Anyone found a replacement for Merrell hiking shoes?

[Brokenbear]

I used to wear New Balance shoes simply because they were the only one that did my feet good ...but that went away about 9 years ago but luckily I found Merrell Moabs ..getting about 3 years daily wear out of them ..made in Malaysia did not enthuse me but they worked well ..ordered a new pair to start working into the "rotation" and gleefully opened the box slapping them on and whoa !!!! like walking on marbles !!! ...so I look at the label and yes they are the model of choice "MOAB" ..darn this is bad ..then I notice "Made in China" in small letters on the tongue label ...UGH !!! What Krap...

I tried them for two and a half weeks and the mesh fabric started unraveling just below each ankle ..my 2.5 year old pair these were to replace are not raveled, and worse feel better to my feet than the new ones as I feel the knobs of the Vibrum cleats in the new vs still a soft smooth feel still yet with the 2.5 year old one's to be replaced ..

I dare say the only thing going for the new Chinese pair is ..they might smell just a skosh better than my old ones ..

Anyone with a good history of another brand of hiking/trail/walking shoe pleaze pipe up as these dudes are going back to Merrill

Bear

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Before I retired, a co-worker got me onto a New Balance steel toe tennis shoe that was very comfortable... required for our shop that required steel toe shoes.

When looking for a specific pair of vintage shoes, just search ebay. I don't know what exact model you are looking for, but I found tons of "pre-owned" Moab shoes.
You must be very specific with the search window info.
ie:
Merrell Mens Moab 2 Mid J06051W Brown Waterproof Hiking Boot Size 11.5W
.
Be sure to ask seller for country of origin, before you click "BUY"

[Czech_too]

While I do have a pair, actually the second pair, of Merrill sneaker style shoes, I also have a pair of Keen mid height shoes. After some years these need to be replaced and I'm seriously looking at the Keen brand again.

[jonp]

Keen. Wife and I have a couple of pairs each and have been wearing them for years. I wear a pair of hard toes for work and they are very comfortable. They are not hard core hiking shoes, though but more like day or weekend hikers.

[Sig]

Keen here as well. I have wide feet & they do have that option.

[Shawlerbrook]

Another Keen fan here .

[Half Dog]

I feel your pain. It’s frustrating, for me, trying to find a pair of shoes. When I find a shoe that fits me I’ll get 2 pair. When they wear out they won’t be produced anymore. I’ve asked a shoe person how long the shoes should last and got a surprising answer. I went home and asked google the same question. Again a surprise answer. Ugh

[fastdadio]

Maybe start looking here for American made boots and shoes;
https://americansworking.com/shoes.html
I went through the list and found these companies that may interest you;
https://helmboots.com/
https://www.americanmadeworkboots.com/
https://heartlandfootwearinc.com/
Good luck.

[Brokenbear]

Gosh it was wonderful to arise this morning to all kinds of positive vibes ..looks like Keen will get checked on my end first with so many users as well as following up the leads you all have suggested ..thanks all

Bear

[GregLaROCHE]

I always bought New Balance because of the larger width offered. For out in the woods, I wear White’s boots. They have served me well for many years. Consider looking into some of the American boot and shoe manufacturers. There’s nothing like a custom made shoe and they last a lot longer than those that are nothing more than plastic glued together. Whites has a selection of different kinds of shoes besides boots. I’ve heard good things about Nicks too. There are other American manufacturers as well.

[1eyedjack]

I wore moab hikers myself then the last pair were made in Vietnam! Different fit and quality sucked been wearing new balance but running into the same issues
I hate shopping for shoes, have large feet & the selection of 13 or 14 is often limited!

[trebor44]

Brand name is not really an indication of 'quality' since many brands are made to "specifications" of the seller or distributor. E.g. a large vendor (shall be un-named) sold a hiking boot originally made in Italy to Romania production, chasing the lower production costs! As always, it is 'buyer beware'!

[HWooldridge]

I have long narrow feet and wore New Balance when I was in my 30's and 40's but same problem as everyone else when they quit making ones that fit.

