Wanted to provide a short review for anyone looking at these.

Comfortable right out of the box. Pretty 'soft': flexible sole, flexible upper.

Lightweight.

Grippy when wet; nice traction.

Drained well and dried quickly.

So far, batting a thousand.

However very early in the trip I noticed that the way the side flexes when you are stepping causes the top of the rubber on the lower sides to fold, creating a 'point'...and those points stick out & get a lot more contact with your surroundings. Within a couple days I had a hole in the mesh. Had several holes by the end of the trip. Soles look brand-new, but the mesh uppers aren't going to make it.

I suppose I could start patching with shoe goo, but I am tapping out.

Just thought I would share.

Thanks for the review. Always tough to know how new options are going to hold up to the special harsh environment of the BWCA.

I had few nasty falls in the Merge on wet rocks. In my opinion Astral Rassler 2 has much better grip. It's also about 40% lighter (size 11 Rassler is about 760g wet weight against 1,100 Merge).

EddyTurn: "I had few nasty falls in the Merge on wet rocks. In my opinion Astral Rassler 2 has much better grip. It's also about 40% lighter (size 11 Rassler is about 760g wet weight against 1,100 Merge)."

They do say that like the Brewers, the Rasslers have their grippiest rubber. Merges have second-grippiest, presumably more durable.

Your Rasslers in 11 - how do they fit? Do you normally wear an 11?

I have some brewers that are about toast. 10.5s fit perfectly, and I am almost always a 10.5. Except the 10.5 Rasslers I bought were too short: toes hit the front & I could not wear them.

Wondering if they run a bit small…

I wear hiking shoes in 10.5 or 11, depending on brand. Rassler in 11 might be a tad large for me, but it's a good fit for thick socks (which I like for extra protection from abrasive dirt), even for shoulder-season DexShell wading waterproof socks. After 2 months of heavy use in the field the sole is still in tip-top shape, but the seam between the fabric upper and the rubber base has started to come apart. If you are not in a rush they could be found at under $120 or even less.

I have been debating between the Rassler and the TR1s, this has been an enlightening thread. Currently I wet-foot with Merrell Moab 3 Vents - which I like on portages for their support and hiking build - but they do not dry as quickly as I had hoped. Still, it's sounding like perhaps those of us that like or need full ankle support should shy away from both the Rassler and TR1 from what I am reading (the Rassler seems a nice option, but as a low show I imagine the danger or ankle rolling is enhanced)...

NikonF5user: "I have been debating between the Rassler and the TR1s, this has been an enlightening thread. Currently I wet-foot with Merrell Moab 3 Vents - which I like on portages for their support and hiking build - but they do not dry as quickly as I had hoped. Still, it's sounding like perhaps those of us that like or need full ankle support should shy away from both the Rassler and TR1 from what I am reading (the Rassler seems a nice option, but as a low show I imagine the danger or ankle rolling is enhanced)..."

I love my Moab vents, but they are now strictly my around camp and backup shoes. They are very versatile for most things I do, but they don't grip very well on wet rocks. My TR1 mesh shoes are much better in the wet. The mesh and water drains make them more wearable than most shoes when wet, but you do still need to sit them out in a strong sun and/or wind for 2-3 hours to dry completely. If you wear them wet for a couple days in a row they will stink something awful, just like any other shoe. And the construction quality is pretty flimsy. The glue on the toes of the soles is starting to fail after less than two seasons of infrequent use, but the stitching is still holding them together for now. I like them but not sure I'd buy them again. Will definitely be looking at other options.