I need a new pair of comfortable brown shoes that can be worn to work, but also in more casual settings. After a lot of looking, both online and offline, I've come across a pair that seems like it would meet my needs well.

[www.shoebuy.com]


My needs:

-comfortable
-brown (most likely leather)
-works equally well in work and casual settings
-waterproofness not a must, but nice to have, as I often walk or bike the 1.5 miles to work in all types of weather
-should also add that I do hike in the mountains a handful of times a year, and these shoes would be great for that, as I do not currently own any hiking shoes/boots.

I think these shoes will fit the bill well. I've never owned a pair of merrell's, but from the reviews I've been reading, they seem like high quality shoes that do what they're advertised to do, and do it well. I've looked at a bunch of the other brands (timberland, columbia, etc) and didn't find quite what I was looking for, but this seems like it will work for my needs exactly.

Anyone have any experience with merrells? Or have any other comparable shoes to recommend that will meet my needs and be in this same general price range?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2009 09:05PM by clay.

That's a great looking shoe. I own a pair of Merrells, a different style than these, but I've been very happy with the quality and fit. I say go for it.

I had a different style as well. Had them for a long time. Comfy and durable.

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I'm on my second pair although not in that style. they're awesome lightweight hiking shoes. rugged but not too firm.

i think i'd find them a bit much for daily wear. then again, i prefer indoor soccer shoes so i prefer sticking with lightweight shoes.

overall, they're probably exactly what you're looking for.

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Thanks, all!

The only concern I have with this shoe (or just about any shoe I buy) is whether it will allow my feet to breathe at all. My feet tend to get hot in shoes, so it's something I get used to, but I at least want to be aware of it. I know with this particular pair and the fact that they're waterproof and leather may not allow for a ton of breathing. I'm OK with that, as I'd probably wear these most of the time during fall-spring months, and less frequently during summer.

they also say they're gore tex. is that just an inner liner?

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any other shoe that I've ever had that was gore tex had the fabric/liner/membrane somehow integrated into the shoe. Not something that can be removed. I suspect it'd be similar for these shoes as well.

Wearing a pair of Merrills as we speak. My job has me both in the office and on hiking trails. Two years of near-daily wear, just now starting to think about a fresh pair. Mine do not have gore-tex. Never had any complaints about breathability. I do have other gore-tex light hikers (Rocky Boot) I like as well and wear often. I don't notice a breathing issue with those...except when I wear them in a warm office for long periods of time.

I've owned quite a few Merrells. My feet are in bad shape, but I can generally get about OK in the Merrells. The Ventilator styles are nice in warm weather: if there is a good breeze blowing, you can feel air moving through the shoes. No Merrrell style that I've owned has held up very well in urban use: the soles aren't great on concrete and pavement, although the vibram soles are somewhat better than the springier, softer type they used to use. If you walk a lot on those surfaces, you will find that the soles wear down pretty quickly. If you bike more than you walk, they'll last longer.

If you can find a place to try them on, I'd suggest that you do that before buying.

>>If you walk a lot on those surfaces, you will find that the soles wear down pretty quickly.

I definitely noticed that as well.

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mattkime
>>If you walk a lot on those surfaces, you will find that the soles wear down pretty quickly.

I definitely noticed that as well.

hmmm. that's probably where they'd get the majority of their use. something to think about.

I wonder if other similarly-styled shoes in this price range would suffer from the same fault?

have you tried them on?

i almost bought a pair of keen sandals -- the ones everyone seems to have -- was going to just try them on and take them, but decided to walk around the store. after 15 minutes of just walking around REI my feet were killing me

also, for hot feet -- thin socks =)

looks like REI has several other brands in that same "style"

for example, not quite as "rugged": [www.rei.com]

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Edited 999 time(s). Last edit at 12:08PM by jdc.

I have 6 pair of Merrell's about all I wear. The ones that are waterproof do not let your feet breathe. I actually change shoes twice a day, and let the shoes dry out for two days inbetween.

Brooks has a walker in brown. Nice looking shoe.

I love Merrels. I've gone through 4 or 5 pairs of them over the past few years(Oddly, by my parents demands getting mad at me that my shoes are dirty, but they've never failed me.)

The only reason I'm not wearing them now is because the new generation of the previous shoe I had sucked so I bought a pair of Pumas.

I was looking at a pair very similar to those at LL Bean last night.
I was on a spending spree. I needed boots, went home with several bags of stuff.
If you have a bigger Bean store (some of the smaller ones really pare down stock) you could try them on, and Bean has a rather liberal return policy.

I live in Merrell clogs in the cool weather - this year I bought a pair of Primo Chills and they have kept my feet toasty all winter.

Be advised that in my experience, Merrells run 1/2 size small.

i have a pair of size 12s that no longer fit me. anyone want 'em for shipping? pix available.

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I like Merrell shoes very much and find them to be really comfortable. But if you want your feet to be as happy as feet could ever be, try Keens.
[www.keenfootwear.com]

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What it comes down to is...don't buy shoes on t'internets.
I have almost exactly the pair of shoes you are thinking about- light hikers- and they are grand. Keens are de rigeur in Portland, but slip off my ankles and rub my toes the wrong way, but the rest of the family loves them.
Good luck

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Manlove
What it comes down to is...don't buy shoes on t'internets.
I have almost exactly the pair of shoes you are thinking about- light hikers- and they are grand. Keens are de rigeur in Portland, but slip off my ankles and rub my toes the wrong way, but the rest of the family loves them.
Good luck

I hear you, Manlove. I normally agree, and tend to purchase shoes at local stores. However, the town I live in doesn't really have any good options for this type of shoe, so I'm forced to look elsewhere. Rather than drive an hour or two for good selection, I figured internet would be the better option, especially since I can get free shipping both ways, and no sales tax with this vendor [www.shoebuy.com], so if it takes me a bit to find the best shoe, it's not a big deal.

If you are looking online - there are lots of vendors selling Merrells on e-bay NIB. You need to know what style and size you need, but bargains to be found.

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mattkime
>>If you walk a lot on those surfaces, you will find that the soles wear down pretty quickly.

I definitely noticed that as well.

The reason for that is that Merrills are outdoor shoes and are designed to be "grippy" in the wild, which requires use of a softer rubber for the sole. Softer rubber equals decreased durability when used in the concrete jungle, especially on a daily basis.

Merrill makes fantastic shoes. My Merrill hiking boots are perhaps the most comfortable shoes I own - I can (and have) wear them for a solid week at a time (besides sleeping bag time) with absolutely no discomfort.

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It is what it is.

All I wore were Merrill shoes, but lately they seem to be running small and narrow. I'll have to find something else.

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I'm not a bad guy! I work hard, and I love my kids. So why should I spend half my Sunday hearing about how I'm going to Hell? -Homer.

All I wore were Merrill shoes, but lately they seem to be running small and narrow. I'll have to find something else.

They changed the sizing several years ago. I have to buy new ones half a size larger than I used to. I don't think the change is in my feet: I tend to buy backup pairs when I find something that I can wear, and the backups from several years ago at the old size still fit fine when I cycle them into use. I wish I had bought more backups.

My strategy has been to try various Merrells on at the infamous Shoe Box and buy one pair, then use what I've learned about what models work OK and buy more online.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2009 11:20AM by ka jowct.