Hey all. Also new here, but not to backpacking. I'll second the comment that I've never found a Merrell shoe that seemed to fit me. However, I absolutely insist on a Vibram sole, so you might want to take a look at the Vasque trail runners (several options) also/instead. The North Face Hedgehog has also been a great shoe for me for many years; however, I can't seem to find it in a non-goretex version currently.