View Full Version : Footware, anyone tried either of these? Salomon and Merrell...
SGT Rock
03-09-2005, 17:44
My father, who hasn't hiked in about 25 years, recently got a pair of the Merrell Chameleon Stretch shoes and loves them for walking. According to him they are some of the most comfortable shoes he has ever worn. Of course he hasn't gone up a mountain in them or backpacked in them, but they look like good shoes: http://www.sierratradingpost.com/product.asp?base_no=62078&mscssid=EBD2DE55FB7348A6AED6557B813CE531
And Sierra Trading post has them on sale in my size, I think.
Since I don't like buying shoes on the Internet, I went down to my local outfitters and looked, but they don't have any. But another shoe caught my eye, the Salomon Tech Amphibian which is more of a covered sandal than a shoe, but looks like it would also be good for my prefered type of footware: http://www.backcountry.com/store/SAL0144/Salomon-Tech-Amphibian-Shoe-Mens.html
anyone have any experience with either of these shoes?
I always buy Merrell's, especially when they're on sale, good shoes. They tend to fit true, not like New Balance which tend to run a 1/2 size small.
Blue Jay
03-09-2005, 18:53
Merrell has been my shoe for years now. I get almost a thousand comfortable miles on them. I've been through several pairs.
smokymtnsteve
03-09-2005, 19:04
I also prefer Merrells over Salomon, I have had two pair of the salomon and both had trouble with the mesh type fabric seams separating.
I used two pairs of Chameleons for about 1400 miles of my throughhike and was very satisfied with them.
SGT Rock
03-09-2005, 21:25
Thanks all, I am really thinking about getting these as my birthday gift: http://www.sierratradingpost.com/product.asp?wc=true&base_no=62078&mscssid=EBD2DE55FB7348A6AED6557B813CE531
I just don't know about sizing, I just hate trying to buy shoes over the Internet. And as I said, the local outfitter doesn't carry them for me to try out.
HikeLite
03-10-2005, 15:09
Carol over at BPL website wears the Salomon tech amphibians for all her hikes. Email her. I have a pair that I intend to wear either hiking or paddling but have not yet had the opportunity.
i hate merrill boots waste of money,but rei gave me my money back:sun neo
rocket04
03-11-2005, 11:06
I did almost my entire hike (2000 miles) in a pair of Merrell Mesa Ventilators. So it goes without saying I swear by them.
I wore a pair of Baja Ventiltors on the PCT for 1000 miles. The tread was still great at the end, but the sides blew out 90 miles from the end in the middle of now where.
Anyway, they were comfy if a bit heavier than I prefer since I hike in sneakers.
Overall, I'd say they were pretty good for an all around trail shoe.
If anyone is curious, here is what the shoes look like after 1000 miles (at the end of the PCT):
http://gallery.backcountry.net/pmagspct02/anc
:)
SGT Rock
03-11-2005, 11:26
Is the duct tape a special option?
Is the duct tape a special option?
Yes. But it DOES cost extra. ;-)
I won a pair of Solomon XA Comps at an Adventure Race clinic. I live in these shoes-they are so comfortable. I day hike in them but they are little thin for backpacking. I backpack in the Merrell pulse 2 crosstraining shoes. Two years ago I hiked up Mt LeConte in lightweight thin soled hiking boots and wound up with Mortons Neuroma's in both feet. My feet are still sensitive so I need the extra padding from the Merrells. One of the best places I have found to buy Salomon's is REI online. My experience with Salamon is that their sizes match what you usually wear. Hope this helps..one warning though...if you do start wearing Salamon's you will never want to tie your shoes again...you have to own a pair to get that :)
I broke in a pair of Salomon XA Pros on a GSMNP dayhike from Newfound to Davenport in Aug. 02, hiked up to 7,500 ft. to chase a herd of non-english speaking sheep ( and bring them back down to 3,000 ft ) over ridges in Austria, hiked on Mt. Cook and the Milford Path in NZ, went back another year to Austria to climb GrossGlockner (12,000 ft.), hiked to Ice Water Springs in 8 inches of snow last spring break with my daughter, and did the Humps in snow/ice a month ago with Repeat. And they are still in pristine condition. Nuff said. Still have a pair of Merrell hiking boots ( soles had to be re-glued ) that are 12 yrs. old but so comfortable. The TarHeel sans blisters.
It is in your act that you exist, not in your body. Your act is yourself