Plywood, mud, ladder rungs, top plates, snow, rain … a framer’s feet see it all. Merrell says it has a new hiker-style work boot that can take the heat (and cold and rain and boiling hot summer days). Its new Moab Vertex Mid Waterproof Composite Toe Work Boot (J11515) has the usual alphabet soup of features that are supposed to make your feet more comfortable. This includes the ComfortBase contoured footbeds that “cradle your foot in comfort all day.” The ComfortBase midsole technology is designed for increased shock absorption and cushion.
According to Merrell, each outsole has Merrell M Select grip rubber, which “tunes each outsole with durable traction.” I’m not sure I need the outsole “tuned”; while I like to make the case that those of us in the trades are, in a sense, professional athletes, we’re not place kickers in the NFL. However, I will say that what jumps out at me is the waterproof full-grain leather upper—which Merrell claims is breathable. I’ve had other new waterproof hikers in which my feet were swampy by the end of the day, so this is an especially appealing feature.
Other features include a “closure” with nonmetallic hardware and a bellows tongue to keep out debris. The rubber toe cap (over a composite safety cap) looks boss, as the toe is often the first thing to go on boots. The heel features Merrell’s air cushion to absorb shock and add stability. There’s a breathable mesh lining and molded nylon arch shank for midfoot support and flexibility. If it’s hot out, or you’re framing a house on an active volcano, the rated-heat-resistant outsole provides foot protection for brief periods of direct contact that meet or exceed 500°F.
Overall, this seems more like a legitimate work boot than a weekend hiker in tough-guy clothes.
Cost: $155. merrell.com
