Astral

TR1 Merge 2.0 Boot

The Best of Everything

Absolutely the best features of Every Good Hiking Boot MADE!! Lightweight, sturdy, grippy and most of all comfortable as your house slippers!! Highly recommended...

Comfortable, durable, small flaws.

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Size Bought:

11.5

Tested this boot on a 7 day jungle hike through rocky and wet conditions. The grip was great until we hit mud. The drainage could be a little better or the holes a little larger. My largest issue was how the tongue design lets in all kinds of sediment. I know the boot is supposed to breathe for water, but any time there was sand it was immediately inside the boot no matter how tight I tied it. If the tongue was more integrated it might stop things from getting in besides water. Also the insoles should be glued down. They kept bunching up towards the front on descents after being wet. Other than that they are comfortable and durable.

Hemp Stuff Rocks

The highest quality goods. Really like my hemp swag, it feels durable yet comfortable and light.

Super boot for portage challenges

Love these quick dry 2.0’s they have a wide toe box that almost feels like your feet are gripping the terrain. Well done Astral team!

I’ll buy them again

These are pretty decent hikers and I will probably get another pair when I wear these out. I don’t see them being very durable. I’ve already ripped a hole through the mesh and I can see that continuing to happen. I usually only get one to two summer seasons out of Astrals anyway. The only other problem is that the insole likes to slip forward and bunch up in the toe. Despite that they’re very comfortable and the traction is great.

Perfect. Light. Grab these!

No break in time. Great option for hikes and paddling

Mail Carrier Approved

I'm a USPS city mail carrier walking 17 miles per day as much as 6 days per week, in all weather, through snow, wet and muddy yards, hills and uneven terrain, and summer heat and humidity. I wear custom foot orthotics for flat feet and need zero drop running shoes and boots. Astrals are my favorite boots for all conditions. I'll wear the TR1 Merge 2.0 for dry conditions and excellent breathability, and the Halestorm 2.0 for moderate slush, mud, or rain. The Pisgahs are surprisingly water resistant while also breathable. My main use for those is inside the USPS "Monsoon" overshoes for heavy, prolonged rain, but especially for deep snow and/or extreme cold. In cold temps sweat from the feet will condense and even freeze along the inner lining of the overshoes, thus, pulling maximum moisture through the Pisgahs away from your socks and feet. This double-layered boot strategy will keep your feet as warm and dry as possible during long, cold days. Size US 11 Pisgahs will just barely fit into the Large size Monsoon overshoes. The tighter the fit the better. After use, they will need to be dried out with a heat source. For that I'll leave the boots inside the overshoes, with traction chains or cleats (for snow and ice) still on, and place the whole works above a radiator at work to dry overnight or longer. Astrals are tough, light and flexible, well designed, and last as long as anything will. Sizing varies a bit. The Pisgahs feel tight in the toe box until they stretch out some. Depending on sock thickness I'll switch between size 11 and 11.5 US Pisgahs. TR1 Merge 2.0 I wear in 11.5 US, and Halestorm 2.0 I wear in 12 US.

Great shoe but it slips

I've had a lot of pairs of Astrals (I'm wearing Brewers now) all of the pairs I've owned have been designed with more water focus and these are the first "hiking" pair I've owned. I've worn them off and on for a few months but last week I travelled to Europe for ten days and brought these as we planned on walking a lot miles each day and the forecast called for every day to be a back and forth seesaw of cold rain and hot sunshine; so I packed these for the cushion, constantly changing weather, and I knew I could (and did) dry these out at night. I have zero regrets about my decision except that I guess I expected the rubber on the water focused shoes and the Merge's constantly slipped and gave me trouble walking on the wet cobblestone and slopped worn sidewalks. By comparison my wife wore her Loyaks every day and she had no issues. There were times we hit some short wet muddy trails and it was the opposite. Maybe keep the tread for mud, but change the contact rubber to one of the stickier compounds you're famous for?