The Merrell Moab Speed 2 is much lighter than the original Moab, "the world's best-selling hiker." It's a "sniker"—a cross between a casual sneaker and hiking shoe—that's made for light hiking and everyday outdoor wear. Over the past two months, I've worn the Speed 2 as my casual work-from-home shoe and tested it on a smattering of trails outside my Albuquerque home. My first-hand review of the Merrell Moab Speed 2 lets you know what to expect from this shoe's support, weight, fit, comfort, weather protection, traction, and overall value.
Men's Merrell Moab Speed 2
Check current price, styles, and colors:
Women's Merrell Moab Speed 2
Check current price, styles, and colors:
This post includes affiliate links. If you click on these links and buy something, the retailer may share a small percentage of the sale with Hiking Feet—at no cost to you. That's a free and easy way for you to support this site's free and independent content.
Merrell Moab Speed 2 Review
My Merrell Moab Speed 2 review is based on several test hikes in the Sandia Mountains outside Albuquerque, New Mexico. My test hikes delibately spanned different terrain and difficulty levels to determine this shoe's pros and cons. I started with easy speed hikes in the desert wash and foothills behind my house before adding moderate mountain trails with more rocks and elevation gain to test the Speed 2's support, comfort, and traction. As part of my reviews, I also weigh each shoe and compare its performance with similar shoes I've tested and reviewed to help you figure out the best buys in each category of hiking footwear.
My reviews are 100% independent. Hiking Feet doesn't publish sponsored posts and doesn't have any advertisers to please. Plus, I know my stuff. I test hiking footwear more than 1,000 miles per year, previously managed footwear at Appalachian Outdoors, and was a Gearhead® Expert at Backcountry. My combination of personal hiking experience and professional experience in the outdoor gear industry sets my reviews apart from other sites.
Testing the Merrell Moab Speed 2 in Embudito Canyon
Support & Protection
The Merrell Moab Speed 2 isn't as supportive as a true hiking shoe, but there's more support than the average sneaker. There's a FlexPlate sandwiched in between the shoe's soles to add modest mid-foot support and a little lateral stability. In spite of this added support feature, the shoe still bends pretty easily at the ball of the foot.
On my test hikes, the shoe felt more flexible than stiff—a better build for casual trails or fast-moving hikes on easy to moderate terrain. That being said, I didn't roll an ankle when I wore the Moab Speed 2s on moderately steep and rocky trails, such as the Embudito Trai. If you're looking for a supportive hiking shoe, that's not the strength of the Speed 2. This shoe prioritizes weight savings and price more than support.
Weight
The Merrell Moab Speed 2 is significantly lighter than the original Merrell Moab. My pair of the Speed 2s weighs a half-pound less than my pair of the regular, low-cut Moab. At 14 ounces per shoe (men's size 12), the Moab Speed 2 is heavier than most trail running shoes and lighter than true hiking shoes. To use the words of a former Merrell rep, this is a "sniker"—kind of a cross between a casual sneaker, hiking shoe, and trail running shoe.
If you're looking for a lightweight hiking shoe, this one makes sense—as long as you mostly hike easy to moderate trails or wear them as everyday shoes.
Merrell's regular size runs wider than some brands' wide sizes
Fit
The Moab Speed 2 is a good fit for men and women with wider feet. I normally need a wide in most brands, but I get enough width for my moderately wide feet in Merrell's regular size. My everyday shoe size is a 11.5, and I got a good hiking fit in a 12 regular. Merrell also makes the Moab Speed 2 in wide sizes for hikers with really wide feet.
This shoe's not a good fit for narrow feet. Hikers with standard-sized feet might be okay in the regular, especially if they want a roomier fit.
Testing the Moab Speed 2's support, comfort, and traction
Comfort
For better or worse, the Merrell Moab Speed 2 feels like the athletic shoes that most of us Gen Xers wore to school back in the '80s. Many beginners and casual hikers like that approachable feel, and Merrell lovers appreciate that "out of the box comfort." Many serious hikers consider this feel cheap and too casual for hiking. It all depends on if you want a sniker for light hikes and casual wear or a true hiking shoe.
