Readers of this blog will remember that back in 2008 I reviewed a pair of Merrell walking boots (the Chameleon Wrap GTX Mid) from FitnessFootwear.com. They were lightweight, waterproof and very comfortable, and I liked them.
Well, now I've been sent the Merrell Chameleon Wrap Slam to try out. As you can tell by the name, these are in the same range as the walking boots, but the Slams don't have the mid-high ankle and as such are more like walking trainers than boots. In fact, they're Merrell walking design in a day to day trainer. There's actually a whole range of men's Merrells around this theme.
First things first, as the picture shows, they've still got the Vibram soles, which though I've not found to be totally indestructable (but what is?), are much more hard wearing than your average day to day shoe soles and provide the best grip I've found so far. Unlike the GTX Mid, the uppers are of a tough fabric construction rather than Gore Tex, but that just reflects that these aren't designed to be totally waterproof, with the low ankle line. Specifically, the upper is a mix of lycra and nylon, with rubber to reinforce in places. The neoprene holding the tongue in place is a nice touch too. So yes, all this doesn't provide the waterproofness of Gore Tex, but does make for great breathability and a very light weight feel. In addition, Merrell actually claim that the shoes are vegan, meaning that no animal products at all were used in making them. Cool, huh?
So, I've been finding that I've been wearing these shoes quite a bit since they arrived. In the main, this is since they're just so comfortable. As I found with the GTX Mids, Merrell do know how to make comfy walking shoes. These are very well cushioned inside, including an air-cushion insole. The neoprene on the tongue works to hold it firmly in place, gripping your foot like a handshake, meaning less movement, and therefore I suspect much less chance of blisters. They really are soft inside and comfortable to wear.
All in all I'm very pleased with the Chameleon Wrap Slam and those looking for a walking boot style trainer should definitely consider them. They're tough where it counts, soft but firm where they meet your foot, and for day to day walking when you're not tackling anything tricky needing ankle support - and it's not that wet - they're great. The lightweight breathable construction more than makes them a good first choice for that type of walking.
Any criticism I have would also have to be levelled at almost all walking shoes. I tend to find that the first thing that goes (after plenty of use) is the inside of the heel. In future shoes, I'd like to see something done to reinforce this area, while remaining soft and smooth enough not to cause blisters. But, I haven't seen this on any shoes yet.
If you're interested in taking a look, FitnessFootwear.com have some Merrell shoes on sale right now.
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