Side by Side Comparison of: Merrell

Merrell's are amazing, take your time in finding the right size and you'll be rewarded with a great pair of boots. Waterproof yet cool, and able to withstand mild winter conditions, I can wear them with confidence in any situation. Plus they look great.

After having worn these for a few weeks I must say they are my favorite shoes so far. I typically wear size 11, 11.5 or 12 depending on brand, style and whether I need to add an insole or not. I also have the Merrell Fraxion winter hiking boots and wear 11.5 in those even with an extra insole for arch support, but in the Annex mid size 12 seems to be perfect with no insole at all. The arches in these are pretty high and are actually built right into the shoe UNDER the removable insole that come with them. I tried several insoles and found the best for me to be just the factory setup. Comfortable and supportive, they keep my feet dry and the Vibram sole is a great for traction and protection from rocks and whatever else I might come across. These feel a lot like a street shoe, but perform closer to a hiking boot. I'm on my feet and stay very active at work so this shoe transitions perfectly from home to work and back again.

These are exactly what I was hoping they would be.I do not like big heavy clunky hiking boots. A couple years ago I started hiking in simple cross training shoes, but I missed having a bit of ankle support. These boots are the perfect combo. They are light and flexible while still providing ankle support and they are waterproof. They feel fantastic on the foot right out of the box but did get better after 5ish hikes in them. I've put in around 50 miles on them now and they show no sign of wear. Hopefully the durability continues to impress.The sole of the boot is thinner than the typical old school hiking boot with reinforced shanks. So if you have never hiked in cross trainers or lightweight shoes that may be an issue for you. But if you are looking for a lightweight comfortable hiking boot, look no further. I love these boots.

UPDATE 11/15/2015I received the replacement boots and so far so good. I haven't tested them out in snow (it hasn't snowed yet here - Chicago), but I'll change the start rating to 5 stars and if I'll find anything negative about the boots I'll update my review.I received the boots and, excitedly, I wanted to try them on. I couldn't even tie up the shoelaces for the left boot before it failed on me. As you'll see in the picture (and probably understand better than from my written explanation), one of the four hooks just fell off. I did not pull too hard (it's not rocket science to tie up a shoelace and I'm pretty sure my technique is standard ;-) ) or in any way that should have negatively influenced the hook.Another issue is the laces not being the same length (again, see the picture).These are pretty expensive boots from what I thought is a trustworthy company. This is a big oversight from Merrell's quality check. Obviously, I'm going to return the pair. I do like the way they feel and the right foot boot is pretty much perfect (length of the shoelace, the fact that nothing broke while trying it on - this is a feature nowadays). I'll ask for another pair and hope that one will be up to the quality standards that I expect from a nearly $200 pair of boots.I will update the review once the new pair arrives.

Okay, so as other reviews have stated you do need to give them a few days to break in. When I first tried them on I panicked and thought "these are too small, too narrow, too tight, etc" but I thought I'd roll the dice and wear them for a few days before deciding to keep or return them. I'm glad I did, because after about 3 days (wearing them 3-5 hours each day) they fit perfectly! I understand that at the price point of nearly $200 most people won't want to risk wearing them for 3 days for fear of not being able to return them. I would encourage you to be brave and break them in (indoors if you want to keep them clean). The arch support is better than I expected and the color scheme on these bad boys is gorgeous. I haven't had any issues with them (worn them on 3 hikes at about 5 miles each so far). Very happy. but like I mentioned at the beginning: they are tight out of the box and may even be uncomfortable on day one but they will break in after a few days and you will love them.

Solid construction, lightweight, and comfortable right out of the box. Rigid enough for the trail but is flexible and good for city-wear. I really like the design as an all purpose boot.

