Merrell Siren Edge 3 Hiking Shoe - Women's Rock/Bluestone, 8

"What Our Gearhead® Experts Are Saying:""I took the Siren Edge 3 out on a mix of rocky singletrack and rooty forest trail over a long weekend and was genuinely impressed by how locked-in my foot felt without any break-in time. The Vibram TC5+ outsole gripped wet rock better than I expected for a shoe at this weight, and the Air Cushion heel made a real difference on the longer descents where my knees usually start to complain.""There is a certain kind of trail day that does not ask much of you: a reasonable distance, a well-marked path, good company, and a shoe you can trust to handle whatever the dirt throws at you. That is exactly where the Merrell Siren Edge 3 Hiking Shoe earns its place. Whether you are threading through a pine forest or picking your way across a loose talus field, this low-cut hiker moves with you instead of against you, keeping things light and confident from the first step to the last. Merrell built the Siren Edge 3 around a breathable mesh and TPU upper that sheds trail debris without turning your foot into a furnace, while the bellows tongue seals out the kind of grit and gravel that has ruined more than one otherwise perfect hike. Underfoot, a zoned EVA foam midsole absorbs the repetitive impact of long miles, and the Merrell Air Cushion in the heel adds a layer of stability where the trail pushes back hardest. Tying it all together is the Vibram TC5+ outsole, an exclusive formulation that claws into dirt, gravel, and slick rock with equal confidence, so the only thing you have to think about is how far you want to go."

Price: $124.95 from Backcountry