Waterproof shoes

[terazen]

I went to bass pro shop this weekend and all the waterproof shoes they had were either expensive(new balance/merrill goretex) or uncomfortable (columbia). I've heard merrills were worth the money if I could get them on sale. Is that the way to go?

 

[SkaBob]

I honestly prefer Solomons, but the durability just isn't there. I utterly destroyed at least a pair of Solomon xa pro 3d's a year (that is, to say, 3 pairs in 2 1/2 years)...I don't mean "the soles wore out and the upper was kinda beat up", I mean a huge ass hole in the toe of one and the heels blown completely out of the other (both from bad conditions, but both should've been well within the shoe's capabilities being a waterproof trail runner).

I just bought a paid of Merrill Moabs and they're holding up very nicely so far, and seem a far sturdier shoe.

I'd definitely say the construction, warmth and waterproofing is there with Merrills, from what I've seen on other people's and now my own...

They were cheaper than the Solomons, too!

The prices are kinda harsh, but WAY more so than with golf bags, with outdoor (and especially waterproof) shoes, you REALLY get what you pay for.

 

[MagPie]

I went to bass pro shop this weekend and all the waterproof shoes they had were either expensive(new balance/merrill goretex) or uncomfortable (columbia). I've heard merrills were worth the money if I could get them on sale. Is that the way to go?

get a pair of merrells (especially the ones with the Vibram sole) and keep the receipt. If anything crazy happens to them down the line, call merrell and they can be replaced.

good shoes are like a good bag. Its an investment, but it will pay off in the future.

 

[stoneman]

salomon's and sealskins...can't be beat.

 

[Roy]

I bought a pair of soloman goretex hikers for under $60 on steep and cheap. they are pretty sweet. I only wear them when I need to and they have worn great. The are great for spring golf or anytime it rains. They dont replace my boots when its really messy, but I'm a fan of goretex hikers.

 

[VictorB]

I'm a big fan of Merrell Moab GTX XCRs. Just bought my 3rd pair in the last 4 years, I've tried other merrells and a pair of solomons, and the Moab are my favs by far. Not too expensive for a goretex shoe, but any goretex will run you at least $90.

 

[Mr. Wick]

salomon's and sealskins...can't be beat.

Exactly.

 

[SkaBob]

I'm a big fan of Merrell Moab GTX XCRs. Just bought my 3rd pair in the last 4 years, I've tried other merrells and a pair of solomons, and the Moab are my favs by far. Not too expensive for a goretex shoe, but any goretex will run you at least $90.

That's the model I got. REALLY nice!

 

[RS39]

I have a pair of North Face GTX trail runners, forget the model, and don't see it on the shoe. Darned good shoe for a year except for one fatal flaw. There is a 1.5" long and .2" wide gap in the tread design where you see foam sole instead of rubber, right at the ball of your foot. Rotation of my throws keeps peeling this tread off, the local repair guy has done a few free re-glues, and I've since just cut that triangle area of tread off.

my NB with 'Lego look' multi-part tread designs have never done this, but I am leery now

 

[Jaysus]

A chick that played our Ice Bowl this weekend picked up a pair of waterproof hikers from walmart for $25. It's not a long term solution, but if you want something quick like while you shop around, it may be worth it.

P.S. I have Keens, Merrils, Solomons, and Lowas - each works well for what I want. The Lowas are prob my favorites.

 

[terazen]

I'm a big fan of Merrell Moab GTX XCRs. Just bought my 3rd pair in the last 4 years, I've tried other merrells and a pair of solomons, and the Moab are my favs by far. Not too expensive for a goretex shoe, but any goretex will run you at least $90.

When you say 3rd pair in 4 years, are you wearing them daily or just for outdoor weekend type things? I won't be wearing mine to work.

salomon's and sealskins...can't be beat.

Exactly.

I don't think I've seen some of the other brands yall mention at the Bass Pro Shop. I'll have to hit up some different places this weekend.

 

[SkaBob]

Check REI, Moosejaw or Gander Mountain if you have them locally.

 

[VictorB]

I'm a big fan of Merrell Moab GTX XCRs. Just bought my 3rd pair in the last 4 years, I've tried other merrells and a pair of solomons, and the Moab are my favs by far. Not too expensive for a goretex shoe, but any goretex will run you at least $90.

When you say 3rd pair in 4 years, are you wearing them daily or just for outdoor weekend type things? I won't be wearing mine to work.

I wear them daily, and wear them to play disc golf. They are very solid shoes. I could probably get 2 years easy out of them if I didn't wear them on a daily basis.

 

[EKG]

If you want waterproof shoes, buy a pair of seal skins and whatever shoes you want. I don't care what the manufacturers say, aside from rubber boots, NO shoe is completely waterproof. Good DG shoes have been the hardest piece of equipment for me to track down. I've tried them all.

