Merrell Energis Mid Waterproof

Great fit right out of the box, men's size 10. Good enough for wet trails that aren't ankle deep in water.

For men's size 10, average arch, a great fit right off the bat. Stitching is good, footbed is okay so far. After about a cumulative thirty miles of hiking through deep wet grasses and shallow puddles, the "waterproof" description is accurate.

I got them during the rainy season in Oregon, which seems to be nine months at a time. I don't walk through lace-deep water with these and if need be, I'll apply a proper aftermarket wax treatment.

Breathable? No problems so far and my feet stay warm.

Traction is fine on the trail although the soles feel a bit hard walking on pavement but sticky enough for rocks and boulders.

My only complaint is that the round nylon laces refuse to stay tied, even in double bows. This seems to be a problem with that type of lace on a lot of brands. After a week of constantly re-tying them I replaced the laces with a pair that have a flat twisted design (from a pair of New Balance trail runners) and have not had a problem since then.

All in all, a very good boot for day hiking and backpacking. As always, good Merrell quality.

Background

Forty years of Northwest hiking in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Wyoming along with occasional XC skiing. I still use my Merrell XC BC touring boots from 1988 about five times a winter.

Bought 11 months ago. Used for only hikes and long walks the first four months then everyday wear after that. Typical Merrell, comfortable and durable.

I must say I'm surprised by the durability of these boots. With the soft sole, cloth eyelets and light weight I didn't expect them to last long. Now after 10 months I'm halfway through the tread and they still work great.

My left boot always leaked even when new. I didn't expect the waterproofing to be as good as say a Goretex lined boot. The cloth eyelets for the laces I expected to tear; they still haven't. Even on occasions where I got them snagged on metal objects they held strong.

The all-day out-of-the-box comfort is what you expect from Merrell. I haven't felt the need to add third party insoles and I can't recall suffering from blisters even after walking on roads all day in these boots.

One thing I dislike about these boots is the sole is more flexible than any pair of shoes I've had. Some see this as a good thing and like soft soles. I prefer a hard sole that takes some force to flex.

All in all I am very satisfied with these and might pick up another pair if I see them on sale.