Price: $69.00 (available for less) Rating: 7/10
MM's Bottom Line: Super comfortable but will they last?
I have been a dedicated Merrell fan for quite a while. Unfortunately my beloved "Zion's" were discontinued. My wife wears the female version of the Columbia Crestwood and raves about them. They are still going strong after hundreds of miles, so I figured I would give them a try.
First off, they fit like a glove out of the box, they needed no breaking in, and 2 weeks on and 60ish miles in, they are "fine".
Pro's: Lightweight, inexpensive, waterproof (not tested), comfortable, well cushioned.
Con's: Sole seems more flexible, creating additional stress on the foot.
I don't have high hopes for these given the beating my shoes take. My Merrell's usually last about 6 months - 500 or 600 miles. (See my Zion review here). Given my single issue above regarding the sole of the shoe seeming too flexible, leads me to believe that in a short amount of time, that necessary protection will deteriorate causing my feet to feel less supported.
That said, if you are an infrequent hiker, or a weekend warrior you may find these are perfectly adequate, which I think they probably would be, and for the price, there is very good value in these shoes. I will certainly update in 6 months and time will tell as they say!
Verdict: Don't have high hopes, but for now, a super comfortable pair of shoes.
See them here: https://shop.sportsbasement.com/products/crestwood-wp.