Wilderness

I have owned many boots over the years, and my Merrell Wilderness boots are by far the best. The break-in period was long but worth it. They have now been to Alaska twice, and undoubtedly will be again.

These boots are fantastic. Breaking period was about a week or 10 days. Wore them around the house and walking the dog. The only concern I had was the weight but it is not a factor. Wore the boots all day on the 11th day: around the house, errands, walking the dog, yard work. They stayed comfortable the whole time. Support is awesome. My feet feel better with them on. Love the leather. It is hot where I live but my feet did not notice.

This is a classic, very well built, and durable, all weather hiking boot! FYI... For those who say it is not waterproof, that's really not true at all! These boots are built with Norwegian Welt construction. This type of welt allows for the boot to be re-soled when needed, for a lifetime of wear! However, to complete the waterproof integrity of the boot, the stitched welt needs to be treated/sealed, by the purchaser, to prevent leaking at the stitched welt area, as is the case with any quality hiking boot that uses Norwegian Welt construction! This is generally not done by the manufacturer as there are several products, as well as individual preferences, when it comes to sealing/treating the stitched welt area of these boots. Try treating/sealing the welt area of the boots, that should take care of the waterproof issues in these boots! Hope that helps, Cheers!

I have always used Merrell hiking boots, years ago I had a full leather that I just loved but they didn't make them anymore. Being afraid that these also would no longer be sold I bought 2 pairs. They do fit like a glove, very, very comfortable. Bought them 2-3 years ago. One pair is still in the box, kept it for the future. The other pair, I used them one season and they held their water tightness, 2nd season I had an injury thus didn't use them. Now I started hiking again and even using snow wax they just leak through the seams, the boots are in great shape, not a single issue with them but just walking on a lawn with morning dew will result in wet toes. I guess I will only use these boots for dry hiking. Obviously not what I expected from Merrell, will have to now look for another hiker

Forget trail running. If you spend anytime off trail really exploring, this is the boot to wear. Since it can be resoled, with proper care, it should last a lifetime. Since it's leather, it'll require some break-in, but then you'll have a boot that conforms to your own feet. A bit on the heavy side, but that's the price for full support and longevity. It's a classic. And for a reason.