The large toe-box and supportive heel counter give them the feel of a hiking shoe, but the flexible profile and lightweight design feel like a purpose-built running shoe.įlexibility, and true versatility. I have used them on rocky coastal trails and muddy forest tracks and on both they have excelled in grip and comfort. Whether on a 20-kilometre hike or a 20-kilometre trail run, the Merrell MQM Flex 2.0 has proven to be a comfortable and reliable choice of footwear. To keep you firmly planted to the ground, even on tough off-camber trails, the MQM Flex 2.0 uses Merrell's mountain-grade Quantum Grip™ rubber outsole with 5-millimetre-deep trail-specific lugs. I admit, swapping to trail shoes takes some getting used to. A GORE-TEX waterproof membrane is combined with a contoured mesh outer to create a durable, protective, yet breathable upper casing. My saviours have been the Merrell MQM Flex 2.
The do-it-all capability of the Merrell MQM Flex 2.0 GTX Shoes extends through to the design and composition of the uppers. Add in a rock-plate for protection, and you have a true multipurpose shoe. This versatile composition is the result of the Kinetic Fit BASE insole supplying flexible support, the Air Cushion heel supplying impact resistance, and the FLEXconnect® dual-directional grooves in the mid-sole supplying enhanced grip and flexibility. The shoe is " fast in the forefoot, cushioned in the mid-sole, and protective in the rearfoot". The versatility of the MQM Flex 2.0 comes, as the name suggests, from the flexible sole profile. The Merrell MQM Flex 2.0 GTX Shoes are designed to bridge the gap and offer the best features of a trail running shoe and a hiking shoe combined. Most trail running shoes are too lightweight and non-durable for everyday and hiking wear while most hiking shoes are too rigid to be used for extended trail runs. Comfortable, rugged, and waterproof supplying a stable and secure footing the Merrell MQM Flex 2.0 are some of the best outdoor shoes I have used to date.
The Merrell MQM Flex 2.0 GTX Shoes may have finally hit the mark. (Even wayward corn cobs, evidenced by our tester who blazed through an abandoned swampy harvest maze.I have been searching for the perfect do-it-all adventure footwear for some time a shoe for hiking, running, and everyday use. A tear-resistant and waterproof upper keeps out slush and snow, and a thick stone guard shields from any frozen debris you might trample underfoot. The outsole uses a mountain-grade rubber with 5mm lugs, but feels softer and more flexible than what you’d get in a standard hiker, thanks to air-cushioned heel pods and deep flex grooves. Short for Moving Quickly in the Mountains, the MQM essentially puts the DNA of a hiking boot inside a sneaker for the days and conditions when even the toughest trail shoes won’t cut it. Merrell designed this shoe for those winter trail runs that feel more like alpine expeditions.