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Reviews > Footwear > Trail Shoes > Merrel Chameleon Kids Regular > Colleen Porter > Long Term ReportLong Term ReportMerrell Kid Chameleons February 18, 2005 Manufacturer: Merrell Manufacturer's URL: www.Merrell.com Year Model: 2005 Listed Weight: N/A Tested Weight: 1 lb 2.2 oz/0.5 kg
Product Description: essentially a miniature reproduction of the adult version of the Chameleon - a below-the-ankle hiking shoe. The only difference is that the Kid Chameleon has elastic shock cord laces instead of the boring old traditional kind of laces. The Kid Chameleons feature Vibram Octogrip soles, leather and mesh uppers, a removable insole, shock cord lacing with a cord lock, mesh lining inside, and a fairly substantial heel cap. Field Conditions: The Chameleons have been used only in southern California, in both the high and low deserts and in the coastal chaparral environment we live in. Elevations have ranged from 200 feet/61 meters to around 4000 feet/1291 meters. Temperatures have ranged from around 45 degrees F/7 C to around 90 F/32 C. Weather has been mostly clear and dry, but on our Joshua Tree National Park trip there was high humidity due to very recent rains. The trails on the Mecca Hills trip were very gnarly in spots; last winter's heavy rains had eroded some of the downhill sections into rocky troughs. The trail in Joshua Tree involved lots of rocks that I was able to step up onto with some effort, but much-shorter Paul had to climb up and over. Both trips involved lots of sand walking, although the sand at Joshua Tree was much coarser (almost small-grained gravel) and also very damp. Our more local pursuits have involved sand, mud, thick piles of eucalyptus bark (our dominant local species shed), countless creek crossings, puddles, and of course playground equipment. Performance: I think the Kid Chameleons are awesome. Paul is excited when he gets to wear them and calls them "my hiking shoes!" They have held up extremely well over the last four months, and I'm very confident that they will be passed on to Paul's little brother when that time comes. The only problem we have ever had with them was due to the original shock cord lacing. If you haven't read any of my other reports, the original lacing was far too tight and caused the shoes to close up when I tried to put them on Paul's feet. I despised them and trying to put the shoes on made me furious. So I removed the shock cording, replaced it with standard shoe laces, and have had no problems with the shoes ever since. Paul has progressed a great deal physically since the beginning of this test. When we first got the Kid Chameleons, I would have described him as a toddler. Now, all traces of toddler are gone and he is a bold, sure-footed little boy. The Kid Chameleons worked well for Paul as he was finishing being a toddler, and now that he is a much more confident walker it's a joy to see him barrel off in these really well-made shoes. Aside from the lacing problem, which we easily fixed, I'm really pleased with the Kid Chameleons and would heartily recommend them for kids who face the same overall terrain and conditions that we do. Thank you to both Merrell and BGT for the opportunity to have my son test such a cool pair of shoes. I'll be sad when he finally outgrows them! Read more reviews of Merrell gear Read more gear reviews by Colleen Porter Reviews > Footwear > Trail Shoes > Merrel Chameleon Kids Regular > Colleen Porter > Long Term Report | |||