First things first, the Moab Speed is designed to give wearers out-of-the box comfort with a fit that’s snug in the heel, precise over the instep and roomy in the toe to ensure any issues like rubbing or tightness are reduced. The mesh and TPU upper, meanwhile, are designed to strike a balance between lightness and abrasion resistance – Merrell call it ‘athletic’ yet ‘rugged’. You’ll need a printer so if you don’t have one, you have to call their customer service at 1-800-288-3124.

If you’re wondering what bragging rights the brand has under their belt, then this Merrell review will tell you everything you need to know. In the meantime, here’s a list of highlights to start off: Highlights

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The boots claim to be waterproof. They have the Merrell waterproof membrane rather than Gore-Tex, which would be more expensive but would presumably perform better. Although I have not willingly tried to get my feet wet in these boots (not even for the sake of a Trailspace review!), I have been in wet grass, mud, snow, and shallow puddles that occasionally came up above the midsoles and put the waterproofing to the test. So far they've been completely waterproof. Founded in 1981 by bootmaker Randy Merrell and professional athletes, Clark Matis and John Schweizer, the trio saw a gap in the market for well-made, high quality footwear, and from there, Merrell was born. With a promise to always make durable and lightweight shoes, Merrell became a household name at an impressive pace.

From the ankles up, they obviously have more material and support than tennis shoes. They go up higher than my usual boot choice, the Merrell Moab 2 Ventilators, and feel like they are hugging your ankles rather than just up there touching them like the Moabs. For running, the outsole’s lugs (5mm-ish according to my ruler) weren’t the deepest or grippiest I’ve ever seen, but for a few steep Lake District hillwalks I found the traction more than adequate. Similarly the weight (315g per shoe, men’s size 8) didn’t feel amazingly lightweight. But, having said that, I did genuinely like the Moab Speeds as trail running shoes. I still felt athletic and nimble in them, and I definitely flew down some trails with them on my feet. Fun times.

While not quite tennis-shoe level comfort, these feel pretty close below the ankles. One potential comfort issue is for anyone who likes fancy insoles—these are very basic insoles, even more so than those on other Merrells. With a dedication to safe and ethical shoe-making practices and quality, Merrell truly believes in the footwear that they design, working to motivate and encourage their customers through well-made shoes. Although Merrell is a popular outdoors brand for footwear, a DSW customer chose their designs for sheer comfort, and gave them a 5-star Merrell review: “ Helped my ankle to heal. This shoe fits well even with the shoe lifts I need to wear as part of my treatment. Also, I don’t have to untie and tie the shoelaces to take the shoe on and off.” So far durability has not been an issue. The mesh fabric has yet to come apart. Long term, I'm still nervous about the mesh and do not count on it to last forever. I have also encountered occasional stray threads that I simply snip off when they show up, and they haven't been an issue. Encouragingly, the toe caps have shown no sign of separating from the boots or coming apart.