BackpackGearTest.org - Merrell Passage Ventilator Mid Chuck Carnes

Field Report
MERRELL
Passage Ventilator Mid Boots

by Chuck Carnes
Report Date: July 20, 2006

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Name: Chuck Carnes
Age: 36
Gender: Male
Height: 6 ft. 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight: 175 lb (79 kg)
Shoe Size: 9.5 US
E-mail address: ctcarnes1(at)yahoo(dot)com
City, State, Country: Greenville, South Carolina USA

BACKPACKING BACKGROUND

I love the outdoors – I’ve spent time camping in the outdoors since I was born, and have been actively hiking and backpacking since then. I consider myself a lightweight hiker, usually carrying 20 – 30 pounds (11-13 kg) for hikes up to a week in length. I hike at an easy pace, averaging 2 mph (3 kph). I am a one-man tent camper for now. I like to carry a single trekking pole when I hike to help relieve stress to my legs and knees. I like to get out on the trail as often as I can.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Manufacturer: Merrell

Model: Passage Ventilator Mid

Year of manufacture: 2006

Shoe Size: 9.5 USA (44 Euro)

Color: Walnut

URL: www.merrell.com

Listed Weight: Not listed on web site

Weight as delivered: 2 lb 10 oz (1.19 kg) for the pair

MSRP: Not listed on web site

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION (from web site)

Think of this as a right of passage: a day hiker that’s higher-cut for support but still slim and fleet-feeling. Concealed In-Board™ EVA footframe cuts the bulk; overt nubuck leather strapping reinforces a breezy mesh upper that’s stabilized by a flying bridge molded TPU side and ankle supports. Vibram® Day Hiker Plus™ sole adds larger and deeper braking and traction lugs at heel and forefoot for more demanding conditions.

– Slip Lasted Construction
– Nubuck Leather/Breathable Ventilator Mesh Upper
– Breathable Ventilator Mesh Lining
– Breathable Ventilator Mesh Bellows Tongue
– Injection Molded TPU Counter/In-Step Stability
– 4.5mm Anatomical Footbed
– Nylon 6.6 Injection Molded Arch Shank
– In-Board™ Compression Molded EVA Footframe
– Q-Form™ Alignment System (women)
– Integrated External TPU Support Counter/Grade 4 Insole
– Air Cushion® Midsole
– 5mm Sole Lug Depth
– Vibram® Day Hiker Plus™ Sole/Trek & Versa Rubber

FIELD REPORT

Trip #1:
Location: Jones Gap, S.C
Elevation: 1,500 ft (457 m) - 1,700 ft (518 m)
Temperature: 80-90 F (26-32 C) day, 75-80 F (23-26 C) night
Weather Conditions: Dry and hot in the day and night. No rain.
Terrain: Smooth, fairly flat, well kept trails. No rock hopping or
Duration of Trip: 2 days, 1 night
Length of Trip: 3 miles (5 km)
Pack Weight: 26 lb (11 kg)
Report: This was my first lengthy trip with the Merrell Passage Ventilator Shoes. Prior to this trip, the shoes were only worn around the house and down the road a bit just for initial thoughts.During this trip I wore a single layer, mid weight, wool blend sock; no sock liners. For a first time trip with these mid shoes, they really felt comfortable. The whole time I was hiking in them I was thinking "Okay, when am I going to start feeling a blister coming on or hot spot?" But never at anytime did I feel any rubbing or pinching from the shoe. I did not experience any creek crossings to test the water drainage of the shoe. All in all, throughout this trip, the shoe performed great as far as just a simple stroll through the woods.

