Merrell Barefoot Water Current Water Shoe- Minimalist design, maximum performance
Merrell Barefoot Water Current, $110,
www.merrell.com
The Good: Sweet, I have vibram feet! Barefoot feel, only bulletproof.
The Bad: Despite the siping, the smooth bottom of these shoes lack grip in some situations
The Excellent: Shoes look as good walking down the street as they do planted on top of a mossy boulder.
Barefoot is the new black. The movement encourages minimal drop, reduced weight, and a greater connection to the surfaces we find ourselves journeying over. There is a slew of new thin and lightweight footwear to choose from, and the Merrell Barefoot Water Current is a notable contender. The minimalist shoe sports a tough and grippy vibram sole, and dries quickly so it is easy to jump into the creek and keep moving. This is an extremely light shoe weighing in at only 6.7 oz with a 0mm heel to toe drop for a truly flat stride.
These shoes were laced up and taken to the office, cruised down the Trinity River, ran on the beach and pavement, hiked a few small trails near Redding, Ca. and held on tight paddling in Whiskeytown National Park and Plumas County. The terrain was varied substantially, sharp rocky shores, moss covered boulders, gravel, sand, and asphalt. Through it all, these stylish and sturdy water shoes took the abuse and held on tight. The material survived with no scuff marks or cuts, and more importantly protected the feet tucked inside.
The shoes are built on a solid vibram aqua glove sole with siping and barefoot grip styling. The lack of lugs or other defined grip pattern was a bit slick on uneven surfaces, a trade-off for the minimalist feel of the shoe. Overall, the siping did provide decent grip in most situations. The upper material is termed synthetic leather and air mesh. It is durable and dries very fast. It also allows for airflow to keep your feet cool. The stitching on these shoes is straight, clean and solid; lending to the feeling of quality workmanship. The front toe bumper has two rows of drain holes and the mesh back quickly evacuate water from the shoe. The front holes are actually a liability when running in sand, I took in a substantial amount of sand when beach running with them. The shoe has a traditional lacing system that allows for a solid cinch during high impact activities. Merrell provides the shoes in light grey/blue, black/dark grey, and green/black.
If the barefoot/minimalist style is what you’re looking for, then this is what you need for all your watersport adventures. Look at these specifically for paddling, SUP, and light hiking. Happy trekking!
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Tags: awesome, barefoot, barefoot running, footwear, hiking, kayaking, Merrell, minimalist, Water, Water Current, Water Current Gloves, water shoe, watersports, Whitewater
Author: David Skinner
