I've now taken these on two moderate hikes, and they've performed great. The soles remind me of claws, and they provide traction unlike what I've gotten with any other shoes. One of the hikes was in the rain, and they are NOT waterproof, so if that's what you want look elsewhere. They look great; I've gotten many compliments!

As for sizing, I often wear two pair of socks (one waterproof pair) so I decided to size up. (I normally wear an 8, and went with the 8.5/9.) I'm very happy with that decision. I can layer socks and stay comfortable, and can also put in half-inserts and heel grips to absorb some of the extra length. (I also have a somewhat wide foot.)

The only reason for 4 stars is the laces. They're very flimsy and "loose" and difficult to get tied tightly. I'm looking for some replacement laces for them.

These shoes are great because they let you customize the width with 3 different toe-box inserts. They are light and VERY comfortable. They required virtually no break-in time & I received several compliments on them. They fit true to a bit large in size. My size 8.5 female foot fits well in the size 8.5/9.

These shoes offered unbelievable traction on some very steep, loose rocky terrain. The fit system is a bit strange, but once dialed in works well.