The new Merrell Siren Sport Q2 GTX walking shoes are designed for women and include “gender-specific support, alignment and stability”.
Other features:
- Gore-Tex waterproof and breathable membrane
- Nubuck leather and mesh upper
- Metal hook and lacing eyelet for secure lacing
- Bellows tongue to keep out debris
- “M Select” FRESH antimicrobial agents
- M Select FIT.TRI blended EVA contoured footbed to support the arches of the foot
- Q FORM 2 dual-density midsole with heel-centering technology for “gender-engineered alignment and comfort”
- M Select GRIP tunes each outsole with durable traction that grips when and where you need it
- 3.5 mm lug depth
- Sizes: UK5 to 11
Priced around £120. See Merrell and Millets.
On test: Merrell Siren Sport Q2 GTX walking shoes
Walking shoes are a good choice for summer trails, hikes and dog walking. They are usually lighter than boots and easier to wear. I confess I might usually wear off-road trainers for summer walks but I did find the Merrell Siren Sport Q2 GTX had a number of advantages.
The shoes feel a lot more supportive than my usual trainers. I like how they feel under my foot and the heel cup is a good fit for my narrow feet. In fact, the entire shoe feels like it fits really well.
The lacing system allows me to adjust the shoe to feel comfortable but not overly tight and the laces stay tied, rather than working themselves loose.
I tested the footwear on a wet and muddy day and deliberately walked through puddles to see if they kept my feet dry, which they did. The only thing I would say is that if it’s very wet, for example if you are caught in a downpour, you will find the rain and wet gets in over the top of the shoes. This is when boots can be a bonus.
However, for summer wear, when there is less chance of very wet walking, the shoes do a good job of keeping feet dry.
The soles are fairly grippy. They do not have very aggressive soles so I would not trust them on steep slopes and in a lot of mud or in scree but for general trails and paths in summer conditions they are perfectly adequate.
These are the sort of shoes I would wear for easy-going hikes and dog walks and because they are comfortable from the moment I put them on I can see them becoming a daily favourite.
Merrell footwear is generally very hard wearing and the Siren Sport Q2 GTX look to be of the same quality.
One thing that does annoy me a bit is the use of annoying jargon from some brands. In fact, many brands are guilty of this. So they use terms such as “M Select FRESH, FIT.TRI and Q FORM. Why on earth is this needed? I would prefer to be told what the shoes will offer in normal language rather than dressing it up with flowery words.
This phrases do not persuade me to buy the shoes and really it’s better just to tell it straight. It’s not just Merrell that does this and they are not the worst by far but please can we keep descriptions simple?
To buy Merrell Siren Sport Q2 GTX walking shoes priced at £120 see Millets.