It gripped well over rocky terrain and slightly slippery grass in the Lake District – and, despite the conditions, I never once felt out of control. That’s apt – because for hiking up hills (and around cities, for that matter) the Merrell Zions are a great choice. As with any walking boot the fit won't suit everyone but it's worth being aware that these are quite spacious in the toe box and the sizing comes up a little larger than the usual Merrell fit. These men's Zion shoes feature a trainer inspired silhouette and while the fit looks casual, the technology included ensures these shoes are suitable for all outdoor adventures.

The footbed is nice and spongy, but it’s the three-quarter-length, hardened-TPU plate—which sits between the outsole and the midsole—that provides enough support to keep our foot from fatiguing during all-day hikes. We are also impressed with the lace up closure which includes metallic eyelets, fabric loops and integrated webbing which wraps around the laces to achieve a locked in fit. All components are built for maximized ruggedness while strict textile performance specifications ensure optimum strength. Their durability doesn’t come at the expense of comfort either; with the EVA foam midsole in play these boots were easy on my feet when the terrain was not. There's a removable and supportive Kinetic Fit™ Base insole, rearfoot and forefoot dual-density EVA inserts which, along with the compression-moulded EVA midsole, cushions and absorbs shocks.

The membrane has successfully blocked water from seeping in both on the trail and during our timed waterproofing test, during which we submerge boots in several inches of water for an hour. Consistently we’ve found the Zion runs hot, especially in the toe box where leather and rubber provide protection but limit sweat from evaporating. In terms of negatives, I was left feeling a little bit like the Merrell Zion GTXs don’t quite know what they are. I wore the Zion shoes on several hikes in the Lake District, including a climb of Hopegill Head from Lorton via Ladyside Pike which featured a final scramble over slightly icy, bare rock to the summit, and this proved an excellent testing ground for them. We are experiencing a high volume of traffic at the moment, please bear with us whilst we load your page.

And with enough space between the lugs, debris falls off the shoe instead of collecting and interfering with the grip. Designed to take you from your doorstep to the trail and beyond, they unlock adventure from the first step. And on longer mountain climbs in the Lake District I did find myself thinking a more technical approach shoe would be better, such as the La Sportiva TX4 or Mammut Alnasca. It seems to me that the autumn months bring with them a degree of unpredictability in all aspects of life. The upper of the shoe is made from a waterproof full-grain leather combined with a ballistic, breathable mesh lining, while the tongue has a ‘bellow’ design – a wide-folding tongue attached at the sides to the upper – to keep debris (and water) out.

If your parcel is small and of low value, it will be sent via Royal Mail Tracked 48, other items will be sent via courier. Gore invests heavily in field testing to understand end user needs which allows Gore to provide the GORE-TEX® GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY™ promise. You agree that you will not (and will not assist or facilitate any third party to) copy, reproduce, transmit, publish, display, distribute, commercially exploit or create derivative works or such material and content.