Personally, I appreciated the Speed 2's relatively roomy fit. The moderate cushioning and flex felt appropriate for easy-going Sunday morning hikes and my faster-moving, mid-week fitness hikes. I would have preferred more support and foot protection on my tougher test hikes. My feet felt more fatigued on tougher trails than they would have in a true hiking shoe. Plus, I hurt my big toe in the Speed 2, which wouldn't have happened in a sturdier hiking shoe with a more protective toe cap.
In short, this shoe's comfort depends on fit, your hiking style, and your personal preferences. I found it more comfortable than the regular Merrell Moab but personally wouldn't pick the Speed 2 for rugged trails.
My test hikes were in dry desert environments
Weather Protection
Since I live in the high desert, I chose to test the non-waterproof Merrell Moab Speed 2. Obviously, it offers little resistance to rain, mud, and snow.
However, this model makes for a good desert hiker since it's well-ventilated to keep feet cooler in hot weather. This shoe's thin, synthetic mesh also dries quicker than the original Moab when it does get wet—another plus.
If you do want a waterproof version of this shoe, Merrell offers the Moab Speed 2 in a GORE-TEX version (see men's / see women's). GORE offers more reliable and breathable waterproofing than Merrell's proprietary waterproof membrane.
The Moab Speed 2's lugs do okay on rock
Traction
The Moab Speed 2's outsoles offer good, multisurface traction. Its traction exceeded my expectations on a range of trails. The tread pattern isn't aggressive, but it's more performance-oriented and hiker-friendly than the original Merrell Moab's soles.
The lugs aren't deep, but they're grooved enough to handle moderate ascents and descents on dirt and gravel. In particicular, I appreciated the deep heel brake when hiking down the steep scree and weathered granite at Oso Ridge. When I scrambled smooth boulders in Embudito canyon, the shoe's soft rubber gave me better grip on rock than I expected. Plus, this shoe has Vibram outsoles—higher quality rubber than you'd expect for a shoe of this price.
Overall, I don't recommend this shoe for rugged trails. However, its tread is a good match for easy to moderate terrain.
The women's Moab Speed 2 is available in several colorways
Value
With a MSRP of $140 (non-waterproof), the Merrell Moab Speed 2 costs less than the average hiking shoe. This isn't a performance hiking shoe, but my review raised no red flags—as long as you stick to typical multi-use and hiking trails. If you value price or weight savings more than support, the Merrell Moab Speed 2 may make a lot of sense for you.
Click on the buttons below to see current prices and color options:
Men's Merrell Moab Speed 2
Check current price, styles, and colors:
Women's Merrell Moab Speed 2
Check current price, styles, and colors:
Merrell Moab Speed 2: Pros and Cons
The Merrell Moab Speed 2 makes a lot of sense for some hikers—not others. You should weight this shoe's specific pros and cons to decide if it's a good fit for your feet and good match for your hikes:
Should hikers buy the Merrell Moab Speed 2?
Based on my first-hand review, I'm comfortable recommending the Merrell Moab Speed 2 to casual hikers or faster hikers who prioritize price and weight savings more than support and protection. This light, budget-friendly hiking sneaker has enough support and traction for easy to moderate trails. Plus, it's good fit for hikers with wider feet and a potential comfort match for men and women who prefer the feel of a light and casual athletic shoe to a stiffer, more supportive hiking shoe. However, it's not a good fit for hikers with narrower feet. For harder hikes, you'd be better off with lightweight hiking shoes like the Salomon X Ultra 5 or Scarpa Rush 2. But it's a respectable, light-duty hiking shoe that's light on your feet—whether you're hiking easy to average trails or wearing it casually.
Now that I've personally tested and reviewed the Merrell Moab Speed 2, I've added it to my list of the best lightweight hiking shoes, best casual hiking shoes, and best budget hiking shoes.
If my Merrell Moab Speed 2 review has convinced you to buy this budget-oriented sniker, please consider purchasing it through the affiliate links above. Those small commissions keeps this site afloat—and give me a few dollars back for the thousands of unpaid hours I've devoted to testing and reviewing hiking footwear.
