Merrell Moab 3 vs Salomon X Ultra 5: Which Is Better for Wide Feet?

Width and fit for wide feet

This is where the two boots split. Merrell sells the Moab 3 Mid Waterproof in Medium and Wide for both men and women, sizes 7-15 for men and 5-12 for women. Salomon sells the X Ultra 5 Mid GTX in men's D - Medium and E - Wide, but the women's version comes in B - Medium only, with no wide listed. If you're shopping for a woman with wide feet, that difference alone settles it in Merrell's favor; for men, both offer a wide option.

Support, chassis and weight

The Moab 3 Mid Waterproof uses a molded nylon arch shank under a Super Rebound Compound midsole with a Merrell Air Cushion heel, at 495 g (men's, half pair). The X Ultra 5 Mid GTX builds around Salomon's Advanced Chassis with an EVA midsole and quickLACE lacing; Salomon publishes a women's weight of 13.75 oz but doesn't list a men's figure. Reviewers and Salomon's own marketing describe the X Ultra line as built for a faster, more agile stride, while the Moab leans toward a wider, more accommodating fit.

Lacing and heel hold

The X Ultra 5 Mid GTX uses Salomon's quickLACE system, a single pull-cord lacing setup built for fast on-and-off rather than a traditional lace-up. The Moab 3 Mid Waterproof's listing doesn't mention a speed-lace system, so plan on standard laces and a normal lacing routine. If your heel lifts in either boot, a heel-lock wrap fixes that without buying a different size; see hiking boot lacing techniques for how to tie one, and pair it with a sock built for friction rather than a thin liner; our picks are in the best hiking socks.

Waterproofing: named membrane vs. in-house

The Salomon uses GORE-TEX, a third-party membrane with its own published waterproof standard. The Moab 3 Mid Waterproof uses Merrell's own in-house membrane, which Merrell doesn't name or attach a third-party rating to on the pages we checked. Both are marketed as waterproof; only one comes with an outside standard attached to that claim. If you want the GORE-TEX name on a Moab specifically, Merrell also sells a Moab 3 Mid GORE-TEX version, sized the same as the standard Moab 3 Mid.

Neither boot is the last word on fit or support for every foot. For a wider-forefoot option in the same low-cut family as the X Ultra, see the best hiking shoes, and if you want to see the Moab 3 stacked against a dedicated wide-fit boot rather than the X Ultra, see KEEN Targhee vs. Merrell Moab. If ankle history rather than width is your main concern, the X Ultra 5 has its own head-to-head against a taller Salomon boot in Salomon X Ultra vs. Salomon Quest.

Who should skip both

If you need more room than a Wide letter width gives you, or your feet are wide at the forefoot specifically rather than throughout, a dedicated wide-toe-box shoe may fit better than either mid boot here. See the best hiking shoes for lower-cut options that include wide-toe-box picks.