 This Product
Merrell Moab 3 WP - Women's | |||||
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| Awards |  |  | | ||
| Price | $135 List $135.00 at REI | Check Price at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | Check Price at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers | $63.98 at Amazon Compare at 3 sellers | $74.94 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Great traction, highly cushioned, stable, waterproof, well-priced | Excellent cushioning, roomy toe box, great traction, stable, supportive | Spacious toe box, great traction, waterproof, durable, stable | Waterproof, lightweight, very supportive | Lightweight, breathable, decent traction, inexpensive, vegan-friendly |
| Cons | Bulky design, no additional runner’s loop eyelet | Hard footbed, a little heavy | Heavy, hard footbed, not the most breathable | Not super breathable, durability concerns with the soft rubber soles | Not waterproof, narrow toe box, limited support, below average durability |
| Bottom Line | Supportive, affordable, and highly durable, this tried-and-true design is well-suited to every type of foot, hiker, and hiking experience | The perfect balance between strength and softness, with exceptional cushioning, deep tread, and a roomy yet supportive base | A burly, reliable trail partner with a wide base and sticky traction for when trips run long, and durability, stability, and waterproofing are important | Looking like a trail runner and performing like a hiking beast, this shoe is waterproof, lightweight, and supportive enough for multi-day adventures | A budget-minded, lightweight, athletic-inspired shoe for fair-weather day hikes when you know your feet won't get wet |
| Rating Categories | Merrell Moab 3 WP -... | Oboz Sawtooth X Low... | Keen Targhee III Low | Adidas Terrex Swift... | Merrell Siren Edge 3 |
| Comfort (25%) | |||||
| Support (20%) | |||||
| Traction (15%) | |||||
| Weight (15%) | |||||
| Water Resistance (15%) | |||||
| Durability (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Merrell Moab 3 WP -... | Oboz Sawtooth X Low... | Keen Targhee III Low | Adidas Terrex Swift... | Merrell Siren Edge 3 |
| Weight (per pair) | 1.8 lbs (size 10) | 2.0 lbs (size 10) | 2.1 lbs (size 10) | 1.5 lbs (size 7) | 1.4 lbs (size 10) |
| Width Options | Regular | Regular, Wide | Regular | Regular | Regular, Wide |
| Upper | Leather, mesh | Oiled nubuck leather, Cordura fabric mesh | Oiled nubuck leather, mesh | High-abrasion resistant synthetic mesh | Mesh, 3D-printed TPU |
| Midsole | EVA | Rubber-blended Adaptive Cushioning Technology foam EVA | Dual density EVA | EVA | EVA foam with softer zones that may reduce pronation |
| Lining | Recycled mesh/waterproof, breathable membrane | B-DRY waterproof/breathable membrane | KEEN.Dry waterproof, breathable membrane | Gore-Tex | Breathable Mesh |
| Outsole | Vibram TC5+ rubber | True Tread rubber | KEEN All-Terrain Rubber | Continental | Vibram TC5+ |
A tried and true low-rise hiker that delivers excellent results across all metrics, Merrell's Moab 3 WP is everything one needs in a hiking shoe. It's reasonably lightweight, has exceptional traction, offers reliable waterproofing, and is built with a tough, durable structure and a supremely comfortable fit. It's easy to see why this shoe has garnered consistently high praise among hiking circles for years.
While no shoe is perfect for all feet, there's a reason the Moab has landed on our shortlist for years. It's among the most comfortable and versatile shoes we've tested and can be easily fitted to the widest variety of foot shapes.
Several core features of the Moab 3 give it a leg up on the competition. First, it comes with a roomy toe box offering plenty of space for toes to splay out naturally, removing the potential for pinching or pressure — an excellent reason to celebrate among those tired of suffering scrunched toes. The good news for narrower-footed folks (and everyone else in between) is that the standard shoe is not so wide your foot will be swimming in it. And a combination of easily adjustable laces plus a plethora of padding from base to tongue and heel ensure both foot and ankle are well locked into place. Meanwhile, the footbed narrows into a well-structured, air-cushioned heel cup at the backend to support a relaxed, comfortable gait. For those with especially wide feet, the Moab also comes in a wide version.
