Merrell Moab Speed Thermo Mid WP Hiking Boots Review

Merrell’s Moab Speed Thermo Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots are 200g insulated waterproof winter boots with aggressively lugged Vibram soles that are perfect for cold weather and winter hiking. They have wide toe boxes so your toes can splay out naturally and rock plates to protect your feet from below. But the best thing about these winter boots is that they require no break-in time and are wearable right out of the box. These boots are a home run. I just wish Merrell would make it in a 400g version for colder weather.

Specs at a Glance

• Type: Mids
• Gender: men’s (women’s also available)
• Insulation: 200g Primaloft Gold Eco synthetic insulation
• Outsole: Vibram IceTrek soles
• Waterproof: Yes
• Rock Plate: Yes
• Wide Sizes: No – Sorry
• Stack Height (heel/toe): 31-21mm
• Drop: 10.0mm
• Lug Depth: 6.0mm

Winter Boot Insulation

The Moab Speed Thermo Mid WP is a 200g insulated waterproof winter boot. What’s that mean? Most winter boots are insulated with 200g or 400g synthetic insulation. That’s not a measure of the weight, but of the thickness of the insulation in the boots. A 200g boot will keep your feet warm down to 0-10 degrees F, assuming you’re hiking vigorously and not standing around.

These boots are also waterproof with a membrane to prevent water from seeping through the leather and textile exterior. Merrell does not claim that this membrane is breathable, which I have to give them credit for since most so-called waterproof/breathable boots aren’t breathable at all. Foot sweat will soak your socks when you go on long hikes in winter; I’ve never owned a pair of waterproof/breathable winter hiking boots where that wasn’t the case.

Construction

The Moab Speed Thermo Mid has a textile and leather upper with excellent front-toe protection. The toe box is beefy enough to stand up to the elastomer harness of microspikes without squeezing down on the toes and wide enough inside, that your toes can splay out naturally. You want a lot of room in a winter boot to facilitate blood flow because it will keep your toes warmer.

The tongue is heavily padded and covered in fleece for added comfort and warmth. There is a gaiter ring at the base of the tongue to hook your gaiters too and the tongue is gusseted along the sides to prevent moisture from leaking inside. The top cuff is also fleece lined with a rigid leather heel counter for stability and protection.

The midsole is a soft springy foam that cushions the boot so it feels like you’re wearing a pair of well-padded trail runners. These boots also have a rock plate, which is a feature usually found on trail runners. A rock plate is usually a stiff piece of protective material, kind of like a shield, positioned under the front of the foot, that can blunt impacts from sharp pointed objects like rocks or the spikes of your microspikes.

Vibram IceTrek Outsoles

The Moab Speed Thermo Mid has Vibram IceTrek outsoles with really beefy 6mm lugs.  These outsoles are surprisingly soft and grippy. They’re made with a rubber compound designed for low to medium temperatures with multidirectional lugs that are designed to provide traction when hiking across rock or snow-covered terrain.

Vibram IceTrek soles are engineered to provide extra grip and traction on icy surfaces, or that’s what Vibram’s marketing claims. I haven’t found that to be the case because I slide around like nobody’s business when I hit icy patches in these boots, or any other boots for that matter  It’s a moot point anyway because hikers wear microspikes or crampons when they need extra traction on icy terrain and the soles never touch the ground.

But the soft and grippy soles on these boots are great for scrambling up and down rocky surfaces and provide traction that’s remarkably similar to what you get with a trail runner.

Recommendation

Merrell’s Moab Speed Thermo Waterproof Mids are 200g insulated winter boots that feel a lot like trail runners, with soft grippy soles that provide excellent traction on rock or gravel. They have a large toebox with a beefy toe kick that provides excellent comfort and toe protection. But best of all, you can wear them out of the box without any break-in period. If you hike most of the year wearing trail runners but need a pair of winter hiking boots, I think you’ll like these boots. T

Disclosure: The author owns these shoes.

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