Trip #2:
Location: Old Mkushi Village, Zambia (Africa)
Elevation: 3,600 ft (1097 m) - 3,900 ft (1189 m)
Temperature: 85-90 F (29-32 C) day, 39-46 F (3-7 C) night
Weather Conditions: Dry and hot during the day. Cold and damp at night. No rain.
Terrain: Very sandy, rough with half burried rocks and signs of erosion on the trail. A few small climbs and descents. Two creek crossings.
Duration of Trip: 8 days, 7 nights
Length of Trip: 22 miles (35 km) total
Pack Weight: 42 lb (19 k)
Report: This was a much longer trip and a great opportunity to test many of the features on the shoe. Under the title "Test Plan and Observations" is where I noted my findings and comments on some of those features. Again, the shoes started out feeling great on my feet. Each day I wore a single layer, cotton blend, cool max sock. With the dry and hot conditions, I felt like this would be a better choice of sock. As I trekked everyday with these shoes I was prepared to note any discomforts or issues. Luckily, the shoes performed great and I didn't have to note anything except that they were very comfortable and very durable. I experienced two creek crossings during this trip. The shoes performed wonderfully. After walking through the shallow creek the shoes were obviously drenched with water. They drained resonably quick and I didn't have to stop to take them off for them to drain.

TEST PLAN AND OBSERVATIONS

Up to this point in the testing phase I have been able to answer some of the questions below and will continue to monitor these features for the Long Term Report. My answers to these questions for the Field Report are in red.

External TPU Support

The External TPU Support is Merrells way of keeping the ankle and the heel in contact with the boot. It also gives lateral support to the ankle to keep it from rolling over and causing injury to the ankle. Merrell tags this feature as the "Flying Bridge".

Can I immediately do lengthy miles on the trail without much breaking in? Yes, for me, there was no break-in time needed.
Will the shoe fit nicely around my foot? Yes, the fit is snug but not so tight to rub on my foot.
Will I have the custom fit feel? Yes, the minute I put these shoes on, they felt like they were made for my foot.
Will I get any hot spots or blisters from tight areas or can I fix those easily? So far, I have had no problems with hot spots or potential blisters.
Will my toes jamb up into the toe area on steep descents? No, the TPU support keeps my foot placed on the footbed in the area that it supposed to be.
Will my heels constantly come out of the heel cup on ascents? No, again the TPU support keeps my feet snug to the footbed and in place.

Mesh Uppers

The mesh uppers are made of lightweight foam filled breathable material. The material is very comfortable to the skin around the ankle if a short sock is worn. This mesh upper will allow heat that might generate in the foot area to be able to escape and not be traped to cause irritation or blisters. The Nubuck Leather at the front also helps to support the ankle laterally.

Will the material tear easily? I have brushed the uppers against logs and a few rocks. The material has been very durable and shows no signs of wear.
How well does the heat escape? When the shoe is removed, my skin in the ankle area under the sock is a bit moist; not dripping with sweat but there is some moisture. This moisture never caused any rubbing or blister problems.
If a short sock is worn, will I get irritation or blisters on my ankles from the material? At this point, no.
Will my ankles stay supported? Yes, the supoort in this area is very good.

Laces and Lace Hooks

The laces and lace hooks make this boot easy to tighten the shoe and quick to tie it up. The lace hooks appear to be made of a hard plastic and very durable. The laces are a flat shaped nylon lace that appears to be very strong. The length of them when tied is just right and I am not having to find a hidding place for laces that are too long.

How durable are the laces? With the constant tying and untying and catching the loops on branches and other protruding objects, the laces have been very durable.
Will I have to implement different lacing techniques to get a good fit that keeps the shoe tight to my foot? So far, no. The standard lace pattern works well.
Will I have to replace them in the four month period? I will note this at that time.
If I wear gaiters, how well will they handle the lace hooks on Gaiters? I have not worn gaiters at this point.

Gusseted Tongue

The gusseted tongue is always a good feature to a boot. This helps keep small pebbles, water and rocks from entering in from the lace area. The mesh tongue allows heat build-up to escape from this area to help keep the foot cool.

Will the material keep any water from entering the boot from this area? Water still seeps through in this area but the guesset does prevent sand and small stones from entering.
How well does it keep my feet from overheating? Because of the mesh lowers, I did not get any heat build up in this area.
Will it feel bunched up when I wear thicker socks? At this point, no.

Leather/Rubber Toe Guard
Toe

The toe area of the boot has a portion of the Vibram sole that wraps up the front part and a section of Versa Rubber that completes the toe area. Right away I feel that my toes will be protected against stubbing them on a rock or root. All portions of the different fabrics are double stitched to each other to ensure construction quality.