I've had good luck with Skechers since then. I have to shop because the models change all the time but I can usually find something that fits. Another choice is Converse - they make many models aside from the old basketball shoes many of us wore in school.

[Thumbcocker]

Bought a pair of Keens used at Moab gear trader. Some of the best money I ever spent.

[farmbif]

sure have found a replacement. LOWA renegade GTX. ive been through quite a few different quality brands of hiking shoes and boots, I won't list all the brand names. but this past summer I wanted to get my daughter a good quality pair of hiking shoes and we went to a bunch of places and saw a lot of overpriced junk. then we happened upon this small shoe store with an owner who not only is an old time cobler but has some sort of degree in feet and shoes and makes custom shoes and adjustments to shoes that are prescribed by doctors. this guy knows more about shoes and feet than anyone I ever met and only sells the best quality shoes.

anyway he put these LOWA shoes on our feet right out of the box and for me anyway there fit like no other shoes I had ever worn. fantastic stuff. not cheap but well worth every penny they cost. I had never heard of LOWA shoes before. turns out this LOWA company has a long and rich history of quality shoemaking and they are not made in china like all the other brands these days including brands previously mentioned here and danner and even red wing.
I could go on but if you might just try a pair of shoes made by these people.

[waksupi]

I have wide feet and have had a broken metatarsal that hurts all the time. I found comfortable shoes at

https://www.healthyfeetstore.com/wide.html

The pair I'm wearing at the time are about five years old. I had them resoled once, and the uppers are still in great condition. You might take a look at them.

[Frosty Boolit]

I Used to buy keen but the last pair I bought about 2 years ago felt really light and the outsoles seemed to be made of a material similar to Crocs. They came apart way to soon so I don't think I'll buy them again. I actually bought the Merrell Moab instead of the keen. I'm really not that satisfied with them either but I'll wear them out regardless.

[ShooterAZ]

My wife has Plantar fasciitis and wears orthotics. Finding comfortable hiking shoes for her has been a real challenge. The Merrill's she liked are discontinued. I bought her a pair of Danner "Mountain Overlook" boots and she says that they are the most comfortable boots she's ever owned. Danner has a full line of quality boots, you might take a look at them too.

https://www.danner.com/men/hike/mountain-overlook-monk-s-robe.html

https://www.danner.com/men/hike?sortId=product-family&stock_status%5B%5D=1&stock_status%5B%5D=0

[blackthorn]

I have come to the conclusion that if you find a product (any product) that you find superior, buy a case or several (pair of shoes) to hold in reserve. This is because once you find a good product it will not be long until it is either discontinued or produced somewhere else cheaper and the quality has been ruined.

[Brokenbear]

Well I am starting out with an order from the folks at KEEN and we will see if "the shoe fits"

but I will still investigate some of the other gems others have mentioned ..

Thanks all

Bear

[Brokenbear]

A side note ..Danners are great boots and we wore them in the airborne units ..only problem was always under sized and always narrow so every time I got new I had to soak then in Neets foot oil and wear them until dry and fitted ..you dang sure did the break-in and fitting on leave !
Bear

[kevin c]

I like my Keens too.

I also wore Merrill’s for years. Mostly gave up on them when three successive GorTex waterproof pairs all wet through on day one. They still are OK in dry conditions on gravel where I want something relatively light and that works for action pistol sports on gravel.

[ShooterAZ]

A side note ..Danners are great boots and we wore them in the airborne units ..only problem was always under sized and always narrow so every time I got new I had to soak then in Neets foot oil and wear them until dry and fitted ..you dang sure did the break-in and fitting on leave !
Bear

Sorry that you had to go through that! The Danner site recommended ordering a half size larger for minimal break in time. We decided to do that for my wife's boots, because of the orthotics. It worked out really good for us. I have a pair of the Mountain Light II boots and they have been a fantastic boot, although quite pricey. Made in the good ol' US of A though. Thanks for your service Sir.

