I have had the opportunity to use the Merrell Outbound hiking boots through the fall and the early winter.  I have put some miles on these boots, and they have served me well.  Boots are one of those tricky things whose performance is dependent an individuals foot in relation to the fit .  A pair of boots that perform perfectly for one may be completely unsuitable for another.  This is not an indictment on the quality of the boot, just a difference in design. With this in mind, the Merrell Outbound boots work very well for me.  I have high arches,  that take up a fair amount of volume in a shoe.  I need some room in the front of the boot to allow my toes wiggle room.  This is how the Outbounds fit me,  and they are really comfortable in this regard.  The boots were functional from the get go,  requiring no real break-in time. I have yet to get a blister or any significant foot problems in this boot, although I am not generally prone to them.

With fit in mind,  the quality and performance of the Merrell Outbound boot is fantastic.  They still look like new, after slogging through 100+ miles of dirt, mud, snow and slime.  These boots are built to last for a long time,  and they reflect it in their durability.  The hard rubber wrap above the sole,  and the TPU toe and heel bumper completely eliminate the scuffing that plague boots that are not as well protected.   The Gore-Tex liner keeps things nice and dry, but the shoe is not insulated, so they get chilly on extended trips in the snow.   I was a little skeptical as to the range of usefulness of these boots, as my initial impression was that they would be very heavy and rigid to provide the type of support needed for multi-day backpacking trips.  These boots are supportive,  but neither as heavy nor as rigid as I expected.  They actually are a great choice as an all around supportive hiking boot.  They are not the best choice for trail running, or fast and light trips,  but if I only had the opportunity to use one pair of hiking boots, these would be on the top of the list with one caveat.  I have not had the opportunity to wear these boots in warm summer weather, so I cannot comment as to how warm they will get.

The soles of the Outbound boot are on of the beefiest Vibram soles I have come across.  The 7 millimeter lugs are very grippy, and open enough that they shed mud and snow really well,  allowing for traction in the soggiest of conditions.  The soles to this point only show mild wear. The interior with it’s “Aegis” antimicrobial treatment appear to be effective, as they do not have any significant smell.  This was not the case when I first removed them from the box.  The new boots had a strong glue smell,  making it necessary to store them in the garage until the smell dissipated after the first couple of outings. The boots come in a couple of different color choices; red and black.  the big Merrell logo across the side is a little flashy, but not unreasonable.  I have the red pair,  and they actually look better in person than in photographs.

These boots are solid.  A good all around choice if you a interested in going from backpacking to day hiking.  The a big strong durable workhorses that will keep you trucking for years to come.