Good light boot good fit, insoles need work move around and up the heel of the boot I put in super feet insoles it made all the difference. Besides the Insoles the boot is worth the price

The only reason why I'm not giving this product 5 stars, is because the shoes are not as breathable as I would like so my feet sweat a bit more than they do in some of my other shoes. Also, I havent had them long enough to see if they will stand the test of time. But they seem pretty tough so far for the 2 weeks of "hell" I've already put them through.Coming from a military background "Marines", I've worn all kinds of boots/hiking shoes. These a very comfortable, pretty stylish, "military type" colors, and they are working great for me.I've already put some miles and wear on them. Running up and down some fairly steap grass, wooded/ rocky areas, gravel, pavement, and they have great traction in them all. Hiking in some pretty thick woods, sprints, and daily casual/ work wear, they have been awesome. I've had them for almost 2 weeks now and they are going through some punishment and have not let me down.I'm going overseas, and while Im in trainning, I wanted to test these shoes out to see if they would be a good fit to take to the desert. They passed my test in the "short" time Ive had them, and I will be getting more to take overseas when that time comes. Just a different color.So if Merrell/ Vibram come out with this same shoe that is more breathable. I dont think I would buy another pair of work/hiking/ "go on adventure" shoes.

these boots are awesome I've hiked roughly 75 miles in them so far however they do run small in my opinion, i normally wear a 9-10 and i ordered these in 10s and my big toes will rub on long hikes especially if I'm wearing thicker socks

The boots look awesome but I gave it 4 stars bc the boot looks to have the front of it go up. Kinda like if elfs had these custom made. I usually see ppl that buy footwear a size too big [aka handmedowns most of the time] have this type of thing going but these weren't big at all.

Great boots!! But just have a problem with mine idk if anyone else has this problem but after about 2 hours of wearing the boots the inside sole keep slide out of the boot by my ankles and by the end of my day the sole is completely out of the boot without even taking the boot off and it kinda sucks couse now the rest of the day your walking and your foot isn't even on a coushion sole! But besides that the boot is good!

Fit is perfect. 10.5 is my size and the size I ordered, still with room for bigger socks. I've worn these all day without getting sweaty feet. The only reason I gave a four is because the lace catch on the outside feels like it's poking into my foot on the inside of the shoe. Great shoe though. Would definitely recommend buying a pair!

Great concept, terrible implementation. As always, take reviews with a grain of salt. I love the concept of the shoe, but several design flaws. First, as usual, Vibram outsole is the bomb. Love it. Supple leather upper is also beautiful, to a fault. You almost worry about it touching anything for fear of it getting damaged. Quite the oxymoron for a cross-application hiking boot. But, that's not a gripe.Now, the tongue, or "partial" tongue, if you will, is another matter altogether. As others have mentioned, the tongue is not wide enough to span the front of the shoe properly. A boot tongue is supposed to span the front of the ankle and wrap part way around toward the sides of the ankle, with enough margin to be easily covered by the outer "flaps" where the lace hooks are. But, unbelievably, the tongue of this boot does not! I've never experienced a boot like this in my entire life, including other Merrell boots. Now, I do not have a big ankle by any means, either. In fact, the biggest problem I have with shoes/boots is that my heel slips up out of the heel cup, so if the tongue of this boot doesn't span the front gap of the boot with my narrow-heels/ankles, that should give you an indication of how narrow the tongue really is.The tongue padding, or lack thereof, is ridiculous. It's bad enough there is no leather whatsoever on the tongue to provide cushion from the laces, which I knew about beforehand, but I didn't expect the padding of the fabric tongue to be so soft, to the extent that it does nothing to insulate you from the edges of the outer flaps (if you can manage to snug the top enough to get the tongue under the outer flaps) or the laces. While the padding LOOKS plush, that's all it does. Snug down the laces, which you will likely do to try and compensate for the tongue not spanning the front gap, and after a few minutes the pressure of the laces cuts right though the padding and starts strangling your ankles.Then there's the issue of the sewn join-line at the top edge of the Gore-tex that comes up on the tongue. Because of the narrow-ness of the tongue, the edges of the stitching ends right at the front edge of my ankle bone. So, when I tie the boot, the stitching knots press down on my ankle bones. And, that hurts! Had the tongue been an inch or two wider like it should have been, this would have been a non-issue.There is simply no excuse for such a crappy tongue, in terms of both width and thickness. I'm sure the non-durable, wide-pored fabric of the tongue contributes to the lack of protection the tongue offers, or doesn't offer, I should say. I think canvas, a la a Converse sneaker, would have provided more protection from the laces, I'm not kidding. If there was a way to fix that tongue without compromising the fit or the integrity of the Gore-tex, I would have kept the boots. But, alas, there isn't. And, for $180, I shouldn't have to jerry-rig something. Shame on Merrell to be selling these with the "partial tongue. I can't believe something as little as a faulty tongue can make a boot unwearable.Like I said, beautiful boot, and great concept, but needless to say, I was quite bummed to have to return them. Maybe these are the very issues as to why a Merrell corporate store told me they discontinued these, even though they are still on the company website.

