Merrell shoes tend to provide a firm grip on the foot, and although that might seem like a weird statement our experience tells us this is one of the defining factors in walking comfort. The less the foot moves in your shoe the less chance of painful rubbing over long distances.
Their Moab Speed GTX shoes are built as a cross between a running trainer and walking shoe, this means they're lightweight and agile but still provide the support for long walks.
Welded TPU overlays help the upper form to your foot, holding it in a stable position and the material provides the right balance of flex and rigidity for long days on the trail.
The ankle is a tad high, it initially rubbed on our ankle bone, but the material soon loosened up enough to be comfortable. Whether that bothers you long term will depend on your individual anatomy.
As with most Merrell footwear, walking comfort is excellent. The comfy upper pairs with a bouncy midsole that offers up easy walking with plenty of energy which is great if you like to hike at a lick.
Considering we chose our normal size we were surprised by the lack of space in the Moab Speed GTX, it might be worth sizing up half a size. This doesn't apply to the rest of the shoe though, these are fairly straight running i.e. there isn't much of a taper in the midfoot area. If your feet are particularly wide or narrow the Moab Speed should be able to accommodate them with a tweak of the lacing.
Deep lugs and sticky Vibram sole ensure that the Moabs can traipse through most types of terrain without hesitation and the Gore-Tex lining keeps your feet reliably dry.
Build quality is good, we suspect that the sole will wear out before the upper, but so far everything has stayed in one piece, with the toe bumper protecting shoe and foot from scrapes.
Overall, another excellent pair of walking shoes from Merrell.
