Hiking shoes occupy an interesting position in the outdoor shoe market. They are generally aimed at those who hike in mostly dry conditions, on tracks that are too rough for lighter footwear but do not require the full ankle support of a heavier boot.
In recent years, I have regularly needed exactly this kind of thing. I have traveled part or all three different routes of the Camino de Santiago in Spain, about a thousand miles in total. While each hike has been unique in its own way, they all involved days or weeks on dirt tracks, paved roads, and rocky trails.
Before the first hike from Granada to Cordoba, I spent a few hours at a local outdoor store and settled on a pair of Merrell Vertis Ventilator hiking shoes. Over six hundred miles of hiking later, I had worn them down, and quickly bought another pair.
Now that I have also destroyed the second pair, I have certainly spent a lot of time with this particular shoe model. Here is my experience in detail.
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Physical characteristics
Vertis shoes have a ventilated upper layer to allow air to circulate and at the same time have an internal waterproof membrane to help keep your feet dry.
The water resistance is nice, but it’s only really helpful in keeping your feet from getting wet in light rain, shallow streams, or the like. Since the shoes don’t reach much beyond ankle height, water can still enter the upper reasonably easily.
I’ve had at least one day of solid rain on all the long hikes I’ve done, and when I stumbled upon my accommodation my shoes and socks were always pretty damp. If you need full waterproofing, these are not the right choice.
The sole is hard and grippy, although not particularly thick. The rubber toe protectors are definitely a useful touch, and there is enough padding around the back, sides, and tongue of the shoe to absorb most bumps and bumps.
My private shoes were an undefined light brown color, ideal for walking all day on dirt and mud.
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Real world tests
I broke my shoes for several weeks before starting my first trail, mostly through the city, but also on a couple of five-mile trails. They were comfortable right from the start, with no foot pain or signs of blisters, and my feet stayed cool when the air temperature was around 75 degrees F.
My main hike, however, was much more challenging. Underfoot conditions varied between roads, rocks, and rutted dirt, both flat and undulating, with occasional stream crossings. One morning, after overnight rain, mud also became a problem. The first day was the longest, at over twenty miles, but no day contained less than fifteen miles on the road.
Blisters appeared on both heels and the ball of one foot late on the first day, and I developed another on my toe a few days later. However, given the long distances involved, I suspect this would have been a problem regardless of the shoes she was wearing. After learning how to take better care of my feet by wearing two pairs of socks and covering them with petroleum jelly, I have never had anything but the smallest blisters since.
Aside from those blisters, the shoes were comfortable throughout the week. It had a lot of grip, even when walking through shallow water or on muddy trails.
The only real issue I encountered was on particularly rocky surfaces, when the relatively thin sole did not offer as much protection against sharp rocks as I would have liked. I had a bit of pain in my foot at the end of each day, but there were no cuts or bruises.
Spring in southern Spain can be surprisingly warm in the middle of the day, but even when the rest of my body was sweating, the combination of merino wool socks and the built-in ventilation in the Vertis kept the shoes inside. dry and comfortable
My second and third Caminos were much longer: five and three weeks, respectively. Both were in generally dry conditions, although there were a few days of light to moderate rain. The shoes stayed well at all times, handling everything from walking miles on the side of a road to crossing the Pyrenees.
The sole retained its grip even after hundreds of miles of walking, although the insole and the back of the shoes began to show significant wear. My last ride in the second pair was the approximately week-long Hadrian’s Wall Trail in the north of England. Despite being very worn out before starting, they handled it well, even the rain!
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The verdict
Overall, I was more than happy with the way these shoes held up. That is why I bought a second pair after finishing the French Way, and my opinion did not change after finishing the Portuguese Way and Hadrian’s Wall Trail on them.
They are reasonably priced and ideal for the type of hiking I do. If you are looking for a relatively lightweight hiking shoe that can handle long distances on changing terrain, it is worth a try.
Recommended.
