By Born2Run from Lafayette, CA on 8/6/2007

I am 6? 170 lb. I?ve hiked 140 miles in these boots this spring and summer carrying packs weighing between 40 and 55 lbs. These boots are very rugged and, when laced properly, keep your feet and ankles very secure. There have been numerous times when ordinary trail shoes or lightweight boots would not have prevented injury while slipping on stones, logs or trekking through creeks. These boots have kept me injury free and completely prevented any water from seeping in. However, the Goretex liner retains all moisture generated by your feet. Most days, I couldn?t wait to extricate my sweaty feet and soaked socks from the boots at the end of a long day to soak my tootsies in a cold creek or lake. While my feet were generally very comfortable, after 5 miles or so and especially under load and during descents, the narrow toe box tends to push the pinky toes in causing some discomfort and squishing. The leather is generally very tough but rocks will scratch and scrape the leather, particularly in the toe area. A rubberized external toe shield incorporated into the design would prevent this unsightly damage. Overall, I have been pleased with this boot and expect to get another couple hundred miles before retiring them.