Chameleon Ventilators

Nice boots....replaced my other 2 pairs of Merrell boots (M2 Blast and Blade hikers). They now have a waterproof version out now (figures, after I buy the non-waterproof ones). They break in fairly quickly, and once they do, they are very comfortable. The first hike in them, they were rather annoying. The sole is very adept to hiking on rock, as the Vibram soles stick well. The only downside is that mine aren't waterproof....but as I stated, Merrell has alleviated this problem. I have to retighten the laces every few hours, but that's common. They vent very well....if you have the AC on in the car, you can feel it through the boot. Can't wait to use 'em on Huntington Ravine this summer....

Bought a pair on sale for $70. These are light weight and the soles grip well but they seem to be wearing a little quicker then I expected. I did replace the insoles for more comfort. They have good stablity/support on my feet once I got used to the lacing system. Like the rubber capped toe. I rate them with 4stars but if I paid the full retail price($110) I would have given them 3stars.

I bought these (the waterproof version) to replace my M2 Blasts. Merrell boots, with aftermarket inserts -Superfeet in my case- just seem to fit my feet better than other brands.
Some of the things I like about these boots:
* quick break in
* soles that inspire confidence
* reasonable price ($100 for the waterproof version, on sale at Sport Chalet)
* vastly improved lacing system over the M2 Blasts

I just purchased the Chameleon Dry Waterproof version of this boot. And I must say that even at $140, these boots are awesome. I have since put about fifty miles worth of rough trail on them and they feel great. They took a while to break in, but once they did I was comfy. I don't know how I feel about the lacing. Be careful if you will be wearing these on the ice, the tend to slide quite easily. As far as rock, gravel, mud, any terrain but ice, they are great. I would highly recommend them.

Very durable solid boot. I have worn them on two approach hikes there and back of 50 km and they still have pretty good tread. The toe rubber is still holding better than other boots I have used. Good for rugged terrain of rocks sand mud ect. but provides little friction on icier surfaces. I do not find them to vent very well. But my feet tend to overheat in most anything. Very comfortable and a good fit for my foot.

I had worn Merrell Reflexes for the last couple of years; very comfortable, but they wore out very quickly. They discontinued the Reflex line, alas, so I tried these. I have a pair of the "low" cut, non-gortex lined, by the way.



These Chameleons are significantly BETTER and a fine improvement over the reflexes in that the soles are significantly stiffer, while still being very comfortable. I wore a brand-new pair, almost right out of the box on a non-stop 47 mile Grand Canyom rim-rim-rim trek this spring, with virtually zero foot pain and no blisters at all. It also seems that this pair is lasting longer than the old reflexes.



STILL, my Chameleons are just about worn out after 5 months, but they have seen heavy, heavy, use. I have basically hiked and climbed in nothing but these shoes since April, including heavy backpacking, light hiking, class 3/4 scrambling and low class 5 climbing.



I will be buying at least one if not two more pair of these "wonder boots" in the very near future; probably another pair of low-ventilators, and a pair of mid-XCR's (gortex lined) for fall/spring use, and who knows, they may work for light winter hiking/climbing as well.



The only reason I don't give 5 stars is because of the limited durability of these boots. Still, I think they are worth the $100 or so they cost, and to me, this price every 6 months or so is WELL worth it for having perfectly happy feet in some tough-use conditions.

Absolutely loved my C. Ventilators. After over 150 miles of hiking/climbing, and quite a bit of training miles as well, the tread has torn apart enough that I have to purchase anew. This was after a year and 8 months of use though. Lightweight, durable, breathable, and worked great in a wide range of temps and moisture. It was my first pair of high quality boots as I got into the climbing scene late, but this is the type of boot I will be looking for as a replacement.