I’ve been hiking my whole life. But until now I’ve always considered hiking boots uncomfortable, great slabs that take years to break in and that I’d be ashamed to be seen in in polite society.
As a result, I try to buy new ones as rarely as possible, which until this year had worked out fine. But when my walking boots of nearly a decade finally gave in on a hiking holiday to the Lake District, I knew I had to find something different.
The thing is, not every ‘hike’ requires a full-on boot – sometimes you can get away with a hiking shoe, when you’re on what is essentially a glorified walk that’s not particularly hilly or doesn’t require trudging through deep, muddy puddles.
Shoes, rather than boots, also give you the grace of not making you look like you’ve developed an unfortunate case of cartoon feet (think: Mickey Mouse’s chunky footwear). Sorry, god forbid a girl cares what she looks like even when she’s exposed to the elements.
So, when the Merrell Moab 3 hiking shoes crossed my desk, I was eager to test them out. Unlike boots I’ve tried in the past, these shoes look like something I’d actually wear in wet weather, so I knew I’d get good use out of them.
They come in a range of cute colourways that could go with any hiking outfit or your daily workwear, and in sizes three to nine, which is pretty unheard of in more popular models.
They’re practical, too. Unless you’ve been living under a mountainous rock for the past decade, you’ll know that GORE-TEX has been having a moment in fashion and sportswear for the last few years, so I was drawn in by Merrell’s promise of “top-notch waterproof performance”.
So your feet are not completely at the mercy of the weather-sodden earth, they come with a pretty serious drop (the difference in height between your heel and toes) at 11.5mm, and are equipped with a Vibram® TC5+ outsole.
I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t aware exactly what these factors could mean for the comfortability levels of my walking shoes until I decided, in a moment of packing panic (or genius), to take them as my only shoes for a three-day festival without breaking them in.
There I was, in the middle of a woodland with colder-than-expected weather, having packed only summer clothes. But one thing I was thankful for was my Moabs. As soon as I popped them on, I knew I’d have no problems thanks to the intense cushioning.
The weekend continued blissfully blister-free – it was like I was walking on a literal cloud. That’s thanks to the fact the shoes are formulated with a footbed that contours to your foot from the first stride, while the air cushion heel absorbs shock and adds stability, and the midsole stops you from slipping and sliding around.
Despite the classic English weather pendulum swinging between nine- and 26-degrees over the course of the weekend, they also kept my feet dry, odour-free, and cool. Whether I was African Beats dancing, ziplining (seriously) or simply dancing until 4am, the shoes kept me balanced and comfortable.
I’m already looking forward to wearing them on a longer walk in the Peak District later this winter – yup, I’ve bought into the coolcation trend.
If you’re after a lightweight, visually pleasing, comfortable and practical hiking shoe, you can get Moab directly from Merrell for £145.
