Reviews > Footwear > Trail Shoes > Merrell Waterpro Ultrasport > Arron Robinson > Initial Report

Initial Report - Merrell Waterpro Ultra-Sport shoes

Product information:

Product Description | Manufacturer's Website | Field Information
Test Plan | Initial Impressions | Reviewer Info

The Merrell Waterpro Ultra-Sport shoes arrived in a standard shoebox. Inside the box were the shoes, including a hangtag describing the Vibram® soles and another with basic information about the shoe itself. Everything seems to be in good order with no damage.

Product Description:[back to top] 

The Merrell Waterpro Ultra-Sports are a lightweight multi-purpose outdoor shoe. It has many features that are specifically designed for use in water or wet conditions. They feature a mesh upper supported by synthetic leather for structure. Along the perimeter of the body of the shoe is a zig-zagging length of 1/4 inch (6 mm) webbing, which supports the laces and can be adjusted by a buckle at the heel of the shoe. The webbing floats freely through a series of channels in the "leather" supports, allowing for the laces to be adjusted for tension. It would also appear that this would allow for adjusting the support of the heel of the shoe against the back of the foot which would be useful on longer hikes or in moving water. I am interested to see how this webbing holds up to long-term use, as there may be some wear from the laces pulling against it. The laces are quite thin, perhaps a little thicker than 1/16th of an inch (2 mm) which I would think should be able to hold a knot quite well while wet, which I have had a problem with in the past with other shoes in water.

Along with this interesting upper and lacing system is the Vibram® sole, which seems to have a slightly deeper profile than I have seen in other Merrell shoes in the past. In searching for the RinseMaster sole, the Waterpro is the only shoe I could find that is using it, so finding comparative data on the sole could prove a challenge. I look forward to testing the shoe in the water, although I kind of wish I would have looked at the calendar when I committed to walking around in wet shoes. Luckily, the foot bed of the shoe has been thought of as well. A look at the foot bed while backlit shows that it is perforated with a grid of drainage holes which should allow the shoes to drain quickly.

Manufacturer's Website:[back to top]

The Merrell website is easy to navigate and breaks their offering into logical groupings. The information on the Waterpro Ultra-Sport provides a list of features, without statistics such as weight of the shoes. There was also not much detail about the components used in the shoe. The site does, however, set the expectation for the shoe to perform as a wet or dry trailrunner, which does not seem to conflict with the product delivered.

Field Information:[back to top]

• A number of 2-3 day trips into the Dahlonega Uplands in North Georgia. During these trips there will undoubtedly be streams to be crossed as well as canoes to be paddled. I HATE changing shoes to do these tasks, and I will not do them barefoot, as I have injured myself in this manner in the past. 
  
  
• A 3 day trip to Jekyll Island to Kayak. This trip will be a blast. We will take out a group of sea kayaks for the weekend and give them a run for their money. Salt water will be abundant.
  
  
• A series of 3-4 weekend shake-down trips along the southern terminus of the AT in preparation for a 70 mile (113 km) section hike. One thing about these trips is that I'm sure there will be rainfall and LOTS of walking. This will be a true test of fit while wet. 
  
  
• A weekend caving/climbing trip in Alabama. Ahh, dark and damp treks through the bowels of some mountain. What a way to spend time.

Test Plan:[back to top]

1. Comfort: This is where it all comes down. If your feet are not comfortable it will ruin a trip fast. Do the shoes stay comfortable when they are wet? Do they change greatly in size? Do they drain well and quickly?
2. Adaptability: Is the foot bed comfortable for longer hiking? Do the shoes perform well as general hiking shoes? Do they maintain footing underwater on varying terrain? Do the stabilization systems keep my feet in place? Does the lacing system allow for the shoes to be adjusted throughout the day as my feet change?
3. Durability: Good shoes will generally be able to take some punishment. Shoes built with water in mind have to be able to take even more. Will these shoes last a season of hard use? Does the fabric crack and dry out? Does the sole hold up?
4. Overall Design: OK, so I'm vain. Does the shoe look good, or will people assume that I'm wearing clown shoes? From the website, they look like a lot of other trail runners. Do these perform as advertised?

Initial Impressions:[back to top]

Merrell has a lot of interesting specs available on this shoe. When it comes to using them, I hope to see if they stay light, drain fast and allow for my feet to dry while maintaining a proper fit.

These shoes are very different than any other shoe I have worn. They are very light and very well ventilated. They appear to be well built, and durable, which surprises me, considering the lightweight mesh being used.

Thanks to Backpackgeartest.org and Merrell for the opportunity to share my experiences!

Reviewer Info:[back to top]

Name: Arron Robinson
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 9.5" (1.77 m)
Weight: 230 lb (104.3 kg)
Email address: mouserar-at-gmail-dot-com
City, State, Country: Dallas, Georgia, USA
Date: 30 September 2005

Reviews > Footwear > Trail Shoes > Merrell Waterpro Ultrasport > Arron Robinson > Initial Report