Women's Merrell Chameleon Arc 2 Mid WP

no blisters and they are cute! I confess these were $45 over my budget and I bought them because they were cute.

Based on other reviews, I ordered a half size up and I am glad that I did. I normally wear an 8B and I ordered the 8.5. The fit is pretty good, but I think that I could have gone with the size 9 if I want to wear thicker socks. I love the purple accent color which adds a little femininity to the boot. These are rated waterproof which is why I bought them. I have not tested them yet. I am very positively impressed with the Merrell Ortholite insole which is anti-microbial and the supportive arch built into the boot. I like the more rounded edges on the sole of this shoe, more like an athletic shoe than a work boot. Boot seems to move well with my foot when walking and provides lots of comfort compared to other brands. Nice padding around the ankle for comfortable support. Boot has metal closed rivited loops for the laces which will be very durable. The sole has a nice grippy nubby tread which will work well in wet weather. This boot is one of the better styles (and quality) that Merrell has to offer. I recommend sticking with Merrell's higher end (priced) styles as there is definitely a difference in the feel between the Merrell styles. I really like the feel of these boots; can't wait to give them a test run on the trail.

I tend to buy shoes a half size larger due to needing to insert a custom orthotic. This shoe seemed a little bit smaller than I would have expected. I need a shoe that keeps my foot rigid in place inside it. This boot does just that. There is very little toe wiggle room inside the shoe, which made being outside in snow uncomfortable. The waterproof feature held up to snow conditions where I had to remain standing in snow for 4+ hours. I broke the shoes in over a week long period and therefore did not have the discomfort that others spoke of. The boot is comfortable enough that I am continuing to wear it around for errands. I recommend socks that go up past the boot height to avoid discomfort on your leg from the padding of the boot. Overall I recommend this boot, especially if you need shoes that hold your foot in place for the correct placement of your orthotic to be in effect.

I bought these two years ago for a trip to Utah and Arizona for daylong hikes. They were great. We logged about 8 miles per day in canyons and Arches (sandy trails). I love Merrells, especially the Chameleon style (the Siren doesn't fit me at all and I am sticking this one). I recommend these highly and would buy another pair when mine wear out (they hold up well as far as workmanship).

I ordered these boots to replace my ancient, heavy leather hiking boots with a vibram sole that most recently I used during snow storms for getting around walking the dog or shoveling. These Merrell boots are the best - comfortable right out of the box, excellent traction and very light. I could not be more pleased with this purchase. Fit is true to size.