OUTSTANDING VALUE: Functional, Versatile, Comfortable & Affordable
Last month I bought a pair of Merrell Morphlites for a week in Hawaii and another week in Kauai (life's tough, eh?) I also ordered a pair of Saucony Men's Excursion TR16s and Columbia Vertisol Trails. Three pairs entered, but two would go back. Those were the Sauconys and the Columbias. The Sauconys (a brand I often run in) had terrific lugs and seemed really durable, but they were also stiff, the least flexible and comfy of the three. The Columbias were more comfy but didn't quite have the high-quality feel of the others, and were a little tight across the toebox. Neither pair flexed as well nor felt as soft as the Merrells, which were also the lightest of the three models by far, nearly 50g per shoe less than the Sauconys and Columbias. So Merrells it was. On to the review, fellow outdoorsy folks!➕PLUSES+Fit and Comfort. I'll spare you the pics, but I have very long fourth toes which get crammed against everything. The Merrells accommodated my weirdo feet better than the others, and through miles of muddy, rocky hiking the shoes felt terrific, even when they were soaking wet- no blisters or change in performance. I even stomped through the little alluvial spot at the beach below the Hanakāpīʻai Falls hike, and got salt, sand and grit galore all over them. No worries. The hike went on without a hitch.+Function. Here's where the Merrells really excelled. When you're packing, you've gotta make some tough choices. I couldn't bring both runners and hikers, so I chose the Merrells to do double duty. And did they ever. I ran nearly as far as I hiked, and while these aren't running shoes, they were just fine for a good five-miler on paved paths, with smooth response and flexibility. I particularly appreciated the width of the outsole- it kept my footfalls balanced and straight.But back to the hikes. Igneous rock, lava and mud are shoe killers. They tear at everything like little teeth. The tougher the lugs and construction, the more durable the shoes, but also the more limited the application. Really, I wanted a hiking shoe I could also run in, not the other way around. So regarding overlap and versatility, the Merrells are terrific. Another great feature is that they really flex. Some hiking shoes keep your footing in challenging terrain with aggressive soles, but the Merrells actually morphed around the rocks and branches a bit, rather than staying stiff (Morph-lite...I get it.) I appreciated that in the crazy mud of the Kauai peaks, where it poured on us as we navigated some truly challenging footing.+Price. I got them for around $65, which is a steal for shoes of this quality. Again, running shoes will outrun them, and hiking shoes will outhike them (I have Merrell hikers too), but for an active vacation and any light-mid trail duty and exercise, you're getting two pairs for the price of one, and it's a damned good price at that.+Style. They look kinda cool, which I know shouldn't be a consideration, but hey, it helps (but brown or tan are slow running colors...white or fluorescent yellows and greens always seem faster, don't they?)➖MINUSES-No real dings to speak of. I gave them a four on my rubric for durability (although I really beat the hell out of them on their maiden voyage) because they showed slight signs of wear after Volcanoes National Park. True hikers would have come out of the Hawaiian trails with nary a scratch, but again, these double as exercise shoes. Still, their longevity probably won't be the same as their hardier cousins.-Another minor consideration is the actual lug pattern and depth. They're really just flat soles with stubs on them, rather than something that looks like a mud-terrain tire. This means they don't bite and hold onto much, and tend to goop up quickly depending on the ground conditions. But they also clear themselves just as fast, and are really easy to clean- no scrubbing needed. Check my pic to see what the bottom of the shoes looked like- they look clogged, but they still gripped quite well. I didn't fall once on the entire trip, which is unusual given the weather and trail conditions.☞TAKEAWAYThe Merrell Morphlite is a truly superior shoe for moderate duty hiking, and shorter distance running, say 10k or less. They may not last as long as some other choices if your terrain is particularly rocky and rough, but you're getting comfort and exercise capacity in return. If there's such a thing as a perfect vacation shoe, this is it- you can hit trails, roads and gyms with confidence, and just pack the pair, along with your trusty flip flops. If you need other shoes, you're vacationing in the wrong places. *Sniff.I'm very finicky about my workout and active wear, but these passed the crucible with flying colors. I'll be keeping them close in my travel rotations, and I'll warrant that you'll be pleased at the quality and performance, especially at such an attractive price.See you on the trails, mates.Z