I’ve been split on my Merrells for some time. The $34.95 pair (“Men’s Hut Moc Loafer”) does its job, but is nowhere as comfortable as my old Skechers (“Unisex-Adult Classic Fit-Delson-Camden”). The main problem with the Merrells is that they are too narrow for my wide feet. Even so, I’ve been able to do all sorts of tasks while wearing them (including hiking short trails), which is why I’ve kept them around for so long.
On Tuesday, I decided to stop being such a cheap bastard. That evening, I bought a new pair of Skechers (“Men’s Expected Avillo Moccasin”) off Amazon for $54.56.
The new shoes arrived on Thursday. The first thing I noticed when trying them out was that they felt rather loose. The new Skechers are the same size (“8 Wide”) as the old, so I assumed the loose feeling was there because I’d grown used to narrow Merrells.
Later, I realized that may not be the case. When clearing the packaging, I discovered the term “Relaxed Fit” slathered all over the box. It dawned upon me that I had perhaps ordered a version of the Skechers designed to be roomier than usual.
By the time I made this realization I had been wearing the shoes outside for days. My feet had gotten accustomed to the Skechers and they had become my primary piece of footwear for public park strolls and grocery store visits. Thankfully, the looser fit was not much of an issue; it’s true that I probably won’t be able to exercise or play sports in the Skechers, but that’s what my Salomons are for.
PS: tested out using my Walgreens rubber insoles inside the Skechers. They made the Skechers feel as tight (and as uncomfortable) as the Merrells so I took them out after half a day.
