Paul's Merrell Moab Speed 2 Mid GTX review explores a new versatile shoe inspired by Merrell's best-selling Moab boot. We sincerely hope you find it useful.
introduce
Merrell is a very popular American brand of casual outdoor footwear. The company was founded in 1981 when Clark Matis and John Schweizer, two Rossignol Ski Company executives, decided to launch a new mountaineering boot brand. Since 1997, the company has been wholly owned by footwear giant Wolverine World Wide. Merrell has always focused on producing high-performance outdoor and casual footwear with a wide range of products including boots, shoes, sandals and water shoes.
Moab Speed 2 Mid GTX is a brand new model that belongs Moab scope. The Moab range includes a variety of models and has a history of 15 years. It includes everything from hiking boots to lifestyle and insulated options, and features the advanced materials and construction methods we've come to expect from high-end footwear.
I had the pleasure of testing a pre-release version of this new model and sharing my findings. I only had a short time to test this product and I will update the review with any relevant information as I use them more. Even so, I feel confident in being able to review many aspects of the shoe. Read my Merrell Moab Speed 2 Mid GTX review to learn more.
feature
moab mountains
Merrell says the Moab Speed 2 Mid GTX combines the knowledge gained from its best-selling Moab hiking boots with popular trends in multi-purpose sport hikers. There are many models in this series.
Upper material
The shoe features a nylon ripstop and TPU upper combined with a durable synthetic heel and toe box. Gore-Tex waterproof membrane provides a breathable waterproof barrier, and a padded ankle collar provides comfort and support. A bellows-style padded tongue provides weather protection and keeps out trail debris, and the shoe is secured with laces threaded through recycled webbing loops.
sole unit
The sole unit pairs Merrell's FloatPro Foam midsole with a Vibram TC5+ outsole. This lug sole unit was created exclusively for Merrell and is designed to provide a wide range of traction required for a variety of sporting activities.
Merrell says the lightweight FlexPlate not only provides underfoot support and protection, but also provides torsional stiffness, lateral stability and forefoot flexibility. Literature says they offer 30% more underfoot foam than other Speed models. Shoes are treated with Cleansport NXT to naturally control odors
Lace and Statistics
The shoe features dual heel and tongue loops to facilitate easy on and off, and offers carry and clip-on options. The Speed 2 Mids feature a 10mm drop and 4mm lugs. Their stack height is 34-24 mm. Merrell describes the fit width as medium.
Other details
The color offered for review was an orange option called Clay. They also come in brown, gray (pitch), and black colors called rye. The shoes are suitable for vegetarians and the weight of half a pair is 400 grams (no information is given as to which size it relates to). Retail price is £155.
In use
eye-catching design
The Speed 2 Mid has an eye-catching design, especially the orange (clay) option available. This is not a criticism, I really like this style. I think if you choose them, you will choose them too. If orange isn't your thing, you can opt for a more subtle gray (asphalt) or black. Merrell does a great job of combining the main body with a black toe box/heel cup and midsole. There are also flashes of yellow on the arch of the sole.
light
The next thing you'll notice when you pick them up is how light they are. They look pretty sturdy but feel feather-light in your hand. Still, they look tough enough to handle tough adventures. The toe box is well protected and the sole looks to handle rough terrain well.
Comfortable
This is a common practice with many modern footwear, and the Speed 2 felt very comfortable when I first tried it. The normal shoe size I require is 42 (UK 8), which feels just right with regular socks. They are comfortable but have some room in the toe box to avoid toe strikes when going downhill. I have medium width feet and the shoe is wide enough but not baggy. I also really like shoes that have heel and tongue loops to help with getting them on and off.
Lace up
The tongue is well padded and lacing is simple. They feature low-profile fabric loops to secure the laces to your foot. A further recessed fabric loop is then sewn into the heel to help lock your foot securely. Finally, a final row of metal hooks secures the shoe at the ankle. It's a fairly traditional setup, but that's by no means a criticism. Manufacturers have been using this system for many years because it works so well. I don't feel the heel lift when they tie the shoe.
I tried the shoe on a variety of surfaces and the insole, midsole, and outsole combination provided excellent underfoot comfort. They feel dynamic on the road, but I mean that in a positive way. Merrell has a long history of producing trail shoes, so it’s no surprise that these shoes are not only supportive, but also able to soak up the miles. I also tested them on slopes and they provided very good lateral support. The advantage of the mid-high cuff is added ankle support, which you can feel during use.
Traction
The Vibram TC5+ outsole provided very good traction on every surface I tried it on. This includes wet rock, grass, dirt and loose stone surfaces. The aggressive tread pattern combines with 4mm lugs to give off-road confidence. I do like the pronounced heel edge for UK terrain. The Speed 2 has no such feature, but does have a stepped groove that works great.
Some other comfort and support things to note. Padded ankle cuffs provide a very comfortable ride. Merrell strikes just the right balance here. They also hit that sweet spot with the amount of padding on the tongue.
Weatherproof
To test the water resistance, I paddled the Speed 2 on Lake Morlich (near Aviemore). The nylon ripstop upper has a great water beading effect. If water does get through, then adding a GoreTex membrane should easily prevent moisture from getting in. Durable Water Repellent (DWR) surface coatings will inevitably lose their effectiveness over time, but as with any synthetic fabric, it is important to re-apply it regularly and properly. For this type of product we use Nikwax fabric and leather proofing. The details are here.
sustainable development
Merrell has detailed plans to improve the sustainability of its products. Their website details this here. Speed 2 Mids are made from a variety of recycled materials. Merrell lists it as 100% recycled laces and webbing, 100% recycled breathable mesh lining, 100% recycled mesh footbed cover, and 50% recycled removable EVA foam footbed.
generalize
Our Merrell Moab Speed 2 Mid GTX review shares my initial impressions of the new product's styling, fit and performance. I was impressed in every way. Merrell produces a unique and highly functional shoe that serves a variety of purposes. If your adventures take you in different directions, this shoe is a great choice.
I can't say much about the Speed 2's durability just yet. I fully expect them to achieve this as well, but I will of course report further after using them more during the upcoming spring and summer. At £155, I also think the Merrell is great value for money. For full details on this shoe, and the entire Merrell range, visit their website here.
This Merrell Moab Speed 2 Mid GTX review is the first Merrell product we've tested on the site, although we've used other Merrell products in the past. We look forward to trying other products in the future. However, we have a wide range of other product reviews, all of which can be found on our reviews page here. Our blog section also contains many articles of advice and inspiration that we hope will interest you. you can find them all here.
