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Merrell Chameleon Youth
Initial Report
September 30, 2005
Tester Bios
Child
Name: Cameron Smith
Age: 6
Gender: Male
Height: 3’ 10” (1.17 m)
Weight: 40 lb (18 kg)
Shoe Size: 12.5 US
Backpacking Background: Cameron has been camping and hiking since he was about
18 months old. He will currently carry up to 5 lb (2.5 kg) of his own gear.
Cameron is very comfortable sleeping in his own tent, and has expressed interest
in trying hammock camping. Cameron is growing into an avid outdoorsman, constantly
asking when the next trip to the woods is.
Adult
Name: Anthony (TJ) Smith
Age: 30 years old
Gender: Male
Height: 5’10” (1.78 m)
Weight: 155 lbs (73 kg)
Email address: tjsmith1946@gmail.com
City, State, Country: Pensacola, Florida USA
Backpacking Background: I have been camping for a little over 5 years now, mostly
car camping. I have recently begun backpacking, and I am constantly adding new
gear to my “collection” in an effort to get my gear list tailored
more towards backpacking. Most of my backpacking trips are short duration, not
more than one or two nights. I am planning some longer trips in the near future.
My current pack weight is around 15-20 lb (7-9 kg) without food and water, depending
on if I'm solo camping or taking my son along, as I have to carry some of his
gear. I am a dedicated hammock camper and have tailored my personal gear to
that aspect of camping.
Product Information
Year of Manufacture – 2005
Manufacturer URL – www.merrell.com
Size - 13 US
Color - Kangaroo/Boa Gray
MSRP – $50.00 US
| Weight as Delivered |
Left Shoe |
9.75 oz (278 g) |
Right Shoe |
10 oz (285 g) |
Both Shoes |
1 lb 3.75 oz (562 g) |
Field Information
The Chameleons will be tested in a variety of locations throughout Northwest
Florida and Southeast Alabama. During the testing period, expected weather conditions
range from a high near or just above 90 F (32 C), and lows approaching or creeping
just below 32 F (0 C). We also anticipate varied levels of precipitation, from
bright sunny days with low humidity all the way to torrential downpours (especially
if this hurricane season remains as active as anticipated.
We currently have planned a 3 night backpacking trip that will conclude with
a 4th night in a campground during the testing period as well as several 1 night
trips. The Chameleons will also be worn during numerous day hikes occurring
in the test period, as well as being worn as daily shoes.
Initial Information/Observations
The Chameleons we received are in the color combination Merrell calls Kangaroo/Boa
Gray. This is actually a darker brown shoe with light brown to khaki colored
accents. In addition, the Chameleons also have black soles, and a black toe
cover as well as heel plate and inset logo on either side of both shoes. The
laces are strung through small loops of what appears to be webbing-type straps,
with 4 on either side of the shoe and a single one at the base of the tongue.
The laces themselves are a continuous piece of elastic, with a slide lock mechanism
at the top of the tongue of the shoe. Upon inspection, we were able to find
the ends of the elastic laces, which appear melted together and then tucked
into the single lace loop at the toe of the shoe. This should pose an interesting
situation if the laces break before he wears out the rest of the shoe or outgrows
them. The tongue is fairly thick in proportion to the shoes, and looks like
it will cushion the top of Cameron's foot from any pressure the laces may place
on his foot.
The sole on the Chameleon is constructed of Vibram™ and appears to be
glued on, not sewn. The tread of the soles looks like it will offer a good deal
of traction, which is important to us as Cameron is quite often not terribly
nimble on his feet. The tread of the sole actually wraps a short distance around
onto the sides of the shoe, which hopefully will offer a bit more traction when
traversing inclines.
The remainder of the construction appears to be solid, with well-placed and
consistent stitching and no loose threads noted on either shoe.
When the shoes arrived, they were given to Cameron to put on by himself for
the testing. This was to see how intuitive the lacing is for a six year old
to figure out on his own. I expected to have to explain how the slide lock works,
and did in fact have to show him how to work the mechanism. It only took one
time though, and he caught on to how it works. The operation is quite simple,
with a gentle pull on the loop above the lock to tighten and the slide lock
grasps without having to adjust the lock.
It took a little wiggling to get the shoes onto Cameron's feet the first time.
The shoes fit him quite snugly and will take a little breaking in for them to
fit well. Lengthwise, the shoes fit well. They will need some stretching out
to fit around his feet though. The Chameleons have more arch support than Cameron
is used to. His first comment when he put them on was "there's a bump inside
them." I inquired as to where the bump was (with him pointing to his unshod
foot) and he pointed right to his arch. I explained the arch support to him,
and he seemed ok with it then. We'll see if it continues to bother him or if
he gets used to actually having support in his shoes.
I had him wear the shoes for most of the first evening, around the house just
to see how they fit and how comfortable they are right out of the box. He began
complaining of his left foot hurting almost immediately. It took a little detective
work to uncover the culprit of the problem, but when we did it was a "duh"
moment. His sock had bunched up at the side of his big toe, and was causing
a pressure spot. Once we fixed the sock issue, he said they were a lot more
comfortable. Cameron wore them the rest of the night without issue and is looking
forward to wearing them as much as I will let him.
Test Plan
The following are a list of issues we intend to explore:
1. How comfortable are the shoes? Does Cameron complain that his feet hurt after
a few miles, or do they seem to be quite comfortable to him? Does the tongue
sit straight, or tend to drift?
2. How easy are they for Cameron to get on and off? Does he need assistance
with getting them adjusted properly, or are they fairly easy for even a child
to get put on properly?
3. How well do the shoes handle wet/muddy terrain? Do they leak at the first
bit of water they encounter, or are they relatively water resistant? Do the
treads fill with mud, or do the soles clean themselves quickly?
4. How well do the shoes fit, and how comfortable are they, with a variety of
sock types? (i.e., cotton, wool, synthetics, etc)
5. How well do these shoes hold up to the use/abuse of a 6 year old tester?
Do the seams stay attached, do the soles remain firmly affixed and do the elastic
cord laces hold up well? If/when the elastic cord laces break, how hard are
replacements to acquire?
We also intend to report on any other issues that may arise during our testing
of this product.
Our thanks to Merrell and BackpackGearTest for allowing us to test the Chameleons.
Read more reviews of Merrell gear
Read more gear reviews by Anthony Smith
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