Black Friday - best deals from 52 stores Having lab-tested dozens of Merrell hiking shoes and boots, we hardly ever had issues with their fit and sizing. The company itself also claims: “We design our boots to fit like your street shoes.”
The brand's US sizing scheme has consistent intervals between half sizes (5 mm) and full sizes (10 mm) which makes Merrell's sizes quite consistent with other outdoor brands.
However, if it’s your first time purchasing Merrell footwear, we highly recommend measuring the length of your feet first and checking your size in the chart below.
Merrell men's and women's size chart
Fitting Merrell hiking shoes and boots
Hiking footwear from Merrell 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 Vapour 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.
For more details on the fit and sizing of each Merrell shoe and boot, take a look at our in-depth lab reviews. We go as far as measuring the internal length and toebox dimensions of each product to let you know what to expect from the fit:
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 emphasises 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.
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 for women and 2E for men).
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 and Salomon.
| Shoe length (mm) | Merrell | KEEN | Salomon |
| Men's US sizes | |||
| 270 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| 280 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 290 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
| Women's US sizes | |||
| 230 | 6.5 | 6 | 6 |
| 240 | 7.5 | 7 | 7 |
| 250 | 8.5 | 8 | 8 |
If you have a very comfortably fitting shoe or boot from another outdoor brand, try using our size calculator below to find out its equivalent Merrell size.
