Watch the overview for this boots below:
Overview of Merrell Moab 3 Mid Hiking Boot
If you don’t have time to read the review, let me give you a brief overview of the Merrell Moab 3 Mid GT. It is an absolutely fantastic mid-size, waterproof hiking boot. The comfort level is just unbelievable. The outsole is excellent. You will not be disappointed, but if you are serious about buying it, you should stick around to learn more about the features because this is not a regular hiking boot review.
Buy Merrell Moab 3 Mid Waterproof on Amazon
Performance Review of Merrell Moab 3 Mid
Well, how do we make the judgment? We do the review for this boot with eight different criteria.
1-Comfortability of Merrell Moab 3 Mid
So the first criterion is the comfort level. To test the comfort level, I do a three-mile run and then a five-mile walk right after no pauses, and then I continue wearing the shoes or boots, in this case, for the rest of the day so that the total wear time is approximately eight hours.
This testing procedure gives me the baseline for testing everything that I review so that I am not biased to this but slightly biased to that. Like I said in the beginning, the comfort level is absolutely fantastic, and there are a few factors that contribute to the comfort level.
The first one, of course, is the weight. The lighter the boot, the longer you can walk and the longer you can run. I own a size 10, weighing 17.3 ounces or 490 grams. For a waterproof mid-size boot, this weight is very good. If you are looking in this category, waterproof, mid-size, as long as you find something under 20 ounces, that’s considered lightweight.
Due to its lightweight, it’s going to keep you from slowing down and creating unnecessary fatigue over long distances. You’ll be fatigued over long distances because you’re putting in the effort and walking, but wearing lightweight boots on your feet can minimize that.
Merrell Moab 3 Mid is well under 20 ounces, but remember, you get into that heavier category once you get past that 20-ounce above. Let’s move on to the next factor contributing to comfort: the outsole’s flexibility.
It has a Vibram rubber, which we’ll talk about later in the outsole specifically, and it is still very, very flexible. You can actually run in the boots properly. Honestly, I would not mind. They don’t look like trail running shoes, obviously because of the mid-sized boots, but if you are doing some hardcore trail running, you can do it in this without any problems and without putting stress on your ankles or your knees.
Let’s move on to the inner part of the boots. The innersole is fantastic. When it comes to the heel bed and arch support, this is as defined as a heel bad and arch support as you can get it anywhere else. The innersole design is fantastic. However, this might not work for some feet if you have flatter feet; the arch support might be too aggressive for your liking. And also, add additional cushioning in the hotspot area to provide extra protection.
Let’s move on to padding, which contributes to the comfort level. The padding is very soft, like a pillow. You have a whole pillow for a tongue, and it feels fantastic. This is one of the most comfortable boots that I had, and it’s so comfortable.
The padding runs through the shaft, heel, and throughout the whole boot. The padding will protect your feet all around, and you can wear these boots without socks, and you will still be very comfortable. This is very impressive whenever it comes to the comfort level.
2-Proofing and Protection for Merrell Moab 3 Mid
Let’s move on to criteria number two - proofing and protection. So Merrell Moab 3 Mid is waterproof—nothing fancy, no Gore-Tex, just the regular waterproofing from Merrell. Again, these guys know exactly what they’re doing, but I wanted to highlight the gusseting design. The gusseting goes all the way up to the same length, basically, the shaft height, which is very smart. Usually, you see the shaft being like, for example, five inches, and then the gusseting is like three inches.
The Moab 3 is not the case and shows that Merrell knows what they’re doing. Let’s talk about the protection for this boot. A reinforcement rubber is at the front of the toe box, but it’s still very soft. So don’t drop anything on your toe on the rocky road. It will give you enough protection against small rocks, but put less trust in it that you drop something heavy, which won’t protect your feet.
The front cap is rigid, which is very helpful on rocky roads. Then, we have plenty of protection from the bottom. We’ll discuss the outsole later, but it’s a super high-quality rubber Vibram, giving you plenty of protection from the bottom. You have the same kind of reinforcement at the heel, a little bit harder than at the front, and obviously, your ankles are nicely protected by all the padding and the shaft. The waterproofing and the protection from the Moab 3 is great and fantastic.
3-Quality and Design of Merrell Moab 3 Mid
Let’s move on to criteria number three- quality and design features. If you’re not familiar with Merrell and you are into hiking and outdoor activities, I highly recommend giving them a shot at least once. It’s like one of those brands like Salomon or La Sportiva. If they fit you, you will stay true to them forever. You’ll be like me and Salomon; they fit me the best. So I keep getting Salomon.
