Merrell Moab Gore-Tex Hiking Shoes
by Merrell
5 endorsements on r/BuyItForLife first recommended in Jan 2025
A rugged hiking shoe from Merrell's long-running Moab line (including the Moab 3), built to survive thousands of trail miles with replaceable soles and laces.
Added Jul 5, 2026, Updated Jul 7, 2026
Why it's buy-it-for-life
Long-term owners report thousands of miles of hard use, machine-washable durability, and up to 10 years of service with only a lace change; several redditors also note a perceived decline in quality, narrower fit, and shorter lifespan in more recent production runs.
What redditors say
Recommended on reddit as recently as July 2025
Show 12 more mentions
- 6r/BuyItForLife comment
I wear the Merrell Moab daily... I can stand for 10+ hours in these without pain.
- 6r/BuyItForLife comment
I used to love Merrell but in recent years stopped buying them. They didn't last, and then later they got narrower.
- 3r/BuyItForLife comment
Now way I'm going through my third pair and I'm tracking them on Strava, @600km is the limit than sole becomes to slippery.
- 3r/BuyItForLife comment
I was skeptical to buy Moab 3s... still going strong... Not BIFL though but it's quite durable.
- 3r/BuyItForLife comment
I've worn out two sets of these. They only lasted about a year each.
- 3r/BuyItForLife comment
I tried those but they have crazy high arches that hurt my feet.
- 2r/BuyItForLife comment
Merrell Moab Goretex- granted, quality has decreased with time from mid 2000s to 2010s, but are still worth their weight.
- 2r/BuyItForLife comment
These have been my daily shoes for years. Takes me 1-2 years to wear through them.
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
I've had two sets, both worked well enough - but my biggest issue with them is how freaking heavy they are
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
I have had my Moab's 10 yrs changed the laces once.
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
I had a pair of Moab 3s split at the sole after three normal day-hikes, and because the final hike that did it was a year and one day after I purchased them I was SOL with the warranty.
- 1r/BuyItForLife comment
I replaced them with two pairs of Moab 2 mid-highs. One pair is fine but the sole of the other one has had one problem after another.
I've probably put a couple thousand miles on these... With their current condition, it's going to be a long time before I need to replace these boots.
For 3+ decades Merrell was my #1 brand for virtually every type of footwear. More recent purchases have left me sad.
They were the only pair of shoes that fit my extra wide feet. As a bonus, they happened to be absolute tanks.
My most recent pair is the high top version of these, and they're complete trash.
ran through washing machine and then air dry by a fan…. Brand new after good wash! ... I'll def be buying Merrill again!
It started with my Moab boots. I was getting about 5 years out of a pair and then that shortened to 8 to 10 months before completely wearing holes through the bottom of the soles.