The watertight, highly breathable leather uppers on the Moab 3 didn't change with the newest update. It remains both durable and soft, ensuring solid support and protection straight out of the box. Some testers did find the shoe a bit tight and inflexible during its trial run. But the leather and lacing systems quickly softened upon use, improving the shoe's comfort as it molded to each foot with continued use. Other testers had no such problem whatsoever. In any event, we suggest dialing in your fit on a few shorter hikes before launching into epic adventures.
Recent updates to the Moab are focused primarily on the foundation of the shoe, including a new, more supportive factory insole, a softer, more well-cushioned EVA midsole with a nylon arch shank, and an even stickier version of its best-in-class Vibram TC5+ outsole. The result: a far cushier, even more supportive, grippy, and shock-absorbent base made out of even more recycled materials than ever (and resulting in improved scores throughout testing).
A supportive shoe integrates several features into its design: arch support, lateral support, structural supports for the ankle and heel, and a lacing system that allows you to tailor the fit to your individual foot. Once again, the Moab 3 WP shines in this metric, demonstrating a sturdy structure from base to ankle collar, including a molded nylon shank that substantially supports the arch and keeps the shoe from feeling too squishy under each step.
Like its predecessor, the Moab 3 is also among the most torsionally rigid shoes in our test collection (i.e., limited flexing when twisted like a sponge). This translates to excellent lateral stability to protect your feet and ankles when moving over uneven terrain. Meanwhile, the front end still has a reasonable degree of flexibility under the toes. This combination of high midfoot rigidity and basic frontend flexion is the best possible combination one could hope for: enough stiffness to protect from rolling and reduce foot fatigue over long days while still enabling agility and comfort on steep uphill terrain. This versatility is also what makes the Moab an ideal shoe for day hikes or multi-day trips.
The thick, deeply patterned Vibram TC5+ outsole on the Moab 3 is top-tier for providing highly responsive grip and impressive shock absorption. We evaluate each shoe based on its performance heading up (and down) steep loose trails and how well it sticks when tackling slick, sometimes wet, rocky terrain. The Moab has always excelled in this category, but with the 3 its scores for traction advanced even higher.
A unique tread pattern combining circles, swooshes, and hatched patterns crisscrossed with thinner lines proves a surprisingly powerful match for loose scree and dry steep dirt trails. And the soft, now stickier rubber base held strong on bare rock and wet logs. We were overall quite impressed with how well the Moab 3 carried us, no matter where the road turned or how many granite slabs lay ahead.
The Moab 3 WP weighs 1.8 pounds per pair in size 10 US, placing these shoes in the upper middle of the pack. But on the trail, the extra few ounces were practically unnoticeable, particularly given all the many extra support systems built into the shoe.
Unless fast and light is your jam, and you are specifically trying to shave weight, or steep technical terrain requiring extreme flexibility underfoot is on your calendar, we think the nominal increase in weight is a non-issue.
In addition to any stream or puddle crossings we encountered on the trail, each shoe was subjected to a 5-minute bucket test (submerged in 3 inches of water) to evaluate for water resistance and assess any weak points. The Moab 3 passed with flying colors. Just like other waterproof shoes in the test suite, it appears the only weak point on the Moab is at the ankle opening, where water could come in over the top. If your plans involve a great deal of winter hiking or water crossings, a taller boot may be your best bet. Otherwise, this is an excellent option.
You can also pick up this same model without that waterproof membrane if you live in a hot climate. Or if you want to upgrade your waterproofing to slightly less breathable but longer-lasting Gore-tex, this option exists as well.
Thick double-stitched leather and reinforced breathable mesh combined with hefty outsoles and rubber and abrasion-resistant heel and toe caps made us feel somewhat invincible in the Moab 3.
Good performance aside, we have a couple of things to point out. The thick micro-fleece ankle liner has the propensity to catch on passing vegetation, pilling over time (less of a concern if you're not moving through sharp brush). Additionally, although we appreciate the breathability of the Moab 3, we do wonder if the waterproof membrane will have the same longevity as a Gore-Tex liner. We saw no failings in practice, but this is something we'd watch out for over time (and will keep an eye on and report back if we find anything of concern.) Of course, a Gore-Tex model is also available at a slightly higher cost.
Although it is a bit bulkier than many athletically inspired models, the Moab 3 WP is one of the most comfortable, supportive, durable, and waterproof hiking shoes we tested, and it is among the most affordable, too. As far as we're concerned, it should be a top choice for consideration, no matter what type of trail adventures you're planning.
GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison.
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