I bought these shoes for general wear and some light "tramping" as the kiwi's call it for a trip to New Zealand this past February. I normally wear a 9.5 C roughly size and prefer a somewhat wide shoe. I purchased a 9.5M and the shoe fit perfectly. The toe box was roomy which is exactly what I was hoping. We hiked on a "moderate 3-4 hour tramp near Queenstown, the Mt Crichton Trail. That trail has some steep up and downhill sections. The shoes performed well though as a former backpacker (age has retired me), I noted two potential issues with a shoe of this design meaning it is not unique to Merrill. The low ankle design of these light weight shoes does not give any ankle support. That's not that much of an issue if you are hiking light on terrain that is not excessively uneven. But shoes of this design IMHO are not suitable for moderate to serious backpacking especially as you start tiring. They are fine for day hiking. The design also allows one's foot to slide forward easily going downhill. For long down hill stretches, there is the potential for blistering, etc. Hightops are better for sustained downhills. That said I really like these shoes for day hiking and traveling.  I also have arthritic issues in one of my big toes and the stiffness of the sole helps keep toe bending to a comfortable level negating the need to use my orthotic with a Morton's extension if any one reading this knows what that is. Also you made need a good shoe horn because they can be a pain to put on with the elastic rim on the opening.

PS these shoes can be VERY slippery on a smooth surface such as a waxed linoleum floor or tile or wet concrete. I think it is a sole design issue more so than the brand ...