Gear Review: Merrell Grassbow Sport
Mix together one part hiking shoe, and one part trail running shoe, and you will have the Merrell Grassbow Sport. This Spring I was looking to try something a little lighter and faster and these shoes fit the bill. These aren't a clunky hiking shoe. The first thing I noticed when wearing them was the air-cushoning in the heel and how light they were. These shoes allow you to be a little more quick-footed and with each step you are protected by a forefoot shock absorption pad.
Spring has been slow to arrive leaving lots of areas with anything from ice, to wet muddy conditions. Since the breathable air mesh and synthetic uppers are treated with a waterproof coating, adverse trail conditions wen't really an issue. The moulded heel is quite solid, and the tread offered a very secure footing while maneuvering through this wet/dry terrain. I appreciated the comfortability of these shoes jumping right into all-day hiking as they didn't even need a break-in period. They felt like a running shoe, but had the benefits of hiking shoes integrated throughout such as an attached tongue to keep twigs and dirt from entering your shoe.
