Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Let me start by saying that I had a previous pair of shoes from this series, which are now discontinued, and they were by far the best shoes I have ever owned. They were so great that I wore them daily for near 3 years until they practically disintegrated. When I finally had to give them up, I was convinced Merrell would deliver another quality product so I went straight for these. These shoes have so much potential but are marred by terrible build quality. I'll start with the positive(s). The color and design are nice, really eye-catching. Lots of compliments from people never having seen them before and asking about where I got them. Lightweight and comfortable for people who like shoes that don't offer much support. Now for the bad... When I first opened them up, I was surprised to see visible glue seams that bond the upper and sole together on the exterior of the material. They are prominent on both shoes and are really unsightly if anyone takes more than a passing glance at your feet. Getting past that, I have to say that I was not a fan of the fit at first, but this is comparing them to the earlier version I owned. As a stand alone shoe the comfort is acceptable. Regardless they do feel extremely light and I was curious how long they would last considering the questionable build quality. To my (not so much) surprise, after about 3 months of semi-daily use they did start to fall apart - but not at the seams! The material ripped wide open in the middle of the fabric! (On both shoes) What kind of cheap material is this that it can't withstand daily walking? (I don't run in these, only occasionally wear them to work and gym) I know some people will think it is because I have wide feet but I definitely do not. I'm a standard size and have had a few pairs of custom dress shoes made so I know my measurements well. I was really upset by this not so much because of the cheap shoes, but because I thought I had finally found a shoe that worked for me. The earlier gloves I owned were so comfortable and well made that I really thought I'd be wearing this brand the rest of my life. Oh well, on to the next one.