Keen Pyrenees

“I have wider feet and find most boots with a GoreTex (GTX) liner are too tight including Merrell and Keen options people here seem to like. I had much better luck with Lem's Outlander and Boulder Summit boots, but ultimately I went for a water resistant full leather option over a GTX "water proof" boot as it molds better to my foot. My feet are less sweaty and I'm not worried about the liner developing a small hole, ruining the waterproofing.  Any Merrell boot I've seen isn't really the type you can stretch well because they aren't a solid piece of leather on the top. The non-leather bits don't stretch the same way. If you think you can do it, you could always try it if you are dead set on Merrells. I'm assuming you already tried buying them in wide. If you stretch the leather to fit, the liner will at best weaken and at worst develop holes. I've  As far as other boots not being good on rocks, I could only see that happening with a poor fit, Altra's non-vibram soles (which I've never cared for), or wanting an extremely pointy toebox  (like a climbing shoe or "classic" boot). If it's the third option, you don't like the toebox width because you are used to a pointy toe on your hiking boots, you are causing your crushed toes by choosing a more "technical" fit. Personally, I used to prefer that fit but as I've aged, I now prefer having a properly wide toebox and a bit of flex in the sole to get more surface area on rocks. I had to adjust how I placed my foot, but my feet and ankles are much happier now. ”