I went down to my local REI with a thought I'd buy the Merrells I saw in their catalogue. Luckily I'm near the huge flagship store in Denver, so they have this neat little up/down rocky/step/incline thing that you can climb on to give the boots a test in artificial-trail conditions. The Merrells were certainly nice boots, but fit is everything, and for MY feet a pair of Vasque Breeze boots were clearly superior. I really like the lightness and air-iness of the Vasques, but everybody has to find their fit. I would not buy boots without trying them on and using them semi-trail-like for an extended fit test. I would recommend concentrating on fit over all else. My personal choice, or anybody elses here, may be totally wrong for you. Expecting ANY boot to last ten years - much less with daily use - is asking too much. Even given sole replacements. The support elements in the boots will break down over time, leaving you with a Vibram-soled house slipper.