Merrell M2 Ventilator Low
(Millennium Series)

Merrell set out to create a general purpose outdoor shoe that would work in situations from trail running, trekking, and hiking, to scrambling, boulder hopping, and stream fording, to daily wear at home or the office. In a word - they succeeded. (Okay, that's two words.) While GearReview.com's five experienced footwear testers can't recite market share numbers, we can help you, and your customers, find the best footwear products. Merrell's M2 Ventilator shoe falls into that category. And while the success that counts is at the register, having a technically superior product is always a good start.

Ratings: Comfort: A Break-in: A+ Durability: A Value: A (MSRP $115) Overall: A

The Ventilator is primarily a warm weather shoe, as the name suggests. The side mesh panels help the shoe "breathe" reducing perspiration, overheating, and facilitating quick drying. One tester noted, "When crossing through streams, the water drains out and wicks quickly, leaving no water in the shoes, just wet socks. The mesh allows your socks to dry more quickly than other shoes as well."

We especially appreciated the coolness (temperature, not fashion) of the Ventilator when attempting more athletically demanding tests. While not specifically designed as a trail running shoe, our experience proved the shoes to be surprisingly adept. The feet stay cool, traction is excellent, the weight (or lack thereof) appreciated. At 2 pounds 6 ounces, the Ventilator's weight is only slightly more than dedicated trail runners, such as Merrell's M2 Peak Speed (1 lb, 10 oz).

This shoe is equally at home crossing consolidated snow fields. The Millennium series' Vibram "SpeedHiker Sole with Trek Rubber" combines the high traction of a boot with low weight, says Merrell. The sole's performance matched Merrell's claims. From Jean's field notes: "While hiking to a 12,000 foot summit we had to cross several deep snow fields. The snow was densely consolidated from the early summer heat, creating treacherously slippery footing. I was carrying a 15-pound day pack, but the Ventilator's grip was the best of any of the hiker's shoes in our party. While others were slip-sliding, I moved easily across the snow."

At the other end of the spectrum is the shoe's grip while scrambling on slickrock in an uncharted slot canyon in Zion National Park. Negotiating the canyon required boulder hopping, scrambling up steep slickrock slopes, and mild technical climbing (no ropes). I jotted these impressions in my notes: "This rubber sole feels like its got stick-um, like a receiver wears in a football game. I felt more at ease on the steeper slickrock sections than with my boots-both with the grip and the shoe's weight."

COMFORT

Merrell's product literature speaks of "instant out-of-the-box fit". From Bob's ravings this appears to be true. "Without question, the outstanding feature of the Ventilators are their comfort. From the moment I put them on, I've had zero problems. The term 'fast break- in' doesn't do them justice-there's no break-in! Just put on the shoes and go. In four months I've had no blisters, no hot spots, no discomfort."

With three sizes of replaceable footbed, you can tailor the shoe's fit to your customer's foot volume within the same shoe size. Customers can also purchase new footbeds to replace worn ones. The shoes ship with a medium footbed, but you should stock others to offer your customers the best possible "custom" fit. The footbeds retail for around $5 a pair.

The shoe's tongue is nicely padded and bellowed to keep scree from entering around the laces. Since we tested the Ventilator Low, we did find that scree could get in the sides of the shoe where the padding fits just below the ankle bone, which seems unavoidable with any low-cut shoe. For those who have an aversion to an occasional pebble in their shoes, or desire greater ankle support, Merrell offers an M2 Ventilator High boot.

Once on the trail, not a single tester ever complained about any comfort compromises with the Ventilator. Most agreed it was the most comfortable general-purpose shoe they have ever worn.

DURABILITY

One of our testers, Jeff, got an out-of-town assignment from his real job just after starting our tests. Since he was largely unable to do outdoor testing, Jeff volunteered to do durability testing. For the past four months Jeff has worn the Ventilator every day-hey, Merrell said they wanted to create a single shoe that customers could wear on the summit and at their desk.

So how is Jeff's pair of Ventilators holding up? "The Vibram soles show absolutely no sign of wear. These things look like they'll last forever. I have started to wear through the fabric of the footbed, but they're still good for a while longer. Then I'll just replace them for five bucks."

"I did notice one wear point," he adds. "The rubber sole extends up to cover the front of the toe box. One edge of the rubber started to peel just slightly. I put a dab of super glue under the rubber and that fixed the problem." None of the other four testers encountered any difficultly.

For myself, I put over 200 miles of scrambling, trail running, and day hiking on my pair. While mine no longer look new, like Jeff's, there is no evidence they won't last for a very long time.

Summary: The Ventilator is a fantastic general purpose shoe, suitable for almost any warm-weather outdoor activity. The exceptions are serious trail running, technical climbing, backpacking, and long walks on pavement (the soles are too aggressive for pavement!). Comfort is the Ventilator's most outstanding quality. From break-in to extended wear, few shoes pamper your feet any better. If your customers are looking for a day hiking shoe, or a single shoe for a wide variety of outdoor pursuits, we highly recommend Merrell's Millennium Series M2 Ventilator Low.