Featuring a lightweight EVA foam, the midsole ensures a stable step and long-lasting comfort so you can continue without any distractions from discomfort. A recycled integrated EVA foam insole offers additional comfort for all-day wear. This combination ensures ample cushioning and softness underfoot for maximum comfort, whilst providing plenty of support for hard-working feet. So far durability has not been an issue. The mesh fabric has yet to come apart. Long term, I'm still nervous about the mesh and do not count on it to last forever. I have also encountered occasional stray threads that I simply snip off when they show up, and they haven't been an issue. Encouragingly, the toe caps have shown no sign of separating from the boots or coming apart. While not quite tennis-shoe level comfort, these feel pretty close below the ankles. One potential comfort issue is for anyone who likes fancy insoles—these are very basic insoles, even more so than those on other Merrells. From the ankles up, they obviously have more material and support than tennis shoes. They go up higher than my usual boot choice, the Merrell Moab 2 Ventilators, and feel like they are hugging your ankles rather than just up there touching them like the Moabs. These boots are not exactly handsome. They're not traditional hikers in terms of materials—they are made with no leather at all. When I wear them with long pants, it looks at first glance like I'm wearing tennis shoes. The tennis shoe vibe carries over to the feel of the boots when wearing them.

The boots claim to be waterproof. They have the Merrell waterproof membrane rather than Gore-Tex, which would be more expensive but would presumably perform better. Although I have not willingly tried to get my feet wet in these boots (not even for the sake of a Trailspace review!), I have been in wet grass, mud, snow, and shallow puddles that occasionally came up above the midsoles and put the waterproofing to the test. So far they've been completely waterproof.