Merrell Women's Embark Lace Sneaker

I initially found these shoes to be very comfortable. Actual use while walking many miles during a vacation trip proved them to be less comfortable. Apparently the heel is too narrow for my foot and my foot tended to slip forward a little. By the end of the day my toes were uncomfortable from hitting the front of the shoe. Another really annoying issue was that the laces do not stay tied. I realize double knots would have worked, but when there was the issue of possibly having to take them off in security lines that didn’t make sense. The shoes are very light, which turned out to be a good feature as I carried them in my suitcase while wearing my trusty sandals.

I have had these and the slip-on version for a year now. I absolutely love them both. I have always worn a hole in where the big toe meets the next one and also out on the pinky toe due to bunions. The material that this shoe is made of is not only very durable, but lightweight. I have not even had a weakening in those areas. Also, they are a generous width in the toe area. The arch support seems to be very beneficial as well. I wish these were made in brighter colors (bright blue/orange) like some of the hiking shoes. It looks like these are being discontinued. I really hope not. I wanted to purchase some more of them.

Bought a second pair within a few weeks of the first pair while they are still available. I own several different pairs of Merrell shoes/boots; they are all different, each pair feels and fits different, plus the sizes vary. I immediately liked this pair for three reasons: the fitted tongue, the feeling of good ankle support, plus they are very lightweight. The cons are the strap at the rear is not placed in a position to be useful in putting on the shoe. Also, when descending a pair of stairs on two occasions, the heel caught on the step. Use caution; i.e. be sure to have a stair rail if descending steps! They may feel stiff to some, but I prefer my footwear to feel "hard" or barefoot in contrast to a thick cushion feel.

I wanted to love these sneakers so badly. I have them in the light green color and they are super cute. The problem for me was that they are too wide, so my foot slides around in them all day and the fabric at the ankle rubs on my skin (even with higher socks). If I went down a half size, then my toe would be squished. Because of the extra room inside the shoe, they also fail to provide support around my ankles. Aside from this, they seem to have a comfortable inner sole. But unfortunately for me they did not work. Maybe my feet are too skinny.

Just bought these in black, my husband bought in olive. They look great and will go well with my Athleta Skyline pants for travel. However, my feet hurt immediately after putting them on. The insole is not removable and very uncomfortable, fixed by adding my own insole. Note the insole in the shoe is not removable. The bottoms do have great traction and will be nice for both hiking and walking around Europe. I wear a size 9 and they are slightly longer than my other size 9 shoes (Brooks, Nike) but they still fit well and true to size.

I needed new "running" shoes for all our adventures. I tend to get trail runners, only since I'm typically wearing my sneakers for hiking. I look for stability and comfort in what I get and these hit both marks. When I first received them, I didn't know they were slip-ons with shoelaces. I was skeptical, but I LOVE these sneakers! Once you have them tied the way you want, you can slip them on and off. Want them tighter? Unlace and snug. I love that the tongue is built into the shoe - no more annoying twisting of the tongue that tends to happen to me while making descents. Another perk? They clean up super easily! The first time I wore them, I stepped in a mud puddle and I thought they were ruined - tossed them in the washing machine and they look brand new.

I bought these because I'd warn two of the Embark Lace Shields and loved them, assuming it was just the same shoe with laces instead of the shield. It's not. The sizes of the shoe are not nearly as solid, more like a collapsible fabric, and they sit kind of weird on the sole so that my feet can actually feel the lip/edge of the sole while wearing the shoe. They also have zero arch support, and I don't feel stable while walking in them. After about a month or two of suffering through these (because I spent money on them), my feet hurt so badly that I have no choice but to stop wearing them altogether. I'm back to wearing the Embark Lace Shield instead. Can't believe they're so different. Perhaps they should rename these shoes as they're not much like each other.

My Embark Lace Sneakers are so comfortable and cute. I use them at the gym for general purpose., i.e. treadmill, eliptical and weight lifting. I have a high instep and I was concerned at first about the design of the shoe around the ankle, but it is still easy to put on and the material around the ankle seems to add support. The first time I wore my sneakers to the gym. I received compliments about the color and design. I will admit to buying the fuchsia color because I thought it would look cute with my workout outfit. Now I wear them no matter what color my outfit is. I like the way the shoe laces and the function of the little pull strap on the back. I look for reasons to put this very comfortable, cute shoe on my feet. These are my 5th pair of Merrills. Merrills always seem to work for me.