Less obviously, there’s no protection against deeper mud, rain or debris getting into the shoe, leaving the wearer quite exposed. Quantum Grip Outsole: A proprietary rubber compound developed by Merrell, Quantum Grip is designed to grab well while keeping weight to a minimum. As we touched on in the traction section above, the durability of the new outsole is the biggest knock against the MQM Flex 2. We get this question a lot: Do your hiking shoes or boots need to be waterproof, or can you do without?

Merrell MQM Flex 2 Hiking Shoe Review | Switchback Travel

The lightweight, grippy design will help you burn up the trails at speed, but there are shoes that offer more support and better protection. On the fast-and-light end of the spectrum, you can shave a bit of weight with Salomon’s X Raise (1 lb. From the top, there’s a bellows tongue, which also boasts integrated lacing, TPU overlays add protection to the mesh upper, particularly over the toe, while an integrated Gore-Tex membrane plays a vital role in keeping water at bay. In addition to leading wildlife and rafting trips in the Pine Tree State, he is a guide and instructor for Andrew Skurka's backpacking trips and Plan Like a Pro course.GTX’s structural composition, the Flex connect midsole is designed to enhance ground connection; a rock plate, positioned between the outsole and midsole, provides underfoot protection from sharp rocks or anything that could hurt your foot; and the Merrell Air Cushion – a sealed unit located in the heel – absorbs shock, adds stability, and helps to correctly align the foot within the shoe for a more comfortable and stable walk or hike. As well as the shoe version reviewed here, there's also a boot option; head to our Merrell MQM Flex 2 Mid GTX review for more on that one. What’s more, having waterproof shoes can be a benefit when hiking or running on compacted snow or on wet (but not overflowing) trails in the shoulder seasons. Merrell have kept most things the same – the air cushion in the heel to absorb shock and the FLEXconnect midsole, for example – opting to stick with a proven formula. For most of the test, I wore the non-waterproof version of the MQM Flex 2, which is unsurprisingly a poor performer in the wet.

Merrell MQM Flex 2 GTX hiking shoe review | T3

The weight of the shoes has consequently increased from 648g to 708g, reflecting a sturdier and more durable build for the 2. The Merrell gets the slight edge in weight, and it’s also easier to run in with its more flexible construction and lower ankle height. They were true to size for me, there was no rubbing or discomfort anywhere and I was immediately eager to get out in them.Brilliant for good trails and fast walks on paths and similar, but these will soon start to struggle in more rugged terrain. So all things considered, Merrell have created a good all-round trail shoe for hiking and running, ticking most of the boxes you need: grip, stability, support, waterproofing and breathability. As previously mentioned, waterproof shoes can be a benefit when walking on compact snow or through wet areas without major fording or stream crossings.

MQM Flex GTX | Merrell MQM Flex GTX | Merrell

If, on the other hand, you intend to use these shoes for longer-term running, hiking, and travel, you could potentially run into issues.

Further, the lacing system does a nice job tightening evenly around the midfoot, and I haven’t had any issues with it loosening throughout the day. Those who spend the majority of their time on easier, well-maintained trails shouldn't have an issue, but for serious hiking and even lightweight backpacking, this is definitely a consideration to weigh. The heel cup is fairly solid, which helps keep ankle rolls to a minimum, but it doesn’t have the wide footprint or planted feel of a shoe like the Moab 2.

MQM Flex 2 | Merrell

A bellowed tongue helps keep rocks, dirt, and other debris from reaching the shoe’s interior as well, which goes a long way towards preventing abrasions, blisters, and hotspots. Some testers liked the shoe as a superlight hiker for fast backpacking; others as a burly trail runner for hitting frosted peaks at easy pace. On the plus side, the MQM feels a lot like a trail runner: it’s light, very flexible under the forefoot, and its low stack height keeps you close to the trail. The stable midsole supported the underarch on terrain that was either too messy, steep, or unsteady that required us to slow down to a walk for stretches, but felt responsive again when we picked up the pace. Not only will they help prevent direct contact with the elements, but they will also help retain heat to keep your feet warmer.The X Raise is also more padded underfoot, which translates to more comfort when covering long distances (at the sacrifice of some agility). A final trail touch is the generous thumb loop at the rear, which is perfect for rapid donning of shoes in a carpark. version use an InvisibleFit Gore-Tex with a single piece of seamless material providing wraparound waterproofing. However, because it does everything it falls short of being either an excellent hiking shoe or a fantastic trail runner.