torture tested them at that camp, hiking miles in streams, over mountains, rock scrambles, jogging, you name it. Those were the single greatest pair of shoes I've ever owned. Comfortable, indestructible, durable - they were awesome. I'd probably be wearing them still if my feet hadn't grown another half size since college.

When I finally ponied up for another pair of Merrills about 10 years ago, I was disappointed to see them falling apart within 6 months. The replacement pair lasted about a year. Last year I bought a pair of Merrill sneakers from the local outlet mall, and my pinkie toe blew through the side within 4 months.

In between the Merrills, I've owned Keen, Salomon, and Vasque. I give the quality nod to Salomon of all the brands named. If they fit you right (they can run a touch narrow), they are awesome.

Keen. The wide toe box fits my nasty feet.

In 1962 I walked into the Danner Boot Company in downtown Portland. Charles Danner made lasts of my feet and produced these!