Moab 3 Gore-Tex^® Hiking Shoe (Men)

fit perfectly right out of the box. Very stable shoe with lots of support. I feel confident with the traction the shoe provides .Been a Merrell user for several years- good quality and a reputable company. If there's a defect, they will make it right- replaced a shoe that was 8 months old. No problem.

I had high hopes for the Merrell Moab 3 with Gore-Tex, given their legacy as a go-to boot for many hikers. While they offer decent comfort for casual use, my experience revealed significant, deal-breaking flaws in key performance areas, particularly when faced with challenging, wet terrain. The most significant failure is the waterproofing. Despite the Gore-Tex branding, which implies robust protection, these shoes are merely water-resistant. During a hike in a steady downpour, they held up for about 45 minutes before my socks were completely soaked. The sole's performance on wet rock is alarmingly poor. While hiking over damp stones and roots, the grip was practically non-existent, making for a treacherous and slippery experience akin to walking on ice. This lack of reliable traction is a major safety concern for anyone hiking in variable weather or on trails that aren't perfectly dry. On my very first hike, the mesh fabric on the upper sustained a small rip from a minor scrape against a rock. A shoe designed for the trail should be able to withstand this kind of incidental contact. This early failure raises serious questions about the long-term durability of the materials. Ironically for a shoe that lets water in so easily, it struggles to let heat out. In hot, dry conditions, my feet quickly became overheated and sweaty, indicating that the materials do not offer adequate ventilation for warm-weather hiking. I cannot recommend the Merrell Moab 3 for serious hikers or anyone who ventures out in less-than-perfect conditions. The failures in waterproofing, wet-surface traction, and durability make it an unreliable and potentially unsafe choice for its intended purpose. However, if your activities are limited to short, fair-weather walks on well-maintained, dry trails, the out-of-the-box comfort might be suitable for your needs. For anything more demanding, I would strongly advise looking elsewhere.