Will this toe area indeed protect my toes against stubbing them on rocks, roots and other objects? Yes, I tend to stub my toe on rocks and stumps as I hike and these have certainly saved my toes.
How easy is it for water to enter in this area? Not easy in the rubber toe area but the mesh that is sewn to the rubber is an easy way for water to enter. This mesh also gives a nice breeze of air to enter and cool the foot.

Vibram Soles
Soles

There is not much, verbally, to add to Vibram Soles. These are top notch soles and are usually welcomed on any boot. These particular soles are very rigid and seem to be very durable and tough. The traction system on the bottom is very well laid out and the lugs are positioned in the most important places.

Does the Vibram sole protect my feet from sharp boulders or objects? Yes, when I had to walk on half buried rocks on the trail, these Vibram soles certainly saved the bottom of my feet.
What kind of grip do the soles of the shoe give on wet, slick terrain; or dry terrain for that matter? Very good, the soles stuck to the slick rocks that were in the creek during the creek crossings. My feet felt secure as I stepped on and off of these rocks.

Anatomical Footbed
Footbed

The footbeds that come with these boots seem to be Merrells standard footbed. I have to say that for a standard footbed, it is really nice. The heel cup is deep and the cushion in the heel and toe area are thicker than the rest of the footbed. This puts comfort in the areas that strike the ground the most.

How comfortable is the footbed that is provided with the shoe? Very comfortable to me as a standard footbed. They gave me the support that I needed.
Will I need or want to replace them? Not yet.
I like having the option of wearing different thicknesses of socks, sometimes one pair and sometimes two pairs with different thicknesses. Will I be able to wear a variety of different thicknesses of socks and still feel comfortable and not too tight? So far only one pair of socks have been worn for these shoes and for a single layer sock, the comfort and great fit are evident.

TEST PLAN

I plan to continue to test the Merrell Passage Ventilators on trails, in creeks and anywhere else I can find. Below are some upcoming trips that I have planned for the remaining portion of this test series. I will continue to monitor all of the mentioned features and will report my findings in my Long Term Report.

Smokey Mountains
Planned trips: I plan to go here one more time during the rest of this test period.
Conditions: The temperatures will be mild until later in the summer. During this time of testing, this area gets quite a bit of precipitation. The trails are usually smooth and nice to walk on.
Elevation: 5500 to 6500 ft (1676 to 1981 m)
Temperatures and precipitation average for this testing period:

July: HI (65 F / 18 C) LO (53 F / 11 C) 8 in (20 cm) precipitation

August: HI (64 F / 17 C) LO (52 F / 11 C) 7 in (17 cm) precipitation

September: HI (60 F / 15 C) LO (47 F / 8 C) 5 in (12 cm) precipitation

Jones Gap
Planned trips: I go here quite a bit to do day hikes. Occasionally I will stay overnight and sometimes two nights.
Conditions: The temperatures here will be pretty warm during the day and comfortable at night. It will probably be mostly dry and warm conditions except for late afternoon showers in the Summer.
Elevation: 4500 to 5500 ft (1372 to 1676 m)
Temperatures and precipitation average for this testing period:

July: HI (99 F / 37 C) LO (62 F / 16 C) 9 in (22 cm) precipitation

August: HI (94 F / 34 C) LO (62 F / 16 C) 9 in (22 cm) precipitation

September: HI (84 F / 29 C) LO (56 F / 13 C) 7 in (17 cm) precipitation

Most of the trails that I will be on are fairly nice trails although I do encounter roots, rocks, and other pointy objects that peer from the surface of the ground and I usually step on it or kick it. I do cross creeks occasionally and sometimes after a big rain, the trail is basically a creek. During this testing period there are always occasional thunder showers so I think these shoes will be exposed to plenty of water and warm conditions as well as a variety of terrain.

I hope to add to these questions in my Long Term Report.

Thank you Merrell and BGT for giving me this opportunity to test these boots.

Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Merrell Passage Ventilator Mid > Chuck Carnes > Field Report

Reviews > Footwear > Boots > Merrell Passage Ventilator Mid > Chuck Carnes > Field Report