There were a lot of discussions on a backpacking forum I belong to about this and the universal consensus came to be that Merrill was no longer a shoe we could recommend. As they got more popular their quality receded and I and others really mourned that.
Before we started buying Merrill's we bought aftermarket insoles for our shoes and many of us are back to doing that again. But you can do that with a lot less costly shoe and Merrill offers no real advantages right now over some of those cheaper shoes.
Selling a cheaper made shoe for the same premium price may have increased their profits a bit in the short term, but that cost them a huge amount of good will.
You cannot fool hikers or runners with inferior quality and they don't care what your logo looks like. Reputations rise and fall with them and Merrill has lost theirs.
Pretty shocking quality but what brand hasn't gone the same way?
My current pair of hikers are "RedHead Caliber" from Bass Pro and they cost about $50.
They're pretty close to the Merrill's I used to get as far as fit and comfort right out of the box and I was impressed with that. I didn't need to get aftermarket insoles or break them in. The soles are soft, similar to the Merrill's I liked and they grip good, and so far the waterproofing has held up after getting them wet about a dozen times (not soaked, just splashed wet) but I've only had them for about 6-7 weeks.
I don't expect they'll hold up as good as the Merrill's I used to buy but I can buy two pair and a good lunch for the same cost so it might work out just as good. So far I like them a lot.
Then a friend encouraged me to try vibrams. And suddenly I fell in love with running again. I have huge calves, and these helped tone them a lot more, but now my strike is mid-front, and it’s comfortable to go 4-6 miles (though I struggle keeping pace with my dog).
We have a wonderful suspension system built into our bodies, but it only works correctly when applied correctly. We do not strike the ground the same when running as when walking. And Vibrams taught me quickly to strike differently (especially if I wanted to avoid really sore heels). The springiness of running on our feet transfers to our ankels to our knees to our hips to our back. I’m not an expert, and I know others can run with a rear strike, but for my body shape and what I’ve learned to run with, the front strike was important and I have Vibram FF to thank for it!
https://www.vivobarefoot.com/
They are wonderful.
I bought a pair of (similar-looking to the article's Chinese shoe) shoes for $17 at Target one day after I stepped into a puddle on the way to work. I figured they'd last me perhaps through the summer of occasional wear; can't expect much for $17, right? Instead I wore them everywhere for about 3 years. Comfortable in all weather and terrain except when it was wet.
I should get another pair on the way home...
If you are timid about the price, they have regular clearance sales about twice a year, usually about 40% off. Just get on their mailing list. And buy quick as soon as the sale occurs!
I was another one of those that loved the first version. Ran them through multiple spartan races, half marathons, etc. They lasted a good 2 years before the sole really started to wear through. I remember looking for the next version during that time and seeing they were not continuing with the line. But they must have changed their mind, because they eventually came out with the trail glove 2.
I'm currently running with v2, with about a year of minimal wear on them, although it's mostly been weight training and 4 mile runs. They also seem to be continuing the line as it's now on v4. It would be interesting to see if there is any consistency on wear through the versions.
We picked them up from a martial arts store (this was during the Karate Kid fad), and sure enough, a quick search for "kung fu shoes" on Amazon is all it took, $10. I'm going to grab a pair as soon as spring rolls around…
I also clearly remember they did very little to protect your feet from the black asphalt playground heat in the middle of summer, lol.
There are lots of decent midpriced boots but all have the soles glued on. Typically they don't even last 1000 miles before they wear out and need replacement. The problem is that by then they have adjusted properly to my foot!
Now i've had the same boot for almost a decade, having been resoled four times. (in that time my dog has gone through about 10 sets of boots)
Yes, they are heavy, but they protect me from all sorts of absurd trail problems (ice, rocks, mine tailings, "punji sticks", weird grades and rock edges, etc). The stiffer sole prevents arch fatigue.
(Trick, which I did first for my off the shelf Asolo boots: I had the cobbler take them apart and put in a device that was basically a plastic half pipe with a flat plate at one end. The plate went above the boot sole and under the internal sole (under my foot) and the half pipe ran up the back of my ankle. Gave be a lot of additional stability on uncertain ground and prevented pronation). Even those Asolos were only about $300 and lasted a few years; I had the sole repaired at about 400 mi and then tried again, fruitlessly, after another couple of hundred. But they were super comfortable.
