Ireland - wet, cobbly and hilly

The "best" boot is worthless if it doesn't fit. See:
https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/hiking-boots.html

Wet: Look for breathable waterproof membrane lined boots.

Cobbly: Look for good ankle support.

Hilly: Traction soles.

Thanks.

It is the same question I ask every trip and I still haven't found "the shoe". I love my Merrells but I found them a bit slippy even if they are not meant to be (on wet surfaces). They are super comfortable so it is a shame.

Are your Merrells hikers or walking shoes? I really like my low Merrell hikers. Waterproof, comfy and pretty grippy. I wore them all over Ireland in 2015.

They are low hikers too. I was surprised how slippery they were - I wore them in the Cotwolds.

I was in Ireland this July. I took two types of footwear. 1) lower hiker Merrell boots. I too noticed that they slipped a little on wet rocks. 2) a pair of Keens waterproof sandals.
My biggest hiking challenge was the climb to the top of Skellig Michael and back down. I decided my Keens weren't slipping, so I wore them. Not one issue with them. Now I did wear a pair of smart wool ankle socks too.

We just got back from Ireland and I alternated between my Toms and my sketcher go walks.... granted, we did not hike in crazy places but they more than fit the bill for sightseeing, biking, hiking on 'normal' terrain.

Are you hiking a lot?

I have worn Clark's Wave Walk for my last two RS trips (Basque & Spain tours). They are water-proof also. They were worn on all surfaces! I have plantar fasciitis and my feet felt great. Will never wear athletic shoes again. Clarks are low- cut, slim look to them, not a bulky athletic shoe. I have them in black, tan and now white ( looks like athletic shoe).

Hi Everyone,

Thank you so much for your posts. I really appreciate it.

It is a short trip so I won't be doing much hiking. I hope to get to Connemara and The Cliffs for two separate day trips. I just don't want wet and/or achy feet being an issue.

Traction on smooth surfaces is a trait that would be hard to test just looking and touching in the store. Outer sole material, like that car tires, are a compromise between durability and grip. A hard material that is durable would likely provide less grip on smooth material than a softer material.

For what it's worth: http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Hiking-Boots-Reviews#bicreview

Traction

When you place your foot on the trail or a rock, you want it to stay
put. Each product we tested has a unique lug pattern and sole shape,
and different performance characteristics. In addition to our
non-structured backcountry playtime, we devised four tests to compare
traction. We poked around the forest until we found the ideal slopes,
one where about half the models would perform well, and half would go
slipping and sliding. First, we tested each boot's ability to climb
and descend steep granite slabs. All the competitors handled gentle
grades well, and when we started reaching the limits of what is
possible in hiking boots, a clear winner stood out. The La Sportiva
Hyper is clearly the best product tested for traction on dry rock.

When this test was complete, it began to rain; so we dumped a bucket
of water on that granite to really drench it and tested again. Wet
rock is obviously more slippery than dry, but one model blew away the
competition, the Targhee II. The Quest 4D II and St. Elias also were
top performers on our wet granite slab. We also set out to find which
ones work the best on dry gravel. Laps up and down a loose gravel fire
road distinguished several models. The Quest 4D II clearly handled
going up and down the marble-sized gravel the best. Notably
underperforming in this terrain was the Hyper.

The interesting conclusion was that the La Sportiva Hyper had the best dry traction but worst wet traction. Boot design is a exercise in compromise.