These Merrell Hiking Boots for Men Are the Perfect Footwear for Any Terrain

Footwear brand Merrell has seen a recent uptick in popularity, thanks in large part to the 2021 addition of Hydro Mocs—a cult-favorite clog-like shoe that can be worn in either wet or dry conditions—to the brand's lineup, but the company has been making some of the best hiking boots on the market for over 30 years now. Merrell designs boots for a wide range of trail levels and weather conditions and builds them to last; using the best materials and latest technology, their hiking boots are known for comfort and durability.

Whether you're hitting the Rockies, taking a day hike, or just strolling the trails around your town, you're sure to find a men's hiking boot from Merrell that will fit your needs. A lot of their styles make great everyday shoes, too, working as well on city streets as they do tough-to-navigate terrain.

What to Consider

Merrell has a huge selection of styles, so to pare it down, there are some things you'll need to consider to get the pair that best suits your needs. Choosing a heavy winter boot if you're planning on a summer trek in Zion Park will have your feet screaming at you before you cover any ground. Figure out what you plan to use the hiking boots for, whether that's a serious hike or casual daily wear, and from there, you can decide on the materials and features that would work best for your particular purposes.

Use

If you plan to use your hiking boots specifically for hiking, first consider how intense those treks are likely to be. If you're navigating easy or medium-hard trails, then you won't need a particularly rugged or thick-soled pair. Likewise, if you're tackling wintry hikes, a lightweight and breathable boot won't be a good choice. Below, we mention the best use for each of the boots we've chosen to make your selection process easier.

Materials

The materials used in the construction of each boot determine not only their durability, but their style. A classic hiking boot typically has leather uppers and a rubber sole, but textiles have evolved into hyper-specificity when it comes to performance, so there are now a lot of options out there. Merrell uses full-grain leather—the highest grade leather available—for uppers on their classic-looking boots as well as their heavier winter boots for durability; for a lightweight trail running shoe, they use a knit mesh material on a less cumbersome silhouette.

Features

Special features, like waterproofing and sole type, should be tailored to suit your hiking experience level and what you think you'll need on the trails. Waterproofing features are great if you're crossing streams or trekking through bad weather and Vibram soles have different levels of grip to best suit the style of boot they're attached to; some have supper grippy lugs for ice and snow, while others are meant to provide traction on rocks and gravel.

How We Selected

To choose the best Merrell hiking boots for men, we first considered the variety of surfaces that users may be wearing these boots on, like mountain trails, forest hikes, and winter climbs. We then checked out the features unique to each pair to determine where they'd work best, as well as combing through user reviews to see which ones actually hold up to the elements and rigorous hikes. All of our picks average at least a 4- out of 5-star rating and have been put to the test by enthusiasts in different hiking locations, as well as on city commutes.

Looking for more great hiking gear? Check out our stories on the best duffel bags, the best camping gear, and the best family tents.