Shoes
Product 2019
Woman, Man
The Choprock is presented by Merrell as a shoe designed for damp conditions.
We think they have a range that is much wider than just damp terrain, aquatic excursions, canyoning, kayaking, rafting and even swimrunning on short distances.
Its design is very well suited to these conditions, the very ventilated mesh means they evacuate water rapidly. Their soles also have holes (four on each side) that do the same thing. The intermediate insole is also pierced to encourage water evacuation. Water mostly escapes rapidly through the large holey mesh that also allows sand to escape.
All materials are designed to release moisture and dry out quickly. The Merrell Choprock weighs 318g in size 43. Once you dive into a stream or in the sea, its weight increases to 360g, which is fine. You can barely feel these extra grams.
The lugs wear out pretty quickly, which is classic on this type of soft rubbered shoe.
Take note, this Merrell is a real walking shoe, yet with less cushioning, almost nonexistent, and you do feel sharp stones under the forefoot. But their overall behavior is pretty close to a minimalist trail shoe. Its Vibram sole offers a powerful grip, in the mud (it doesn’t get clogged up) and on the rocks under water in a stream or on slippery banks they are really reassuring in all those nasty passages: great grip all along the shoe and the heel is well held.
The sole has a very moderate torsional stiffness, it is flexible: you can negotiate the slopes well due to your natural proprioception but only for a while because the shoe doesn’t help.
The front and sides are well protected by reinforcements that change the Choprock’s balance (inertia on the front of the foot) but it is for a good cause: you can really walk in the water without worrying about whacking a rock and injuring your toes.
They are relatively easy to slide on, the Merrell Choprock is designed like a sock. The foot slips easily into them when they are dry. The operation requires a little attention with wet feet: you need to use the two straps on the instep and heel. Practical: you can use one of these two loops to hang up the Merrell Choprock and dry them!
The laces could be a bit more hydrophobic but, overall, it does the job. Remember to do a double knot, they tend to loosen in the water. On the other hand, it slides well on the instep and allows a tight adjustment. The foot envelopment is good and you don’t lose the shoes in the water.
If you want to run with the Merrell Choprock, you can do short distances in swimruns, don’t expect miracles from a sole that isn’t designed for this use: the rebound isn’t dynamic and the lack of cushioning fatigues quickly. On the other hand, forefoot runners can appreciate it.
We found that the Merrell Choprock was a little smaller than current standard sizing: pay attention when ordering online. You can wear them with or without socks. We preferred without, even if you feel the mesh on the instep you get used to it quickly.
Its rather “rustic” look confirms its toughness.
The Merrell Choprock is much more than a shoe just for wet trails. They are comfortable in aquatic environments or anywhere near water. Thanks to a very eye-catching sole and ultra-fast water evacuation, you can see they uses expanded to canyoning, water-hiking and why not even some short swimruns.
We used this equipment over a long period of time
These are our thoughts after intensive use:
Receive your answers by mail. Do you have a particular question concerning the design, use, durability or other about a tested product? We will answer your question personally.