I ended up returning these because there wasn't enough arch support. North Face is much better in this regard. These Merrells are irresistibly cool-looking, but alas I just needed more arch and cushion. Felt too flat and hard. For what it's worth though, they seemed impeccably well-made and the materials looked modern and top-quality.

The shoes fit great and are extremely comfortable with great ankle support. They also have very good grip, hiked a steep, wet paved path pushing a stroller and felt like I had great footing. The tongue fits in the boot a little awkwardly when laced all the way up (I have skinny ankles) and the laces don't sit evenly (they bunch up) and I'm worried this may cause some discomfort on longer hikes, but the tongue is substantial enough to prevent this from being a problem on short outings. I did not experience an issue with the metal hooks like another reviewer mentioned.My only issue is that the boots were shipped with different length shoelaces, one is the proper length but the other barely has enough to tie properly (I am left with a tiny shoelace bun if I try to double knot). I can't find these laces for purchase by themselves and couldn't find a way to correct this problem through amazon without replacing the boots so I'm writing this review.

I normally wear a 12 so I ordered a 13 to have plenty of room for winter socks.I tried them on with thin athletic socks and they Barley fit.Otherwise seem comfortable and of good quality

I really wanted to like these boots, as they were light weight, had a gore-tex lining and relatively stylish. The fit and finish were great, EXCEPT for the narrow, really prominent arch. It was actually quite horrible for my wide feet. I don't even have that flat an arch, but it felt like a huge slightly soft rock was in my shoe under my arch. If the arch had been anywhere close to some of the other Merrell's that I have worn, these would have been the perfect lightweight hikers.

Cool shoes at first. Wore them all day for a month. I know why they make hiking boots brown because when your kicking up dust all days these shoes will be brown. I also used them on a 3 day very rough terrain hike and they started to fall apart (cracking of the sole, stitching fall apart). These $180 held up worse than other peoples hiking boots that were less than $100.

SO SEDUCTIVE. Yet... so confused.These Merrell's would have been killer as a casual boot. As it is, it's a confused product. Merrell chose to combine its best-looking boots with... waterproofing. A pair of boots that don't look out of place with a pair of dark jeans, yet if you wear them for longer than 2-3 hours, your feet will feel damp because of the utter lack of breathability.The sole is also extremely flexible, which is what you'd want for a casual shoe, but not for a pair of hiking boots. For hiking boots you would want a firmer sole so your feet don't take as much of a bruising on rugged terrain.I like the way the shoe LOOKS a lot. The actual functonality is just strange. Whether you're going for a casual pair of boots for everyday wear, or for something more technical, I would look elsewhere. If you're just going to wear these occasionally on rainy days, or will only use them on well-maintained paths on weekends, then sure, go for it.

Very aggressive arch that is also unusually narrow. I can tolerate narrow shoes more then others but these rough. Tight fitting and not comfortable.