Merrell's have great sole material (they're Vibram soles, shocker) but the rest of the construction is pretty bad. I will not go back to Merrell until they quit using glue to hold the sole to the rest of the shoe. They need to try and find a way to sew these two pieces together. I can break down a pair of Merrell's in 2 months, and sometimes even less than that if I'm playing in consistent sloppy weather. Even though the soles are solid, I find that there is more support on the sides of the soles instead of directly under the ball and heel of your foot which I believe makes a long lasting comfortable DG shoe.

Solomon's are more comfortable than Merrell's but they break down faster and the sole quality is not as good.

Tennis shoes have the appropriate support for the ball and heel but are obviously not designed for trail use.

After dropping hundreds of dollars on shoes the last few years I tried to find a trail shoe that looked like the construction had more ball and heel support vs. side of feet support. So basically I was looking for a shoe with a really tall sole. I consider Merrell's Vibram soles to be shallow. The way the sole was attached to the shoe was also important. The Vibram soles are wider than the shoe and I found that because the sole was wider, the sole would eventually start to peel away from the shoe (the toe area always peels away first). So basically I wanted to find a trail shoe that looked like the old school Reebok tennis shoes. A tall sole that was only as wide as the actual shoe. Think platform shoes.

I found a pair of Columbia shoes that were the closest to these specifications that I could find.

Here is a picture:

http://www.columbia.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Columbia_US-Site/default/Search-Show?prefn1=activity&prefv1=003&prefn2=technologyInitiative&prefv2=07&sz=1&start=6

They're narrower shoes and that takes a little bit of getting used to, but these $50 shoes have lasted twice as long as the $150 Merrell's/Solomon's and have better ball and heel support. The inside of the shoe hasn't been flattened and they're still really comfortable.

If you've tried all of the expensive trail shoes and you're not happy. Give these a try. I wish I would've found them sooner.

 

[A.Mutt]

If you want waterproof shoes, buy a pair of seal skins and whatever shoes you want. I don't care what the manufacturers say, aside from rubber boots, NO shoe is completely waterproof. Good DG shoes have been the hardest piece of equipment for me to track down. I've tried them all.

Merrell's have great sole material (they're Vibram soles, shocker) but the rest of the construction is pretty bad. I will not go back to Merrell until they quit using glue to hold the sole to the rest of the shoe. They need to try and find a way to sew these two pieces together. I can break down a pair of Merrell's in 2 months, and sometimes even less than that if I'm playing in consistent sloppy weather. Even though the soles are solid, I find that there is more support on the sides of the soles instead of directly under the ball and heel of your foot which I believe makes a long lasting comfortable DG shoe.

Solomon's are more comfortable than Merrell's but they break down faster and the sole quality is not as good.

Tennis shoes have the appropriate support for the ball and heel but are obviously not designed for trail use.

After dropping hundreds of dollars on shoes the last few years I tried to find a trail shoe that looked like the construction had more ball and heel support vs. side of feet support. So basically I was looking for a shoe with a really tall sole. I consider Merrell's Vibram soles to be shallow. The way the sole was attached to the shoe was also important. The Vibram soles are wider than the shoe and I found that because the sole was wider, the sole would eventually start to peel away from the shoe (the toe area always peels away first). So basically I wanted to find a trail shoe that looked like the old school Reebok tennis shoes. A tall sole that was only as wide as the actual shoe. Think platform shoes.

I found a pair of Columbia shoes that were the closest to these specifications that I could find.

Here is a picture:

http://www.columbia.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Columbia_US-Site/default/Search-Show?prefn1=activity&prefv1=003&prefn2=technologyInitiative&prefv2=07&sz=1&start=6

They're narrower shoes and that takes a little bit of getting used to, but these $50 shoes have lasted twice as long as the $150 Merrell's/Solomon's and have better ball and heel support. The inside of the shoe hasn't been flattened and they're still really comfortable.

If you've tried all of the expensive trail shoes and you're not happy. Give these a try. I wish I would've found them sooner.

I completely agree with you on Merrell's build quality ... I dropped the money on a pair of Pivots middle of the season last year and by fall the glue holding the sole on had significantly started to give way at the toes. It was rather disappointing, I've blown out the toes on most my shoes but almost none this fast.

Whats the arch support like with Columbias? I've got higher than average arches and the Merrells were at least great in this area.

 

[rodman20]

I always read shoe reviews on here and i have no clue how you guys shred shoes so quickly. I play 5-8 rounds a weeks (easy terrain) but even when i was in tallahassee that had tougher terrain i never had this issue. I've had a pair of rockport XCS trailvision shoes for over a year and they are holding up greatly (i wish i picked up several pairs, they were 9.99 at ross). I need to replace my insoles but besides that i know i have at least 6 more months of quality DG left in them. Be lighter on your feet. I know guys aroudn here who seem to drag thier feet (forhand and backhand) and i know that can not be good for thier shoes.