I had my boots custom made from a guy I met through my (then) local camping store in the Prenzlauer Berg. Cost about 1000 Euros. Sounds like a lot but on a per mile basis they have been cheap and they fit my feet like a glove.
Your best bet would be to talk to your local cobbler (what repairs can they make?) and your camping store because you need a local network who can support your boot. Also Dave Page in Seattle is THE GURU hiking boot cobbler and may recommend something. I have found the uppers of Asolo and Vasques boots to be outstanding, and I use a pair of modified Asolos as my jungle boots.
Oh, and despite what I said about hiking "shoes", I did hike from yosemite to the desolation wilderness (tahoe-yosemite trail) in Chaco sandals which have no ankle support. I wouldn't do it again, and all my toes ended up bloody, but it was actually pretty good.
My best solution has been to turn towards running sandals. I've done a lot of barefoot (foot to ground) running, but the sandals provide enough protection from hot pavement and rocky trails. Also, the main reason I've had to throw away my minimalist shoes is due to how bad they smell after a while. That's not a problem with sandals.
There's a great company based out of Santa Cruz called Shamma. Leather straps and made to order for $70. I get a few thousand miles out of them. I've done hundred mile stretches on the PCT in them and even ran a 50 mile race in them. And I swear to god I do not work for the company. https://shammasandals.com/
I'm not sure it was this particular buyer I bought from, but they are approximately this. Beware, it's pretty difficult (read near-impossible) to buy off taobao without chinese because the seller will expect that you chat with them about the purchase before they ship.
And the Vapor Glove is definitely not a follow-up to the Trail Glove, it's a different shoe. Merrell still makes Trail Gloves (though yes, the design has changed both for better and worse). I'm currently considering the Trail Glove 4.
Unfortunately, trial in the store was not long enough and/or was too distracting, but on both -- different models -- the "box" of the left boot is narrow than that of right. And over the course of a few hours and/or more extensive walking, this causes my left foot to hurt from the constraint. Meanwhile, my right foot is perfectly cosy and fine.
This is not something I have experienced regularly with other brands. For some reason, that season, Merrell seemed to be making lefts smaller/narrower.
(Unfortunately, I ended up severely ill for a couple of months, two days after purchase. By the time I was well enough to consider returning them, I was too embarrassed at the time passed. And I'd gotten them on quite a good combination of sales, meaning that the store probably would have had to eat their cost, if they took them back, due to model/yearly revisions.)
P.S. I'm returning to just buying "decent" stuff from LL Bean. I seem to find less size variation in their products (e.g. jeans). And even "premium" products too often seem to be a crap shoot, these days.
Although I do love and baby my Asolo's, bought from an expert who spent an hour fitting me. Over a decade ago, now. But I'm not going to wear them out on daily tromps for exercise on our local gravel trail.
P.P.S. I also had a pair of those Chinese slippers -- looked exactly like the ones pictured. Bought somewhere in San Francisco's Chinatown. They were ok, certainly for the price, although I wouldn't run in them. Had them until I took them to a friend's, because they were obsessive about people removing their shoes. Never got them back. You can't trust your friends, either. ;-)
You could also try different lacing styles for running shoes, checkout this graphic for different techniques: http://d2s0f1q6r2lxto.cloudfront.net/pub/ProTips/wp-content/...
I have a pair of Otz boots that I love, they look like Timberlands but have a really nice wide toe box, and a zero drop vibram lugged sole. And of course, they don't make them any more. I would have bought 3 or 4 pairs if I knew that to last me a while.
It's even worse with bike shoes, and I don't even have wide feet. I just want a pair of mountain bike shoes that don't make my toes hurt.
Now I have a pair of Mizuno Wave Inspire Wide (they are available in both normal and wide editions). They work great for me with wide feet and Morton's Toe [1].
Go to a store with a good selection and expertise and try _many_ shoes until you find a pair that fits great.
