The Astral TR1 Merge 2.0 is a mesh hiking boot designed for very wet environments where good drainage and fast drying times are required. I've been using them this summer for ultralight (pack boat) canoeing, both for wet entrances and exits, as well as hiking portages between bodies of water, and they've become my go-to shoes for that activity. I imagine they'd also be an excellent choice for pack rafting, which has similar land-water transition requirements.

• Type: Hiking boots
• Drop: Zero Drop
• Stack height: 20 mm
• Uppers: polyester mesh, tpu reinforcements
• Midsole: closed-cell EVA foam with a top shank
• Width: Feels narrow – not a huge toe box as advertised
• Sizing: Unisex
• Dry Weight: 304 g / 10.7 oz (W's US 7), 358 g / 12.6 oz (M's US 9)

The Astral TR1 Merge 2.0 is made with polyester mesh, which drains well when it gets wet. There are also drain holes along the sides, like the kinds you used to find on old-school tennis or basketball shoes, that help release liquid moisture. However, the soles do not appear to have perforations, which you sometimes find on water shoes. They do dry overnight, provided they have good ventilation; a little sunlight helps too.

The Astral TR 1 Merge 2.0 provides excellent protection from submerged or above-ground obstacles

The boots have a heel counter and a mid-collar, which is also perforated and wraps well around my lower leg and ankle. While I do wear these mids with socks, the ankle collar and the mesh uppers do not prevent sand from getting inside if you need to walk over lake or river bottoms, although it takes a while to become noticeable. The shoes are easy enough to rinse out if sand does accumulate. However, I wouldn't want to wear them without socks because I'm really paranoid about skin abrasions and blisters on my feet during backcountry trips, so I prefer to wear these boots with socks.

How do they compare with trail runners with uppers that are fine enough to block sand from entering the mesh of your shoes? Good question. While these mids and trail runners will still let in sand, especially around the ankle, these boots evacuate water much faster than trail runners, which stay squishy for far longer. The drying time for both shoe types is largely equivalent, though slightly slower for the boots due to the extra fabric in the ankle collar.

The one area where the Tr1 Merge 2.0 is clearly superior to trail runners is protection against submerged obstacles such as rocks and branches that you may encounter while crossing rivers, wading through ponds and along lake shores, or getting in and out of a boat at a rocky landing.

While shallow, the rubber of the lugs provides good traction on wet rock.

Astral markets these boots as amphibious hiking boots, and there's some truth to that statement. They have grippy rubber soles that you can hike on, especially over rocky outcrops, and enough stiffness and grip for modest scrambling. But the depth of the lugs is modest at best and not optimal for muddy environments, where longer lugs would provide extra traction.

Recommendation

The Astral TR1 Merge 2.0 hiking boot is an excellent choice for activities in very wet environments, such as pack rafting, ultralight canoeing, and lake portages. Its polyester mesh upper and side drain holes ensure fast drainage and quick drying, making it ideal for frequent water crossings. The boot offers good ankle support with its heel counter and mid-collar, although sand can still enter during riverbed walks, so wearing socks is recommended to prevent blisters. Compared to trail runners, these boots excel in water evacuation but have moderate traction due to shallow lugs, making them less suited for muddy terrain. Overall, the Astral TR1 Merge 2.0 is a reliable amphibious hiking boot for wet conditions, but unless you expect your feet to be constantly submerged, I'd stick with more conventional, fast-drying hiking footwear such as trail runners.

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