Merrell Women's Bravada 2 Waterproof Sneaker, Brindle, 7

Bought these for walking my dog in the wet, rainy days in Seattle (which is most days). I'd purchased a pair of Adidas shoes that were quite comfortable but were soaked even just walking through dewy grass so I've been trying a few other pairs to see what works. These have kept my socks dry in wet grass, mud, and rain. They're not as comfortable as that first pair (nothing I've bought since has been) but pretty comfy in their own right and well enough for my feet that get sore easily. And, as I said, they're actually waterproof. So all around, they're perfect for my needs.I'm a 7.5 in most shoes and purchased a 7.5 here. Fit as expected.There was one day where it was absolutely pouring, so much that I was completely soaked after about 60 seconds outside, and they did seem to get my socks a tiny bit wet around the ankle... seems like rain just got in the tops, not as if it had soaked through. Given the downpour, this seemed a reasonable outcome so I don't hold it against the shoe at all. However, I mentioned it in case your use for this shoe would make that handy info to have.I'm about to buy a second pair so, definitely recommend if your use case is similar to mine.

I live in the Pacific Northwest, so it’s essential to have a good waterproof shoe if you are out walking. These are perfect. Easy to clean, VERY WATERPROOF, the outter material dries quickly and surprisingly comfortably.

The four stars are temporary until I really find out as I have not tried them yet. I will update as I am able.The sneakers have pros and cons.First to explain, I ordered my regular size, women's 10, but because these shoes are designed with pointed toes ( meant to give a more feminine look) these may not fit as I need them to. I tried them on and they are comfortable enough just to merely wear but my toes still feel a bit crowded in, and if I were to actually use these by walking, I may find that they feel uncomfortable or maybe cause skin abrasions. I cannot risk it with a costly sneaker.I have already ordered another two of these, one in 10.5 and another in 10-wide so as to try them. I am likely to send two of these back and keep only one pair unless none fit the way I need them to. I am not sure if trying the same size in a wide width would solve the problem or if it would be better to try a half size larger (10.5). Sometimes they will amount to the same thing, they will have some more room but sometimes even if you order a half size (or full size) larger it may not help because as with women's footwear, the front of the shoe is meant to be narrow for a dainty appearance . (I often use men's sneakers or shoes). Also even if such a design is wider width, it can mean that then the sneaker still won't fit properly since not everyone's foot is exactly the same dimensions within the category of wide width. Where your foot curves from side of the toes to the sides of the foot may be different than the standard design for footwear. It seems women's footwear would especially have this issue.Also even though a wider width in your typical size should not mean that the tip of the sneaker is closer or directly touching the tip of your toe, it could mean exactly that.However I am hoping to like and be able to use this sneaker when the others I ordered arrive and I can try them.Other things about this sneaker: The material seems basically good but I don't know if it actually would stand up to the kind of rugged use that a person would put them through when it comes to outdoor hiking through wooded areas and rocks and hills and uneven terrain .I actually need these as a general-use waterproof sneaker when it rains outside so that I can move comfortably and keep my feet dry when I go out in the rain and just do basic outside things. I am hoping that these will be as advertised, waterproof.I did not read in the Amazon description that they consist of Gore-Tex. I have had experience with Gore-Tex when it was a relatively new "waterproof" material decades back, and I found that it was not so special and even eventually lost its waterproofness and was more costly than it was really worth.These may have a different kind of waterproof element to them. I don't yet know.The top fabric feels like knitted material. Deep in the sneaker it feels different.. Boots are too uncomfortable and bulky for me. I really need sneakers. I once read an online article stating that a lot of advertisements for "waterproof" footwear are over embellished and that it may be best to just wear comfortable sneakers or trail runners than heavy, dense, rigid boots that still may not keep your feet any drier.Other things: I dislike highly contrasting colors such as black and white but the colors of these are coordinated in a way in which the contrasting colors are nicely distributed so they are not so weird and thus do NOT look like they are strictly for teenagers whose tastes are for outlandish styles, and the sneakers can better be matched with toned-down colors or clothing such as khakis, work pants (etc) and not strictly a colorful track suit, but I am mainly looking for comfortable waterproof sneakers or trail runners or trekking shoes.I should say I tend to dislike sneakers with eyelets like this one has. The eyelets are made of string sewn into loops on the sneaker and if any of those loops break, it is hard or impossible to fix. Of course the tongue of the sneaker is gusseted which means you may be able to slip your foot into the sneaker without actually needing the laces if the sneaker fits snug enough without tightening the laces, but with the laces exposed as they are (prominently over the top and nearly to the sides of the sneaker) they can get caught on small, fine, twigs or briar if you are hiking in the woods, the eyelets too and also the string sewn at the back of the sneaker so you can pull it up at the heel (even though otherwise this serves a useful purpose). Some sneakers are designed so that the laces are of lower profile and placed between the tongue, gusseted or not, and the sides of the sneaker in which the tongue is positioned into.The shoe laces are round, not flat. They have a good rugged feel but round shoe laces can come undone more easily than flat shoe laces.One important thing, sometimes well-known American-made brands still may have sizing that is not exactly of US standards. It could be regarding one particular style but sometimes you have to order at least a half size larger to be sure.UPDATE: October 2 2023 the wide width size 10 arrived. Color "Brindle." I like the way they look and yet these seem too big.. I did not bother trying them on or opening the package . I will send them back.I would NOT discourage anyone else from trying these sneakers. They could be right for other people, but for me it seems they are not what I need at least currently.

I needed a waterproof shoe for our honeymoon in Costa Rica. We were packing light, so I wanted a shoe that could be worn hiking but was attractive enough to be a “normal” tennis shoe as well. I was so happy to stumble across these! They are extremely comfortable and supportive. They are waterproof enough for a light rain, quick steps crossing rivers, etc. — which is all you can ask for in a mesh/breathable tennis shoe. They are grippy at the bottom, which was helpful when stepping on rocks. The perfect purchase for this trip! I 10/10 recommend these!Please note if you stand in water for several minutes or are caught in a torrential downpour for 2 hours on a horseback ride, no…these are not going to be waterproof. You have to take them for what they are! 🤍

After buying this pair in March, I went hiking in a damp weather. It was not even raining, but the grass was wet. Within minutes my feet were completely soaked.Otherwise the shoes are great, really comfortable with a great grip.

I have struggled to find a truly waterproof shoe. I realize to be absolutely waterproof the shoe would need to be made of something like 100 percent rubber. I am not wading through rivers but I walk my dog in the rain and often the park we go to just has wet grass from sprinklers or dew. I went through so many reviews of shoes/brands that claimed to be waterproof but then I would read through the reviews and there were always these mixed reviews. Several people saying yes they are and then some saying they are not. How to know which are accurate? I stayed away from this brand for a long time because I have had one pair that lasted years but when I bought the second they just did not have the same quality and did not last long for the price they charged. I finally went with them because of all the brands and styles I looked at, these seemed like the best bet and were reasonably priced. Even though this one is like all the others and has several reviews saying they are not waterproof, I finally decided to try them.Not long after I got them, not only did I have a day of walking through wet grass, but several days in a row of rain, and these kept my feet dry! Maybe they will be like some I have read reviews on where they say they started out waterproof but somehow that waterproof "wears off" and then they aren't anymore. That may be and will try and come back to update this but for now I am very pleased with these! They ran true to size for me. They are comfortable but again, I really was most interested in the waterproof feature and they have not disappointed me yet.