Merrell footwear is built on the US sizing scheme and has consistent 5-mm increments between half sizes and 10-mm ones between full sizes.
Merrell hiking shoes, boots, and sandals are most often reported as true-to-size. The company itself also claims: “we design our boots to fit like your street shoes”
However, if it’s your first time purchasing footwear from Merrell, we highly recommend starting by measuring the length of your feet and checking with the chart below.
Merrell men's and women's size chart
Merrell shoe sizing compared to other hiking/trail shoe brands
Merrell shoe sizes appear to be congruent with the other outdoor footwear brands that it’s most often compared to, including KEEN, Salomon, and Oboz.
| Foot length (mm) | Merrell | KEEN | Salomon | Oboz |
| Men's US sizes | ||||
| 260 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| 270 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| 280 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Women's US sizes | ||||
| 230 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6.5 |
| 240 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7.5 |
| 250 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8.5 |
Merrell takes women’s feet into account
Merrell prides itself on the fact that it employed separate lasts for men’s and women’s models from the very beginning.
The brand emphasizes that female feet call for shoes that are tailored to their proportionally narrower heels and balls of the foot, longer toes, higher instep, and longer calf muscles.
Fitting Merrell hiking shoes and boots
Hiking footwear from Merrell also has a good reputation for fitting comfortably right from the box. No break-in should be required. This is especially true for the brand’s acclaimed Moab collection.
Make sure you try a pair with the same socks, insoles, or orthotics that you plan to wear with it.
Here are a few surefire signs that you got the right size and fit:
- Heel: Feels secure, no slipping out. A slight lift is okay in boots when walking on an incline but no more than ½ inch (1 cm).
- Midfoot: Snug and secure without the need to lace it too tight.
- Toebox: Toes do not feel compressed and can wiggle freely. When walking on an incline, they do not jam into the front of the shoe/boot but tap gently. Alternatively, you can check if the space is sufficient by pressing the toes against the front and sliding an index finger behind the heel inside the shoe/boot. The size is right if it fits. Go at least half a size up in case you can’t.
Minimalist running shoes like Vapor Glove and Trail Glove are designed to be more close-fitting to mimic a barefoot experience. There should still be about a thumbnail’s width in front of the toes but the rest of the shoe should feel like a second skin.
Width options from Merrell
For people who require more space in the regular width (B for women and D for men), the brand offers around 20% of its models in wider profiles (D women’s and 2E men’s).
