My Chameleon 3's are finally wearing out and have been my favorite pair of shoes in years.  In fact, they have lasted almost 2 years in almost daily use, so when it came time to buy a new pair, there was no doubt what I would buy.

But, upon receipt of the new 4's, it was apparent that these were not an improved version of my older shoes and instead a step backwards and definitely not Hiking Shoes.  The upper is still reasonably well made, but the sole is much thinner and the reinforced heel and upper lace components are gone.  The new Chameleon 4 is simply a tennis shoe and not the multi-functional shoe it replaced that allowed me to wear them at work, around the house or on a reasonably strenuous hike and that reduces the value to me significantly.

Update:  After a few months, I can tell you these are not as good as the 3's they replaced.  Durability was better than expected, but support was not as good, especially when in rougher terrain.  You will miss those reinforcements from the 3's.  The biggest letdown was in terms of the comfort.  The 3's were comfortable from the moment I put them on, and even after months of fairly heavy usage, the 4's are still stiff and tight, so I stand by my original title.  They are still Merrell, so better than many brands, but not as good as the previous generation.