REVIEW: Merrell Sawtooth

When military boots are not suitable, civilian hiking boots are needed. The Merrell Sawtooth shine with a strong presence: from the Ranger to the SEALs, they are popularly worn and in high demand in Europe, but hard to come by. We have a pair and were able to thoroughly test them for you.

The shoe is called "Sawtooth" and that has a lot to do with the massive Vibram sole, which is visible in the image. This provides sure footing in the terrain. The interior lining in the relatively high shaft of these hiking boots is a gray and breathable fabric, not GoreTex or any other laminate.

The body of the shoe is made of brownish leather. Here too, you can see the high shaft height, which guarantees good traction. The company name "Merrell" is seen on the black scuff resistance.

The pair in side view. The massive sole is clearly visible. The shoe is not made entirely of leather, the light spots are fabric. And that's where the problem area starts: these parts of the shoe are certainly not waterproof. In countries with little rain, not a problem. And the shoe breathes because there is no laminate inside.

Other than that, it is built solidly and really withstands a lot. Here is a view over the heel.

There are eyelets in the front, followed by three hooks. Very practical and great for lacing up.

CONCLUSION: The Merrell Sawtooth are somewhat of a shoe myth. No wonder, they are extremely comfortable trekking shoes that, despite their weight, resemble a sneaker crossed with a mountain shoe. The high shaft provides excellent protection against sprains, and the sturdy sole is made for the terrain. The Sawtooths would be the perfect shoe if they didn't have one drawback: they are not waterproof.

This doesn't matter if you're traveling in the deserts of America and Asia, but in domestic lands, you can only get by with these shoes on beautiful summer days. We had the opportunity to test the boots in Africa. They were ideal for that. Solid yet lightweight, you don't sweat in the boots despite the intense heat. The European counter-test turned into a debacle: we encountered a rainy day. The shoes turned into squelching water jugs on our feet.

It speaks to the quality of construction that they were not at all misshapen after drying out. For those who need fair weather shoes like the pros have, you can get great boots here at a good price. Those who want all-around shoes that can withstand bad weather in the terrain are better off with trekking boots with Goretex.

The Merrell Sawtooth are hard to come by in Europe. In the USA, they cost $110 downwards to $90.

MERRELL on the Internet: www.merrell.com