Merrell Moab Speed 2 Thermo Hiking Boots Review

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Since 1981, Merrell Footwear has been making a incredible hiking boots. I live in Michigan near the Wolverine World Wide production site where Merrell is manufactured. It has long been my go to for running shoes, great jackets and stylish, functional outdoor gear. My last pair of winter hiking boots were the old leather type that lasted 12 years. Despite our close relationship and great memories, it was time for me to say goodbye. I looked to Merrell to meet my specific needs and decided on the Moab Speed 2 Thermo hiking boots for my winter adventures.

The Moab hiking boots come in many varieties from short, mid-height, ultra-light and waterproof. Merrell did a great job of delivering what they promised in the Moab Speed 2 Thermo. They designed the boot to keep water out while allowing moisture to escape in a lightweight, insulated hiking boot. What I received exceeded my expectations in weight, attention to fine details and fit.

Merrell’s Attention to Detail

I had no question that Merrell would really deliver when it came to the promised waterproof boot with great traction. What I didn’t expect was the additional features this boot provides for comfort, traction and durability. Starting at the neck of the boot, the Moab Speed 2 has a padded collar and a bellows tongue to keep out debris. The Speed 2 Thermo version of the Moab boots have 2 metal lacing hooks on the ankle as opposed to the single hook on most of the other Moab designs. The added hook brings the boot a little taller and snug around your ankle to keep out snow during the cold weather. The metal lace hooks are mounted in a tough, suede panel to prevent them pulling out or breaking.

An additional detail that I thought was a bonus is the elastic band on the tongue of the boot. The band is a great place to tuck your laces after the boots are tied. No more untied boots! And, your laces won’t get snagged on sticks and brush as you make your way through the forest. The upper of this boot is a combination of recycled materials with accents of suede and reflective material. There is areas of reflective material on the all planes of this boot, even in the lacing loops. This really adds to the safety of this design.

Extreme Warmth Without Bulk

The Moab Speed 2 Thermo hiking boots are designed to be super lightweight while still protecting your feet and keeping you warm. Merrell uses 200 grams of Primaloft Gold Eco Series synthetic insulation to keep this boot breathable and incredibly warm. To add to the warmth underfoot, they use the SOLARCORE Aerogel removable insole combined with a FloatPro foam midsole. This combination of insulating soles keeps the icy, winter earth from penetrating your feet. You don’t have to understand the technology of each of these products to recognize that Merrell did their research and delivered a product that is sure to keep your feet toasty warm.

Protection Underfoot in the Merrell Moab Speed 2 Thermo

Aside from keeping you warm, Merrell made these boots to protect. The leather toe and heel cap are abrasion resistant and tough. Merrell also added a rock plate to the sole for when the terrain gets tough. The Vibram soles are very unique and designed to grip icy terrain. If you look closely at the tread, they are multi-directional, varied in their traction surface and even have some grip on the lateral surfaces. These lateral tread areas help with your boot sliding side to side in snowy terrain.

In addition to all of that, the Moab Speed 2 Thermo has small ice lugs on the boot. They are small rubber traction lugs that extend past the normal tread. This feature will certainly add to the security of my footing when the Michigan winters get rough.

Sizing and Comfort

I normally wear a size 10 in my street shoes so I went up a half size for my hiking boots. I found them to have plenty of room for thicker socks if needed. They were also the correct length to prevent my toe from jamming into the end on the downhills. The nicely curved insole and a generous heel cup keep this boot from sliding around in the heel area. This is a great feature if you are prone to blisters. I would describe the overall fit to be medium to wide in width and true-to-size in shoe sizing.

The lacing loops pull the arch area in snug while leaving room in the toe box. It is a well put together design for a very comfortable fit. It took me a little getting used to the higher ankle height since my summer hikers are shoes. They felt a little stiff when new but they quickly broke in after wearing them on several small hikes.

Technical Features From the Merrell Website

• 100% recycled laces
•  90% recycled webbing
• Protective and abrasion resistant coated leather heel and toe cap
• Gaiter D-Ring
• 100% recycled breathable mesh lining
• 200 grams Primaloft® Gold Eco Series synthetic insulation
• 100% recycled mesh footbed cover
• Cleansport NXT™ treated for natural odor control
• SOLARCORE® Aerogel insole provides underfoot superior warmth while being extremely flexible and ultra-thin
•  5% recycled removable PU footbed
• Rock plate for protection
• FloatPro™ Foam midsole for lightweight comfort that lasts
• Vibram Icetrek outsole designed to provide the improved grip on very cold, icy, or snowy surfaces
• Drop: 10mm
• Lug: 6mm
• Half pair weight: 0lbs-15.51oz, 440g
• Men’s sizes: half sizes from 7-12.5, 13, 14 and 15
• Women’s sizes: half sizes from 5-11

I’m Ready for Winter in the Merrell Moab Speed 2 Thermo Hiking Boots!

Bring it on, Mother Nature! The snow hasn’t flown here in Michigan yet, but the anticipation of using my new boots in the snow makes me feel like a little kid. I was able to test out the boots during some 30 degree mornings in the Rocky Mountains and I can say, my feet were warm! The Moab Speed 2 Thermo is exceptionally lightweight, weighing in at only 15.5 oz. per boot. Whether I’m on a winter backpacking trip to an ice climb or snow blowing my driveway, these boots will perform!

Merrell offered these shoes in some really great colors. For women, they offer Adobe Rose (my choice), Monument (light grey with light blue accents) and Black. For men, they offer Rock (dark grey and black), Olive, and Double Black. All of the color combos are sharp and trendy. For more info or to order a pair for yourself, visit merrell.com or amazon.com.