Last year the folks at Merrell let us check out their new M-Connect line of running shoes, and I for one was utterly smitten. The Road Glove has been my go-to shoe, but now that I’ve had the new AllOut Fuse sneakers for a weekend, there may be a new shoe love for me!
I’ve only had the shoes for a few days, but this weekend was the perfect testing ground to get to know them. We were away in a beach town, so we walked quite a bit. The AllOut Fuse was a champ after several hours on my feet, handling sand, boardwalk, and sidewalk; in addition my feet felt great even during the 2+ hour drives there and back. The shoes were incredibly comfortable, and the soles felt remarkably grippy and tough.
One thing that helped the AllOut Fuse shoes feel so comfortable is the OMNIfit system. It’s a series of elastic straps across the tongue that make the whole upper fit more snugly across the top of your foot. I have narrow feet, and usually have to tie my shoes pretty tight to keep my foot from sliding around. If I tie too tight, though, I get pressure across my metatarsals that causes discomfort over time. The OMNIfit system is great because it gives a snug fit without being too tight. I don’t know if the system would be as comfortable if you had super high arches, but I imagine the flexibility would keep the shoe pressure across your foot nice and even.
Merrell’s AllOut Fuse are designed to be trail shoes, and I hope to hit the trails in them this weekend. Stay tuned for a full review of them, but suffice it to say that my first impression is pretty simple-it was love at first step!