I've been buying Patagonia gear since 1980 and I have a lot of it. Everything from early fleece and hardshells to their new wool base layers, all of it Fantastic gear. This is the first Patagonia product I've ever been disappointed in. I like the styling, the eco-friendly sole, the light weight and the fit. Unfortunately, the shoes lack support for trail use, so I use them for day-to-day casual wear. Even so, after 4 months the inside lining started to wear through to the foam at the heel and is continuing to get worse. I've had the shoes for 10 months now - the outside still looks new, the sole hardly shows any wear at all, but the inside is going fast. If you're looking for a serious hiking or approach shoe - I'd consider something else.

These have been great shoes, and I'd recommend them for everything from travel to bicycle touring (love that stiff sole!). There have been a few durability issues I've had. The lining in the heel, as most have mentioned, has worn pretty quickly, and the lace eyelets are beginning to pull away from the uppers. These are 08 models, and it looks like Patagonia has addressed this issue, so it may not be a problem anymore. They've been all over Albania, tackled Cairngorm and Ben Macdhui in Scotland, done some scrambling at Enchanted Rock State Park, Texas, and put down a lot of miles on a touring bike and I don't have any reason to complain. One of the better pairs of light-hiker/all-round outdoor shoes I've had in a long time, and if Patagonia works on the durability my next pair will last a lot longer.

First off, this is one of the most comfortable shoes I have ever purchased (I even substitute them for my chaco's on occasion). The soles have great grip without picking up much dirt. The stiffness is just right for hiking, and they well suited for scrambling.
The included insole was a too flat for my high arch, so I replaced it with a superfeet insole...perfect combo.
They take a little while to break in, but are wonderfully comfortable afterward.

However, somewhat to my dismay, the sole is not as durable as one might hope. I originally purchased the old model on clearance and after 1 month of wear (2 weeks of that in Israel), the out-sole began to separate from the mid near my right big toe and at the heels. With some haggling, I managed to get a replacement for the new model (the blue one). There have been some durability improvements, such as better fabric inside, and they are every bit as comfortable. Unfortunately, they heel is once again separating after only 2 weeks of wear.
In short, for the $50 I paid, I will happily wear a well performing pair of shoes.(+ shoe glue), but I will not be returning to spend $100 dollars for another pair of Patagonia shoes.

Dear On Trail,

Many thanks for your comments regards the lining. We went with an eco lining with great anti bacteria properties. It delivered great comfort properties but has worn faster than we would have liked, certainly faster than what we saw in the product tests. Current production is with a new lining that is allowing consumers to enjoy the benefits you highlight without the wear concerns.

I left the rating as you stated and hope future consumers don't suffer the problem you experienced.

Regards

Craig Throne
Patagonia Footwear

Stiff, clunky - yeah they have recycled material but.. gosh gotta be a wat to make them last., look good and save waste. END footware has pulled it off quite well!! Kepp up the good work Patagonia, but these shoes suck!

I love these shoes...I bought them for wearing around town and active walking during the winter months and could not be happier. I fully intend to use these hiking in the spring. They absolutly crush through snow and are amazingly warm. Me feet have never been warmer in the winter months wearing an active shoe like this, yet they also seem to breathe. I also get many compliments on the look from people...could not be happier with this purchase....

These shoes are pretty decent. Very stiff out of the box, and even after a few weeks, they are not a cushioned as other hiking shoes that I have had. After a six mile hike the other day, they grip very well and I didn't have any major problems. These shoes only need two things: Gore-Tex and cushion.

I know green is the new black but do we have to sacrifice quality and craftsmanship? I put these on out-of-the-box and felt no support. Sure the sole is stiff--which it should be--but the upper is floppy and smooshy. Generally I stand behind Patagonia for it's great product and environmental conscience but the Finn is not the shoe for me.

These shoes are awesome. I bought them because I'm a vegan, and I like the recycled content of these shoes. I've also decided to get behind Patagonia's environmental company ethics by purchasing their products. I've been wearing these full time for about 2 weeks (at work and home and hiking) and they have broken in nicely and are super comfortable.
My only "complaint" is they were quite stiff out of the box. But I don't care about that.
Oh, they're not bad for hacky sacking too : )