[pete501]

I buy Danner with Danner-Dry 365 day waterproof guarantee. Pay with cash, keep the box and receipt, wear these exclusively and test for leaks before the time runs out. They always failed, some in less than 4 months. Then return to the retailer for a full refund. I rotate between 3 local retailers to fly below the radar. The boots are not leather and are pretty comfy. Never failed to get money back although one retailer had their own 60 day return policy that I had to argue with the manager, showing him that Danner's policy was to return to the retailer.

[Battis]

Asolo boots. Very stiff but great support. Keens break down too quickly for me. I wear the Asolo year round.

[jonp]

I Used to buy keen but the last pair I bought about 2 years ago felt really light and the outsoles seemed to be made of a material similar to Crocs. They came apart way to soon so I don't think I'll buy them again. I actually bought the Merrell Moab instead of the keen. I'm really not that satisfied with them either but I'll wear them out regardless.

I bought a pair on Amazon and the soles came off in about a year although the tops looked new. Took a picture, sent it to keen and they sent me a new pair with a free pair of socks. Those ran fine for a few years. Bought another pair on Amazon and the soles came off those too. Called Keen and told her the problem
She said that often the shoes on Amazon are either discontinued or several years old and the glue gets weak from storage. Make sure to buy Keens from the Keen store online or an authorized retailer. She also sent me a new pair anyways.
I used Shoe Goo to fix the soles and got almost a year out of them

[jsizemore]

Got these at Red Wing:

https://www.redwingshoes.com/work/mens/soft-toe/Traction-Tred-Lite-01221.html

Look heavy and stiff but are light and flexible. Good traction on the roof. Waterproof and lined to wick moisture away. Wear them to cross the pasture heavy with dew and ride the bikes. All day comfortable. My only complaints are sometimes the tread picks up a small stick or gravel and flips it in the top of the other boot. Happens about twice a year. Made in Vietnam. My truck tires are made there too. Stitching looked questionable but has stood for 3 years. Triple stitched where it matters. They can be resoled but it costs as much a new pair. I'm about due for some new foot pads inside.Tread shows no tear or wear. Squeaks on the polished floor at the PO. I'll buy them again when I get there.

[jonp]

A side note ..Danners are great boots and we wore them in the airborne units ..only problem was always under sized and always narrow so every time I got new I had to soak then in Neets foot oil and wear them until dry and fitted ..you dang sure did the break-in and fitting on leave !
Bear

What? No self respecting Jumper would be caught in anything other than spit shinned Corcoran's resoled with Goodyear tank treads. ;). I still have mine.

[BD]

I switched to Solomon "Cross Hike" two years ago. So far so good. I've put about 200 miles on them this year since getting a new GSP pup. The rubber is starting to fray a bit on the edges where it meets the cloth but the soles are still good and they still don't bother my feet.

https://www.salomon.com/en-us/shop/product/cross-hike-2-mid-gore-tex-wide-lg9232.html?CMPID=ps%7Cpm%7Cgoogle%7CSLM_BOO-PerformanceMax-ONG-ECM-USA_MAX_LW%7C%7C%7C&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_content=aa-cc&utm_keyword=&utm_campaign=SLM_BOO-PerformanceMax-ONG-ECM-USA_MAX_LW&gclid=CjwKCAjw-KipBhBtEiwAWjgwrLXhvhNyxkmlXj1rDN4ahdAp8IyC0_soH9v qNdAbjZ3pvfxcJRgGOhoCNuAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#color=74479

[MrWolf]

Got these at Red Wing:

https://www.redwingshoes.com/work/mens/soft-toe/Traction-Tred-Lite-01221.html

Look heavy and stiff but are light and flexible. Good traction on the roof. Waterproof and lined to wick moisture away. Wear them to cross the pasture heavy with dew and ride the bikes. All day comfortable. My only complaints are sometimes the tread picks up a small stick or gravel and flips it in the top of the other boot. Happens about twice a year. Made in Vietnam. My truck tires are made there too. Stitching looked questionable but has stood for 3 years. Triple stitched where it matters. They can be resoled but it costs as much a new pair. I'm about due for some new foot pads inside.Tread shows no tear or wear. Squeaks on the polished floor at the PO. I'll buy them again when I get there.

