Reviews > Footwear > Sandals > Merrell HighTide sandals > Owner Review by John Waters

Product Information: Model: Merrell Hightide™ Sandal Manufacturer: Merrell Boots Manufacturer's URL: www.merrellboots.com Year of Manufacture: 2004 Size Tested: 10M MSRP: $69.95

Description per Manufacturer:

Synthetic leather upper with nylon/spandex lining features quick-drain sidewalls with molded oval fenders for seawall protection. Quick, secure buckle fastening over instep and adjustable Velcro® over the forefoot.

· Synthetic Leather Upper
· Neoprene/Spandex Lining
· Secure Instep and Forefoot Clip Closure
· Microban® Antibacterial Footbed
· DeepDish™ 3D Contour Design
· Compression Molded EVA Footframe
· Air Cushion® Midsole
· Injection Molded Nylon Forefoot Flex Plate
· Merrell Hightide™ Sole/Non-Marking Sticky Rubber

The Merrell Hightide™ Sandal is no longer featured on the Merrell Boots' website, but is available on other websites. There does not appear to be a 2005 clone.

Real men don't wear sandals hiking, do they?

Until last winter, when I thought of sandals on men, I could only picture the elderly men with their knobby knees, black socks and brown leather sandals walking the boardwalks at Atlantic City. Not a pretty picture and certainly not the image I have of myself. So, it was with a very negative attitude firmly in place that I was led kicking and screaming to a Merrell hiking sandal display. My wife and I were planning a trip to Puerto Rico and some strenuous beach hiking was anticipated. The 90 F (32 C) weather and saltwater would not be conducive to comfortable mid-height boots and my wife was already thrilled with her own Merrell Hightide™ sandals.

From the minute I tried the Hightide™ sandals on, I was impressed. The fit is true to size and the two overstraps are completely adjustable via Velcro closures. The top strap over the instep also has a toggle buckle so that once its Velcro was adjusted to my liking, a quick "squeeze" is all that is needed to slip the sandal on and off. The sandal's nylon/spandex lining is a smooth and comfortable fabric with no irritating seams to cause blisters. All three straps: heel, instep and forefoot, are positioned for comfort, stability, and support. The footbed is a molded material with a heel cup that anchors my heel, keeping it from sliding side-to-side and an upturned sole at the toes to protect them from contact with rocks, branches, etc. There is an additional subtle ridge just behind the toe box that helps support proper positioning of my toes.

Not only do the sandals feel good, but they look good too. The uppers have a faux suede look with the Merrell name discreetly branded on the side sole and on the instep strap. The soles are substantial with good pattern for traction on all surfaces, but are not so clunky as to detract from the Hightide™ 's good looks.

As to performance, I first wore the sandals beach hiking in Puerto Rico during a trip in May, 2004. Within that first week, I probably logged about 30 miles (48 km) of sand, water and lots of rock hiking. The sure-footed deep tread of the sandals made it possible for me to scramble up rocky beaches that traditional smooth-soled sandals would not have allowed. Even underwater rocks were no match as I was able to walk through water without slipping on the rocks or without stubbing my toe or slicing my feet to ribbons. The tread is small enough to keep out pebbles, but broken seashells do collect in the ridges, requiring cleaning with a small flathead screwdriver.

Sand walking is an easy hike but sand does tend to collect in the footbed due to the up-curved sidewalls of the sandal. This can become annoying and I find myself stopping to brush off the sand or dunking my feet in water to remove it.

The sandals are amazingly lightweight, so there is less leg fatigue after a long trek through the sand. And, of course, they keep the feet ventilated and cool.

After my Puerto Rican trip, I wore the Merrells constantly throughout the summer, both casually and also while hiking various beaches. I have not (unlike my wife) ever worn them while hiking on other types of trails - I stick to my hiking boots for that.

Terrain hiked has varied from suburban/cityscape surfaces to sandy and/or rocky Michigan beaches, lakes and streambeds. Temperatures have ranged between 65 F (18 C) to 104 F (40 C).

After almost a full year of wearing, the sandals show almost no sign of wear. The tread is still deep and clear. There are no loose threads or pulled seams. The Velcro® closures remain secure. Only some embedded grains of sand give evidence of their usage.

Now for the negatives: there are only two things I find to be a problem with the Hightide™ sandals.

First, these sandals don't dry quickly. It takes a couple of days (and nights) for the upper material to dry out after wading in the water. At first I thought it was just the humid Puerto Rican air, but I found the same problem occurred once I was back in Michigan.

The second problem is the Microban® Antibacterial Footbed doesn't prevent foot odor. As a matter of fact, these sandals reek! Once the Merrells got wet, finding a way to make them non-offensive became a major task. I tried rinsing them thoroughly to remove any salt or "pond scum". Air-dried them in the sun, etc. I finally resorted to spraying the synthetic leather uppers with Fabreze several times, which seems to do the trick.

Summary:

For me, the Merrell Hightide™ sandals are a great hiking shoe for warm climates, sandy beaches, and rocky streambeds. However, I am not ready to expose my toes on the trail just to get some air. The fit is comfortable, the support is adequate - it IS a sandal, after all - and the traction is top-notch. I'm looking forward to miles more beaching trekking this summer in my "not-your-father's-sandals" Merrell Hightide™ hiking sandals.

Reviewer Information:

Name: John R. Waters
Age: 55
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 9" (175 cm)
Weight: 178 lb (81 kg)
Email Address: exec@ring.com
City, State, Country: White Lake, MI USA
Date: February 23, 2005

My experience is limited to the last 6 years, hiking in Michigan and Colorado. In Michigan, I do day/night hikes of 6 miles (10 km) - 8 miles (13 km) 2-3 times a week in Pontiac Lake Recreation area with weekend hikes in various other southeast Michigan locales. My twice-a-year vacations are usually in Colorado where we hike Vail Valley in the summer and snowshoe in the winter.

I like the lightest pack possible - under 12 lb. (5 k), for day hiking. I hope to start overnight hiking this summer and am aiming for a light to ultra-light pack.

Reviews > Footwear > Sandals > Merrell HighTide sandals > Owner Review by John Waters