That’s my fitment and might or might not work for anyone else, and they will stick with this forever. So give them a shot and try them out. Quality-wise, Merrell Moab 3 Mid is fantastic quality.
Let’s move on to the design features. I usually talk about the design features of the lacing system. The lacing system for Merrell Moab 3 Mid is explicitly designed to save weight. So you have five pairs of fabric hooks. The strengths are excellent, comfortable, and very easy to manipulate. You also have a couple of open hooks at the top, which is perfect for hiking.
Some people don’t like them, but when it comes to hiking, if you’re going uphill or downhill, you need to quickly change the tension right at the top to make it slightly more comfortable. That’s why we have open hooks in a hiking boot.
4-Tracks & Stability for Merrell Moab 3 Mid
Let’s move on to criteria number four - tracks and stability. Whenever I do the run and the walk to test the boots, I do that on a variety of different surfaces, like anything I can find around my house, such as the tarmac, sand, dry sand, wet sand, dry grass, wet grass, rocky road, trail surface, concrete, marble, tile, just a whole bunch of stuff.
The Merrell Moab 3 Mid handles very well on literally anything you throw at it. I’m not surprised, as Vibram is one of the best outsoles regarding the rubber’s quality. It’s nice and hard. It gives you enough protection and grip. At the same time, Merrell did a great job designing it, so you have a decent amount of aggression. So on slippery stuff like wet grass, you are not slipping and sliding.
5-Temperature
Let’s move on to criteria number five, which is temperature handling performance for Merrell Moab 3 Mid. Despite all the padding, the boot is very breathable and seems to keep you warm in colder temperatures, but it’s still very nice and breathable in hot temperatures. I have problems wearing these boots on a nice hot hike here in Florida.
There is little insulation for colder temperatures, so remember these boots are like a three-season boot, not necessarily four seasons. Still, you can get away with these in milder winter temperatures, around 30F, depending on what kind of socks you wear.
6-Sizing for Merrell Moab 3 Mid
Merrell Moab 3 Mid hiking boots are true to the size; no problems at all with the sizing. I usually recommend getting half a size bigger just so that you have a little bit of extra space, but I think you might be fine if you get your usual size in these, just because Merrell tends to run a little bit wider, a little bit bigger toe box in general.
But please remember that you want a little extra space on your toe. You don’t want it to touch the front because, over long periods, this will give you fatigue.
7-Application or Usage of Merrell Moab 3 Mid
If Merrell Moab 3 Mid was your survival boot, would this be good for your survival? If I was in a situation where I had to leave my house or leave my work or whatever, it didn’t matter in a case where I had to walk. For as long as I have to get to safety and I’m just walking and walking through different terrains, the trail in the woods or the mountains doesn’t matter but for a very long time.
Obviously, you want something as comfortable as possible for something like this. Also, the protection and waterproofing protection matters, and you have it here, but comfort is probably one of the top priorities because you’re walking for a long time.
Honestly, it’s hard to beat Merrell Moab 3 Mid because it offers excellent comfort for hiking boots. For me, it’s Salomon, as whenever it comes to the fitment, I am stuck with Salomon, and it’s already been five years since I first wore the Salomon Ultra X Mid hiking boot. I have been through a lot with those boots because, fitment-wise, they’re the best for me.
That would be the only situation I can think of that would beat Merrell Moab 3 Mid because it is fantastic. The comfort level is impressive, and you need to try it out once to feel how good these hiking boots are.
8-Pricing of Merrell Moab 3 Mid
These are currently $89 on Amazon. For something like this, this is unbelievably low. So it’s the best time if you’re looking to pick up a pair and are looking for a good time and save money right now. Salomon X Ultra Pioneer Mid boots are a bit higher in price and also offer great features.
Try the boots on your feet before deciding which one to take for your next hiking trip.
Comparison to Other Moab 3 Versions
| Moab 3 | Moab 3 Mid | Moab 3 Waterproof | Moab 3 Mid Waterproof | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Picture |  |
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| Purchase | Buy Now | Buy Now | Buy Now | Buy Now | |||||
| Price | $119 | $80-$90 | $133 | $80 | |||||
| Vibram Outsole | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Air Cushion | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Waterproof | 3/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | |||||
| Breathability | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | |||||
| Ankle Support | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | |||||
| Comfortability | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | |||||
My Verdict on Merrell Moab 3 Mid
Merrell Moab 3 Mid is a great hiking boot priced very affordable and offers excellent value and features. I highly recommend Merrell Moab 3 Mid for those looking or researching for great hiking boots.
It offers superior comfort, great design, waterproof, foot protection, excellent grip, traction, and, of course, very affordable.