Merrell MOAB Boot - Review

[bacpacker]

I've worn mine for a week straight and most of that week was either raining, sleeting, or snowing. We waded several creeks and in many places were walking thru water running down the trail. I can't say I had any issue with them. Most every trip with take I will get in any creek or river and fart around a little while just to see if any leaks occur. Never found one yet. After close to 30 years and as many miles as I've put on them, I can say they have been punished and keep on ticking.

I will say I do like the Breeze boots for a quick drying boot.

[Evolver]

when hunting, I fully expect wet feet! and I am ok with that! If Im tailing, or tracking an animal that crosses a stream, so do I. up to my shins, thighs, waist, chest, or swim. This is why waterproofing bags/gear is so important to me.

I have had problems with leather boots before though, although I have never tried Vasque's. once saturated, they take FOREVER to dry, and if they are not on your feet, they dry in whatever shape they're kicked off in. also, the leather gets soft, and tears easily on sticks, branches, barbed wire, etc...

B and E: Have you really punished these in and out of water, truly soaked?

Sounds like hight top with a Gore-Tex insert is in order. To keep the water out 100% you need to go with a high top so it forms a gasket around your ankle but also allows you feet to breath. Like a Danner or a Rocky.

[realist]

I had a pair of Vasque boots that I purchased about 30+ years ago too. I think each one weighed about 20 pounds. They never looked like they were used much even thought I beat the crap out of them backpacking around the Sierras. However now that I am old and tired that extra weight has now been shed to allow more to be carried on my back.

That said Stig it is people like you that prey on people like me by posting threads like this. It is bad enough that I had to buy a pair for myself today but I brought my 21 year old son too. So $230 latter I exited the store with two new pair. I would appreciate it if you would stop posting positive reviews about STUFF that way my wife would not get pissed at me for bring home the aforementioned stuff.........

To add to you review I was incredibly impressed by the comfort of the shoes, I tried on the low tops first. The guy who helped me said that I would be disappointed with the high tops. He was, they did not feel as comfortable, so we got the low tops for now. I will be trying others in the future but I am now short on cash (thanks Stig). So what do you do when you get new shoes, you take them out and rub them on the lawn so your friends don't know you got new shoes. We did a modification of this......... Since it was raining my son and I decided to go to a friends to shoot. So we picked my daughter up from school and for the next four hours we went shooting out at his range that was located in a cow pasture. When we were done my socks were not even damp, they are great. This is the first pair of shoes that have been truly been water proof out of the box. They really are a great product.

[Sniper-T]

^
Really? If I am in water up to my thighs... my feet are going to stay dry? really??

[realist]

If I'm in that much water I want shoes that drain well. My old jungle boots used to do a good job of that. Until I bought the Merrill's all my other boots (ya they are cheap Big 5 specials) would just wick up the water to ensure my feet stayed wet even in wet grass. I bought these for lite use and will be getting some others with high tops for better support in the future.

[bacpacker]

Sniper sounds like you need waders instead of boots. Chest high at that.
In your case in that deep of water, I would go with a good draining boot as well. Other than waders, nothing much else will work that I know of.

[Sniper-T]

That's why I've been gravitating away from leather boots, as they just stay wet forever. After crossing a stream or a swamp, I can pull off my little shoes, shake em out, put on a dry pair of socks and carry on. Particularly when hog hunting, them buggers will take you through the nastiest terrain they can before presenting themselves. It really doesn't matter what footwear you have, if they are hightops, then the water will be to your shins, if you have rubber boots, the water will be over your knees, thigh highs, then to the waist, etc.

Murphys law! lol

[Taz Baby]

OK had to come into this. These are not as fancy or as expensive as you guy's shoe's, BUT, I like them. Had these a year now and trekkin over mountain terrain, creeks, rocks, MUD, they work well for a everyday boot Brahma steel toed, waterproof,oil-resistant skid resistant,. The only thing that happened was, it was the last pair in my size on sale and no more coming in. I got them home, went straight to the creek to check out how waterproof they were, and one oiled right up and no water stayed on it, dry. The other one turned dark, got wet outside, not in side and stayed wet. Took them back the next day and they said they have no more, can't get more and nothing can be done. So I got a canof weather proof and sprayed the heck out of them and let dry. I now have 2 different color boots, one dark brown and 1 a little lighter, but you really can't tell it. they are not heavy on the feet, support the ankles and I do not get tired of wearing them.