I loved these shoes until the top eyelet popped off the fourth time I put them on. Pretty disappointed!

good night please size for the shoe, "Merrell Men's Annex Mid Gore-Tex Boot, Castle Rock, 9 M US" request on 9 and product delivery came in 10, please desire to be delivered me size requested, to request the size 9 M US

Package arrived on- time but with no Merrell box, first red flag. Shoes look great, but were delivered with the 2nd eyelet completely detached. After investigating, it appears that all 4 of the top eyelets are shoddily attached to the upper. Still like the look of the shoe but can't recommend it for any serious hiking. I'll be returning this for a better quality product.

I really wanted these to fit, they seem to be made well and look great. The length is perfect (I wear size 14), fit as expected. Issue comes with the arch support. It seems that the arch area dug into my foot while walking around the house. I usually do not have any issues with the width in shoes but this boot seems to run a little on the narrow side.

I purchased these boots for work and I work for a public utility provider (water, sewer) and have had the boots for about two months. They fit well and have held up so far, I always switch to rubber boots in wet/muddy conditions. The reason I am giving them one star is the insole. I put the boots on and within ten minutes the insole slips back and half of my foot is sitting on the shoe bed. This is very uncomfortable and it is a pain to have to take your boots off every ten minutes to adjust the insole. I can buy an "aftermarket" insole but for $179.99 I shouldn't have to.

Just received my order of Merrell Men's Annex Mid Gore-Tex Boot. It appeared a cheap knockoff. Similar color and style and without question much poorer quality. Example the sole was not Vibram but some other name. shoe had eyelets for laces not the pull through system.The leather body was rippled in areas and soft. The color was not "clay" but I think 'chocolate'. So I sent it back. Bummer. Amazon is cool but I think they a stock check on this item.

Received my boots with a missing eyelet, and a note attached from the last person to send back the boots!

These boots are not as comfortable as advertised or as expected. The upper part of the boot that supports the ankle digs into my ankle when the laces are tied. This causes a sharp pressure against my ankle and rubs my ankle which makes the boots very uncomfortable to wear. Unfortunately, I've wore the boots or I would request to return them for a refund.Update: Amazon refunded the entire purchase price of the boots. I thought I was going to have to eat $180, but much to my delight I didn't have to. Thank you Amazon!

Merrell Men's Annex Mid Gore-Tex Boot,Blue... Three design flaws. I really wanted to like these boots, but I will be returning these. They otherwise seem to be of decent materials, just a bad design for my feet. Everyone's feet are different, and I'm sure these work fine for many other people. I include enough detail that may help you decide if these will work for you. 1) he inner eyelet, of the bottom set of leather eyelets, is positioned right over the big joint in my big toe, forming an uncomfortable pressure point. The lack of sufficient cushion material under the eyelet contributes to this. I re-laced the boot, to not use the bottom pair of eyelets, which helped, but that brings me to 2), where the top two sets of quick lace eyelets do not have sufficient material on the tongue to cushion the crossing laces as they pull across the front of the ankle. For some unknown reason, the leather-like tongue material on the lower part of the tongue stops short of the crossing of the top two eyelets. 3) The top part of the tongue, under the top two pairs of eyelets, is not wide enough, and doesn't fully tuck under the sides where the eyelets are located. I don't have unusually big ankles, and so I don't find the tongue on my other boots to be too narrow.

I've owned many Merrell's - shoes and boots and never felt they were narrow. My foot is a little wide, but not quite out of a "D" especially with Merrell. The Annex appear really well built, look great and are priced in a range I would expect. From the moment I tried them on, I knew this was not a traditional fit, size 11 that I was used to. The front of my feet were cramped and felt "twisted" inward.I replaced them with Merrell's Pulsate boot and found those to fit as expected. Annex has been the only Merrell product that I didn't love. Amazon made for an easy return. I hope Merrell knows they've made a mistake.