Merrell Radius

I have now owned these shoes for 2 years so I felt that I can finally leave an accurate and worthwhile review. To start let me give you some personal stats: I am 6'2", 230lbs and size 15 shoes (i have very wide feet (3E) and wear their standard width is perfect). I have a very low natural arch, almost flat. Average miles hiked in a week are about 10-15 on top of just daily walkaround use.

The Review: I wear these shoes almost daily for hiking, backpacking, disc golfing, and just normal shoes. I'm from Northern Illinois but these shoes have been everywhere from the midwest to the southwest to the northwest and the mountains. In all conditions they have excelled, although when it gets extremely hot outside there is some minor overheating of the feet.

Just two months ago a small area of the sole began to separate (right where i rotate off of when I am disc golfing). The waterproofing has begun to fade some (starting about 6 months ago) and where the tongue attaches I have occasionally experienced some leakage. The break-in period was very short and at no time in the life of the shoes has my feet hurt or have I gotten blisters.

Since surface performance is what matters here it goes; general brown/black dirt: excellent, sand: excellent, snow and ice: good, mud: excellent, rock: very good, and pavement: excellent. I do enjoy climbing trees to which these shoes preform beautifully.

These shoes have impressed me so much that I will be a lifetime Merrell supporter as long as they continue to make such fine products. I tell everyone I know looking for shoes to look at Merrell.

This was a good comfy shoe. I gave it only four stars because I've only had them for 3 months and they are close to wearing down all the way. I've seen people who have told me they have owned their shoes for up to 3 years. I see mine only lasting another 3 months.

Good shoe to do anything in. This shoe is water resistant, but I've used it in the rain and walked in streams and they have not gotten my feet wet. This shoe is as close to waterproof as you can get without paying the extra $40 for the Gore-Tex name.