Same Merrell quality I've come to expect, but these boots fit about half a size larger than I'm used to. I don't know if its because its specifically a hiking shoe (thus expected to be work with thicker socks) or if it was a fluke, but US 11M was far too roomy in the toe box. Returned and found a model more aligned with what ive owned in the past. The color is kind of a green-grey, which I wasn't a big fsn of either.