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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2017
I earn my keep by being in the outdoors most of the time, and I "hike" rivers like other people hike mountains - not on the banks, but by going straight up the middle. This means that my shoes are in the water for hours/miles at a time, and are subjected to a constant barrage of mud, rocks, sticks, and other debris. In the month of July, I literally destroyed three new pairs of what one would call the classic "water shoes" - the little slip-on things with mesh uppers and rubber soles. This is not new - I have gone through countless pairs. I was logged in on Amazon, doing a search for yet another pair this week when this pair of Merrell's popped up in the suggestions. I just about fell out of the chair when I saw the price, but after a quick calculation, I realized I was spending at least this much in disposable water shoes over the course of every summer, so I gave it some serious consideration.
My feet are fairly wide, and as a result, I normally shy away from women's shoes and buy boys instead. However, I noticed that one of the other reviewers mentioned that these had a pretty wide toe box, so I decided to take the chance and order them.
My UPS guy delivered them as I was loading my kayak on the truck yesterday evening - couldn't have been better timing - I was headed up river a few miles, taking the kayak along to tow my stuff, and I was prepared to go barefoot, which works, but sometimes results in a bruise or two. I pulled them out of the box and was impressed with the design - sturdy, but lightweight. I then put them on and was equally impressed wit the arch support (I have high arches - it felt really nice). Then I walked across the floor, and much to my delight, I could feel the air moving through the mesh, cooling my feet. So far so good - it was time to head to the river.
Upon entering the water, the shoes (of course) immediately filled with water, but very little sand/gravel. As I made my way up river, I was amazed - a lot of the rocks are slick with moss and sediment, but I didn't slip. And not a single "OUCH!" as I made my way through fast water where I couldn't see the bottom - normally this means coming down hard on a rock at least once, and although I'm sure I did, I never felt the first twinge of discomfort. Slogging through sandy areas resulted in a small amount of sediment in the shoes, but not enough to be uncomfortable.
Upon my return back down river, I took the shoes off to rinse them out. That was easy - they didn't capture and hold on to sand/gravel like the other ones did that I had been wearing. I also noticed that they float - an added bonus should one get away from me. I inspected them carefully for signs of destruction - normally after only one trip, the cheaper ones will show cracking on the bottom and at least a few tears/loose threads. Nothing was wrong with these - nada. I put them back on and climbed the muddy hill to the truck - they had great traction there, as well.
All in all, I am EXTREMELY pleased with this purchase. The shoes not only perform exactly as I needed them to in the water, but they are actually REALLY comfortable. We still have a fair amount of summer left here in Virginia, and I will be putting them through their paces for quite a while longer. I will update my review toward the end of the season.
I paid full price for these shoes and did NOT get them at reduced cost or for free in return for a review. :)
My feet are fairly wide, and as a result, I normally shy away from women's shoes and buy boys instead. However, I noticed that one of the other reviewers mentioned that these had a pretty wide toe box, so I decided to take the chance and order them.
My UPS guy delivered them as I was loading my kayak on the truck yesterday evening - couldn't have been better timing - I was headed up river a few miles, taking the kayak along to tow my stuff, and I was prepared to go barefoot, which works, but sometimes results in a bruise or two. I pulled them out of the box and was impressed with the design - sturdy, but lightweight. I then put them on and was equally impressed wit the arch support (I have high arches - it felt really nice). Then I walked across the floor, and much to my delight, I could feel the air moving through the mesh, cooling my feet. So far so good - it was time to head to the river.
Upon entering the water, the shoes (of course) immediately filled with water, but very little sand/gravel. As I made my way up river, I was amazed - a lot of the rocks are slick with moss and sediment, but I didn't slip. And not a single "OUCH!" as I made my way through fast water where I couldn't see the bottom - normally this means coming down hard on a rock at least once, and although I'm sure I did, I never felt the first twinge of discomfort. Slogging through sandy areas resulted in a small amount of sediment in the shoes, but not enough to be uncomfortable.
Upon my return back down river, I took the shoes off to rinse them out. That was easy - they didn't capture and hold on to sand/gravel like the other ones did that I had been wearing. I also noticed that they float - an added bonus should one get away from me. I inspected them carefully for signs of destruction - normally after only one trip, the cheaper ones will show cracking on the bottom and at least a few tears/loose threads. Nothing was wrong with these - nada. I put them back on and climbed the muddy hill to the truck - they had great traction there, as well.
All in all, I am EXTREMELY pleased with this purchase. The shoes not only perform exactly as I needed them to in the water, but they are actually REALLY comfortable. We still have a fair amount of summer left here in Virginia, and I will be putting them through their paces for quite a while longer. I will update my review toward the end of the season.
I paid full price for these shoes and did NOT get them at reduced cost or for free in return for a review. :)