In the end how do you tear through a quality pair of shoes (merrils) in two months?

Edit: Heres some pics from a website. i have low tops but you can see them and the tread pattern.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/mens-rockport-trailvision-xcs-hikers-brown-check.aspx?a=516580

 

[EKG]

I completely agree with you on Merrell's build quality ... I dropped the money on a pair of Pivots middle of the season last year and by fall the glue holding the sole on had significantly started to give way at the toes. It was rather disappointing, I've blown out the toes on most my shoes but almost none this fast.

Whats the arch support like with Columbias? I've got higher than average arches and the Merrells were at least great in this area.

I too have high arches and these are comfortable for me. If its possible, try them on first. I found mine at a DSW but REI or similar stores should have some of the models available. Obviously you can get inserts but I definitely understand wanting the original construction to fit your feet.

Not sure if this will help but Merrell's are comfortable to me for about 3 or 4 weeks and then I squish the inside of the shoe. These still feel comfortable.

 

[A.Mutt]

I completely agree with you on Merrell's build quality ... I dropped the money on a pair of Pivots middle of the season last year and by fall the glue holding the sole on had significantly started to give way at the toes. It was rather disappointing, I've blown out the toes on most my shoes but almost none this fast.

Whats the arch support like with Columbias? I've got higher than average arches and the Merrells were at least great in this area.

I too have high arches and these are comfortable for me. If its possible, try them on first. I found mine at a DSW but REI or similar stores should have some of the models available. Obviously you can get inserts but I definitely understand wanting the original construction to fit your feet.

Not sure if this will help but Merrell's are comfortable to me for about 3 or 4 weeks and then I squish the inside of the shoe. These still feel comfortable.

Thanks much, appreciated.
No REI around here but I'll check DSW and we have a Gander Mountain so maybe I'll check in there too.

 

[EKG]

I always read shoe reviews on here and i have no clue how you guys shred shoes so quickly. I play 5-8 rounds a weeks (easy terrain) but even when i was in tallahassee that had tougher terrain i never had this issue. I've had a pair of rockport XCS trailvision shoes for over a year and they are holding up greatly (i wish i picked up several pairs, they were 9.99 at ross). I need to replace my insoles but besides that i know i have at least 6 more months of quality DG left in them. Be lighter on your feet. I know guys aroudn here who seem to drag thier feet (forhand and backhand) and i know that can not be good for thier shoes.

In the end how do you tear through a quality pair of shoes (merrils) in two months?

Edit: Heres some pics from a website. i have low tops but you can see them and the tread pattern.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/mens-rockport-trailvision-xcs-hikers-brown-check.aspx?a=516580

My shoe shredding comes from a several factors.

1. My feet sweat a lot which mats down the inner soles, which in turn creates more space for your foot to slide around inside a shoe regardless of how tight you tie them. The sliding around will break down the construction faster than anything else.
2. You play enough tournaments you will always experience at the very least, first round dew on the grass. This water seeps into the shoe material which then gets into where the glue holds the sole to the shoe.
3. Seneca Creek State Park, (where I play the majority of my rounds) has the roughest tee pads I've ever seen or played on.
4. I crush the shit out of some plastic and I put a lot of force on my feet.

 

[rodman20]

I always read shoe reviews on here and i have no clue how you guys shred shoes so quickly. I play 5-8 rounds a weeks (easy terrain) but even when i was in tallahassee that had tougher terrain i never had this issue. I've had a pair of rockport XCS trailvision shoes for over a year and they are holding up greatly (i wish i picked up several pairs, they were 9.99 at ross). I need to replace my insoles but besides that i know i have at least 6 more months of quality DG left in them. Be lighter on your feet. I know guys aroudn here who seem to drag thier feet (forhand and backhand) and i know that can not be good for thier shoes.

In the end how do you tear through a quality pair of shoes (merrils) in two months?

Edit: Heres some pics from a website. i have low tops but you can see them and the tread pattern.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/mens-rockport-trailvision-xcs-hikers-brown-check.aspx?a=516580

My shoe shredding comes from a several factors.

1. My feet sweat a lot which mats down the inner soles, which in turn creates more space for your foot to slide around inside a shoe regardless of how tight you tie them. The sliding around will break down the construction faster than anything else.
2. You play enough tournaments you will always experience at the very least, first round dew on the grass. This water seeps into the shoe material which then gets into where the glue holds the sole to the shoe.
3. Seneca Creek State Park, (where I play the majority of my rounds) has the roughest tee pads I've ever seen or played on.
4. I crush the shit out of some plastic and I put a lot of force on my feet.

I can sympathize with 1,2, and 4. I guess it really just comes down to where you play and the conditions of the course and teepads.

How far do you have to throw to rip your shoes apart?