TREKKING
Product 2019
Woman, Man
Legend has it that the brand was born after Randy Merrell (the founder who it’s named after) made a pair of made-to-measure cowboy boots in 1981, which gave him the idea of continuing with hiking boots. The Zion GTX, latest generation, was designed, not on the basis of a pair of Santiagos, but on a slightly heavier and less supple trail running shoe.
This model is designed to travel the trails with ease and last the test of time. They are sleek, no frills, and give the impression of being tough. We immediately noticed the attention to details in their simplicity. These shoes combine leather and Gore-Tex® for excellent comfort. Foothold is good and they have a comfortable interior without any friction points.
The lacing system is simple and precise, thanks to some metal eyelets, and above all, the quality of the laces makes it possible to fix the laces for a long time. The thick tongue absorbs adjustments well and avoids compression. It seems a bit short, but in the end it does the job well, sits well against your instep and prevents small pebbles and other bits of twigs from slipping inside. The Zion GTX are a bit wide for narrow feet, but the foothold still remains good. The Vibram® sole is quite stiff, but the slightly curved shape brings a good roll in the stride, and after some use stiffness goes away enough to give more flexibility to the shoe.
The rubber stone guard covers the top of the shoe well on the top but stops on the sides at the famous toe-flex fold, which is a very sensitive area to wear and tear. The stone guard is reinforced with a leather part, which should increase its solidity. The Zion GTX is quite warm and thick. Your feet warm up as soon as the exterior temperature rises and it is therefore difficult to assess the true effectiveness of the Gore-Tex® membrane. These are more designed for mountain wear than walks by the beach in the summer.
They resist against water for a long time, thanks to the thickness and quality of the materials, but like all ankle high shoes water ends up sneaking in over the tops and these Zion are very low.
The Vibram® Megagrip® sole with 5mm crampons is perfect on dry ground, it grips very well on stony paths and rocks, and the crampons thickness grips in deep muddy or sandy ground. On wet ground, irreproachable! Be a little more vigilant on rock slabs as the crampon thickness reduces the surface area of the sole so you have less contact. Weighing 648g they don’t fit into the lightweight category, but that’s the price to pay for this type of shoe that aims at sturdiness and duration.
The cushioning is increased with an “air chamber” incorporated into the heel. Out on the trails it’s difficult to feel the difference between a shoe without an “air chamber”. The cushioning is normal for a shoe of this type, even a little stiff.
The Zion GTX is an excellent low hiking shoe, compact and with very good foot support, comfortable, stable and with a fluid foot strike. Perfect manufacturing, and you feel the sturdiness of the shoe. Apart from the fairly high price, this Merrell model is a great technical and aesthetic success.
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
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