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Long Term
Report - Merrell Waterpro Ultra-Sport shoes
Name:
Arron Robinson
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 9.5" (1.77 m)
Weight: 230 lb (104.3 kg)
Email address: mouserar-at-bellsouth-dot-net
City, State, Country: Dallas, Georgia, USA
Date: 7 February 2006
Backpacking
Background:
Camping and hiking since age 11, I've been
in a constant search for the perfect balance between usability,
durability and weight. These days my camping is generally a mix of Boy
Scout style crew camping, kayak or canoe camping or light to mid weight
hiking. I generally carry 20-25 lb (9-11 kg) and sleep in a hammock
system.
Product
information:
Manufacturer:
Merrell
|
Specifications as
Measured by Me: |
|
| Weight |
16
oz (454 g) for the pair |
| Size
Tested: |
10.5
US - 10 UK - 44.5 EUR |
| Sole
Type: |
Vibram®
RinseMaster™ |
Other
Features:
|
Mesh/Synthetic
Leather Uppers |
|
Micro
Mesh Drainage Ports |
|
Toe Protection |
|
Dynamic
Lacing System with Free Floating Heel |
| MSRP: |
$79.99 USD |
| URL: |
http://www.merrell.com |
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 as well as rocky 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. The laces are quite thin,
perhaps a little thicker than 1/16th of an inch (2 mm) which seem to be
able to hold a knot quite well while wet.
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. 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.
The
Merrells were tested on
a number of day hikes as well as four weekend trips and two 4-day camping trips. While wearing
the Merrells on these trips I wore polypro liners under merino wool/Lycra
socks. The weather on these trips has been steadily dropping, providing
a wide range in testing, with temperatures ranging from 70 F (21 C) to
25 F
(-4 C) and precipitation consisting of a fair amount of rain on three of
these outings. Morning dew provided a large amount of cold dampness on
the other trips.
I also wanted to test the Waterpros' handling in rough terrain. Not
being around canyons, I decided to improvise by taking a few trips with
the shoes to the local climbing gym for some bouldering and climbing. I
figured that it would give me an idea of how they would work in the
canyons.
 |
| A pair of well-worn shoes, holding up very well. |
I
wish to point out that autumn and early winter would not have been my
first choices to test a shoe designed for water use, but surprisingly
they have worked out well to this point. Some
thought into the types of socks worn under them was needed, and it took
me a bit of time to get used to the idea of mesh shoes in colder
temperatures, but while
winds blow right through the body of the shoes and rain and dew soak
them quickly, the design of the shoes allow for them to quickly dry
out. While hiking and
wearing the shoes in wet conditions I became increasingly grateful for
their light weight and quick drying. There were many times where I was
forced to cross cold creeks and the like. The fact that the shoes dried
easily and didn't take on weight was appreciated as the day wore on. The socks, helped by the heat of my feet, gradually did so as well.
Another part of my testing involved the rock climbing and bouldering
outings. I substituted the Waterpros for the climbing shoes that I
would normally use in order to see how they would work out. The
reinforced toe provided both protection and grip and while the shoes
were not as stiff as conventional sport climbing shows making them a
bit more difficult to wedge into cracks, they were considerably more
comfortable.
The shoes have not had any excessive wear or breakage. In fact as the
testing period progressed, I'd expected to have the shoes start to
break down and get weaker due to the lightweight materials. I was
pleasantly surprised to find that after four months of use, aside from
some discoloration mentioned in my Field Report, the shoes have not shown undue wear or distress.
The
outings I
have done have given me a good look at the shoes as far as
general use goes. Below are my current findings:
- 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? Yes,
they breathe very will and since the material is light, they do not get
overly heavy. They do not stretch out when they are wet and dry quickly
- Do they change greatly in size? They have held their shape and size throughout the test period.
- Do they drain well
and quickly? Yes,
they seem to, my socks stay squishy for a while, but the shoes dry out
rather well.
- Adaptability:
- Is the foot bed comfortable for longer hiking? Yes. I have not had a problem with the shoes for hiking up to 5-8 miles (8-13 KM) at a time.
- Do
the
shoes perform well as general hiking shoes? They work really well for this, as well as for scrambling and climbing.
- Do they maintain footing
underwater on varying terrain? I
have walked in moderately moving streams across rocks with little difficulty. They seem to work well in this capacity.
- Do the stabilization systems keep my
feet in place? The
floating heel and other components do a good job of adjusting to keep
my feet in the shoes. I have not had them come off my feet yet.
- Does the lacing system
allow for the shoes to be
adjusted throughout the day as my feet change? Yes, I have been able to adjust them as my feet swell during the day. I have not had to adjust them for stretch to this point.
- 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? They have performed well.
- Does
the fabric crack
and dry out? No sign of this.
- Does the sole hold up? Yes, so far.
- Overall
Design:
- OK, so I'm vain. Does the shoe look good, or will
people assume that I'm wearing clown shoes? They look good and I have
received a few comments on my cool shoes.
- From
the website, they look
like a lot of other trail runners. Do these perform as advertised? They have held up to use in cold weather, rain, and streams. They have held their shape and have met my expectations.
Impressions After Long Term Testing:[back
to top]
After four months of testing, the shoes are holding up well and performing as expected.
With a few small changes in my choice in socks and my expectations,
they have proven to be very well suited for trail use, even in the
cooler weather.
Aside from my one concern about the discoloration of the material I
have no complaints.
|
Excitement:
- A very light shoe that is rugged and hold up to abuse.
- Toe guards! I always kick rocks
- They look good too!
|
Concerns:
- The synthetic leather has taken to discoloring. This
makes the shoes look funky.
|
Thanks
to
Backpackgeartest.org
and Merrell for the opportunity to
share my experiences!
Read more reviews of Merrell gear
Read more gear reviews by arron robinson
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