How are they or would be on mountain rocks, shale rocks, etc.? Pretty rocky here and these rocks destroy everything and are pretty sharp. Hard to find a comfortable hiking boot for regular wear. I have work boots for the dirty stuff. Thanks.
Ron

[jimdeere]

Another vote for Keen. I had a pair of Oboz (recommended by AT hikers) that were the most comfortable hiker I ever wore, but they didn't hold up the best. Also have a pair of Solomons, but I don't like the tongue.

[Brokenbear]

What? No self respecting Jumper would be caught in anything other than spit shinned Corcoran's resoled with Goodyear tank treads. ;). I still have mine.

Sorry ..Danners forever ..best ankle support of all !

[jonp]

I buy Danner with Danner-Dry 365 day waterproof guarantee. Pay with cash, keep the box and receipt, wear these exclusively and test for leaks before the time runs out. They always failed, some in less than 4 months. Then return to the retailer for a full refund. I rotate between 3 local retailers to fly below the radar. The boots are not leather and are pretty comfy. Never failed to get money back although one retailer had their own 60 day return policy that I had to argue with the manager, showing him that Danner's policy was to return to the retailer.

Not as much as the White's I bought in Flagstaff to cruise timber and do thinnings after graduating NAU

[jonp]

Sorry ..Danners forever ..best ankle support of all !

Heretic!!!!!!! When my daughter hit the sandbox on her first deployment there I bought her Danners before she left. She loves them and still will wear nothing else. She is overseas now and might end up there again. Her husband is SF and doing stuff but if she heads into the region wife and I will airmail her a new pair. Her husband is very specific on his footwear so I wouldn't send him anything.
One of my feet is 1/2 size bigger than the other. Everyday shoes no problem but in the military and outside climbing mountains with a pack it's a huge deal so I'm also kinda picky.
When I was on my way to Africa to climb Kilimanjaro I drove to the LLBean store in Freeport and spent an afternoon trying on hiking boots. Finally found one on one box and another in a different box of a different size that worked for me. Aside: I was the only guy on that climb without blisters and dry feet. Stunned me how many showed up not with Smart wool socks but cotton gym socks and fresh out of the box unbroken boots. To spend a week climbing a 19,000ft mountain.
Being on your feet 12-14hrs a day or more for weeks on end you quickly realize when you made a big mistake.

[shooterg]

I always bought New Balance because of the larger width offered. For out in the woods, I wear White’s boots. They have served me well for many years. Consider looking into some of the American boot and shoe manufacturers. There’s nothing like a custom made shoe and they last a lot longer than those that are nothing more than plastic glued together. Whites has a selection of different kinds of shoes besides boots. I’ve heard good things about Nicks too. There are other American manufacturers as well.

Many of the American made boots can be resoled by the makers also - most footwear these days aren't made tom be repaired.

[farmbif]

there is no one else that has tried on a pair of LOWA shoes? I've got all the other brands mentioned here , keen, merrel, Danner, at least 1/2 dozen pair of red wings, and maybe its just me but those LOWA's are so much superior there is little comparison for a waterproof, hiking or hunting shoe. if only they had a steel toe for when doing things that its wise to have that protection.
ii do have some fantastic keen waterproof super insulated snow shoes that I use when its freezing and snow out., but the fit and comfort just still doesn't compare.

[Brokenbear]

well my Keen's arrived and they look well stitched ..look a little narrower than my current Merrell's but feel fine width wise (I wear wides) ..I also believe their heel is abrupt enough to do well in the field ..
I will try to remember to revive this thread in 6 mo to update the wear and comfort eval ..currently the "foot print" feel is good so we will see if I am feeling the tread pattern or arch support failure in 6

[technojock]

Another vote for Keen. I wear Keen sandals and other members of my family wear their boots.

Tony