Is Merrell footwear good again

Decided to get some lightweight hiking shoes as I like long/hard walks. boots seem a bit overkill for Asisa.

I used to be a big fan of Merrell but a few years ago they changed where they manufactured them and I had a pair that fell to bits after a few months of use (just around town, nothing more). Have they sorted this out? What are peoples experience of how Merrell walking shoes (thinking 'Merrell Men's Moab 2 Vent Hiking Shoe') hold up if used for hiking a lot?

Or do have a suggestion of a better brand?

Rather than focus on brands, choose a pair of shoes that fit comfortably. I wear a low-profile hiking shoe with a wide toe box. Some serious hikers like to use trail runners. Just as important as shoes are socks, particularly if you're going to spend hours on your feet. I like merino wool-silk hiker socks.

They do fit comfortably, which is why I like them but as I said my last pair fell apart very quickly and I am wondering if this is likely to happen again.

I haven't had Merrell but my lightweight hiking shoes are Salomon and they're brilliant - very comfortable and last ages.

Think the fact that their moab vents are one of the most popular and positively reviewed hiking shoes means they have sorted out their production shortcomings.

I'm on my fifth pair of Merrell Moab Ventilators. This popular model hasn't changed much style-wise in years and this is one of the reasons I've stuck with Moabs for so long.

My current pair, purchased in late 2019, has deteriorated rather quickly considering the mileage they have on them - I've put 800+ miles on Moabs in the past. My current Moab boots have less than 300 miles on them and the photo below shows the issue I face right now - the toe cap material crazed in a matter of no time and eventually split. Also, the toe box on the Ventilator, IMO, is less roundy than in the past - not enough to cramp my toes, but enough to make me move on and look at other models and other brands entirely in the future.

I'm not aware of any change in where Moabs are manufactured (I'm not sure that matters much, anyway),any change in materials used or reviews of the model.

Of note: This pair of Moabs has spent much time in a very hot and humid year-round climate right on the coast. So has other footwear I own right now (all of which are as old or older than the Moabs!) and those have fared quite well. Will Moabs last a while in the climates you intend to wear them? Maybe, maybe not...

I've just phased out my final Moabs and have already acquired a discontinued model from a US brand I once owned (and loved) on ebay - in the past I got about 1000 miles on this model, so I'm very happy I was able to find another like-new pair in my size for a fraction of the original retail price - even the same color! I fully expect another 1000 miles on these. I will very likely never find another pair of this model once my current pair is gone.

I have a pair of Merrill and I really love them. They took me a couple days to wear in, but now they are perfect.