The North Face Cipher Shoe - Men's

I also had problems with this shoe at first. I had tried wearing thick socks and then moved to ankle supports to stop the rub against my Achilles tendon. I had gotten them dirty and threw them in the wash with some cloths and let them drip dry, after they dried they had stopped rubbing, they are my primary hiking shoes now. So if these shoes are giving you problems. Throw them in the washing machine.

After a few weeks of wear, back of the shoe still rubs against Achilles tendon even through a thick sock. Makes an otherwise decent show uncomfortable.

I dig amphibious shoes in a big way. They can take a great amount of abuse from the elements and still hold strong. These are no different. North Face is well known and trusted among outdoor folks like us. These shoes are built strong and look great. Groovy: mesh vents on sides, highly aggressive treads, snug fit, good flex, rubber reinforced toes for traction and strength. Anti-groovy: neoprene collects sweat and moisture when idle, very back (on achilles tendon) rubs bad at first. Breaks in eventually though. Laces untie themselves frequently (double knot'll solve it) On the whole, this is a great shoe; looks smooth and takes abuse beautifully. Happy spring everyone! Cheers!

Gripes are that they rub the achilles quite badly and have neoprene construction back there that probably won't break in. They are also made partially of very fine mesh (you can see your socks when they are on) and thus cannot be worn if it is cold outside. Due to the rub, I can't recommend these for trail runners or hikers. Still, they look cool and I'm keeping them as casual shoes - for 40 bucks they're a steal and seem to be well made (except for the design flaw with the rubbing in the back).