We gave our Gear Lovers one job:
Find the best and most popular products and review them.
Our review team always considers durability, price, quality, and value in their reviews.
The Merrell Hydro Moc Women’s Water Shoe is a slip-on style hybrid shoe that gives you a bit more structure than most sandals, but with the same airy, breathable perks. The Hydro Mocs are made with an EVA foam and designed with a porous upper featuring an optional heel strap – reminiscent of the decades-popular Crocs shoes.
The hydro mocs are lightweight and high performing, making them ideal for travel and for anything you can throw at them in the water – boating, fishing, swimming, you name it. They are as soft as they are firm, and as comfortable as they are supportive, so you’ll want to keep wearing them long after you dry off.
Things we like:
-
Convenient slip-on style -
Comfortable foam material
-
Easy to clean
-
Lightweight
Things we don't like:
-
Large holes allow debris in
Rating
- Outoria Score: 4.7/5
- Quality: 4.7/5
- Comfort: 5/5
- Performance: 4.5/5
- Price/Quality: 4.7/5
Crocs’ Cooler Younger Brother
The Merrell Hydro Mocs immediately reminded us of Crocs or even the uber trendy Yeezy foam runners. These water shoes are a pretty bold statement, and we weren’t necessarily sold that it was a statement we wanted to make. However after trying the Merrells on, we couldn’t deny the comfort and ease of strolling around as we easily let go of our stylistic preferences.
These shoes are crazy comfortable, either with or without socks. The foam has enough integrity to decently support your arch, while also providing some nice cushion and bounce to give your feet the love they need. The lightweight feel and breezy ventilation offer a bit of a barefoot sensation while still providing important protection and support.
We were a bit apprehensive about the size of the holes on the shoe’s upper panel, concerned that debris could easily filter in. After putting them to the test in the wild, we concluded that these aren’t the best for rivers or beaches with small, sandy debris. However, the Merrell Hydro Mocs are still an excellent pick for boating, kayaking, paddleboarding, and other watersports with minimal debris exposure.
Will these water shoes land you on any fashion shows? Probably not, but they will comfortably take you from land to water and back again.
- Best For: Swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding, boating
- Material: EVA foam upper and BLOOM® performance foam made of algae biomass
- Closure: Slip on with an optional heel strap
- Weight: 0lbs-6.17oz, 175g per shoe
- Sole: 2 mm lug depth
- Vegan friendly
Comfort
The Merrell Hydro Mocs are comfortable if nothing else. As we mentioned, the foam sole is structured enough to support your arch and provide a sturdy foundation, while also having a generous amount of give and bounce to keep you comfortable. The EVA foam has a soft, smooth finish that doesn’t rub or make any abrasive contact with your foot, and the locking heel strap will keep you secure all day – fuss free.
The only occasion we experienced any discomfort was when debris would find its way into the shoes. When sand gets between the strap and your heel, it can make for an extremely uncomfortable walking experience. We highly recommend these for most water sports, but strongly encourage finding another option for walking in riverbeds or on the beach, like the Speedo Tidal Cruisers.
Use
The Merrell Hydro Mocs are made for convenient trips into and out of the water, making them a no-brainer for a laundry list of water sports. These are an awesome option for getting in and out of your kayak, short hikes to swimming holes, or playing around with your kids at the splash pad. These are perfect for boating excursions as the soft foam lugs won’t tear up your upholstery or mark up your boat.
We don’t necessarily recommend these for the beach, as sand in your shoes is inevitable, and it is sure to transform the snug and comfortable fitting Merrell Hydro Mocs into a sandpaper torture machines for your feet. River beds aren’t ideal either, but if you need to walk through some small rocks to get in your kayak you can always rinse them out once you get situated.
Material
The Merrell Hydro Mocs are made out of a water-friendly, vegan, single-density injected EVA with 10% BLOOM™ algae. Their production process of this material actually produces clean water as a byproduct and restores it to the environment, and we love a net positive for our feet and the planet. The material is as comfortable as it is firm; they’re durable yet lightweight.
Value
The Merrell Hydro Mocs aren’t as cheap as some other Amazon options, but they’re still fairly affordable. Considering the quality is excellent, we expect to get wear out of these for years to come – so we think these are a pretty high value pick. Compared to similar shoes like the Crocs Echo Clogs or even the Yeezy Foam runners, which go for around $250, the Merrell Hydro Mocs are a great deal, with prices as low as $30 on Amazon.
Two Thumbs Up
We’re quite impressed by the Merrell Hydro Mocs, with their lightweight durability, comfortable support, and versatility – and all at a reasonable price point. We’d love to poke some more fun at the aesthetics, but their pros far outweigh the cons. We highly recommend these water shoes.
Things we like:
-
Convenient slip-on style
-
Comfortable foam material
-
Easy to clean
-
Lightweight
Things we don't like:
-
Large holes allow debris in
Frequently asked questions about the Merrell Hydro MOC Water Shoes
Merrell Hydro Mocs were designed to get users from land to water and back to land in comfort and style. These shoes are made for swimming, wading out to your kayak, walking back from your apartment pool and countless other activities and circumstances. These shoes are made to work in the water, but you’re also free to wear them to the grocery.
The Merrell Hydro Mocs are made of a water-friendly, vegan, single-density injected EVA
The Merrell Hydro Mocs are great in water, as the foam is lightweight, non absorbent, and breathable. They’re awesome in most circumstances, but we don’t necessarily recommend them for walking on the beach. The porous openings on top of the shoe allow sand and other small debris in, which becomes uncomfortable quickly. These water shoes are great for wading in pools, lakes, and swimming holes, but we recommend the Speedo Tidal Cruisers for the beach.
Back
Comments