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- Verified Buyer
I ordered these in both 7 and 7.5 because depending on brand I'm usually either one or the other, and it's hard to predict which. Slightly narrow feet too, and that might be part of it. I'm providing those details in case it helps someone else with sizing.I ordered the "charcoal" color, which looks very close to the photos. It's kind of a brownish-grey with subtle teal details.The 7.5s were too big, I felt like my heel was sliding around in the shoe. I tried just tying the laces tighter, but it led to discomfort in the middle of my foot. The toes were roomy though, but the extra material of the shoe was all bunched up from the tight laces.. I wasn't sure, so I ordered the 7 to compare.At first, I thought the 7s were going to be too small, I felt like there was not quite enough room just by the big toe, almost like the curve of the shoe by the toe was just a tiny bit too short. I'm deciding to keep them and take chance though, as they're leather and it might conform to my shape a little. I wore them around the house a couple of times just to test them out, and they seem comfortable enough. I think they might work out.I also tried these in the low version, and I definitely prefer the mid style (these). The ankle is not super high, but I found these to be more comfortable than the low ones.Edit 7/12/20 - from 4 stars to 5I just returned from a week-long trip to Colorado, where I hiked every day between 3 and 9 miles on dirt, rocky and gravelly trails. These held up with no problem through everything. They are some tough boots! No blisters, no discomfort. At the end of the longer hikes, my clumsy self was getting a little tired and forgetting how to lift my feet, and I occasionally stubbed my feet against boulders when I didn't lift them high enough - total protection, not stubbed toes. Anytime I tripped, under normal circumstances where I might have twisted an ankle, these were totally stable. I'm neither an experienced hiker, nor even remotely athletic in general, and after the longer hikes, I only experienced mild fatigue and a slight soreness that was totally gone by the end of the day.I wore these with ankle socks a few times, and I thought the edge of the shoe might irritate where it was touching my skin, but it was totally fine, even after several hours. I was concerned about these may be being slightly small at first, but even with a thicker wool sock they were fine.They did get a little bit hot, but it didn't bother me too much.Great traction! One of the hikes was a shorter hike, but it was entirely uphill one way, and entirely downhill back. It was a very narrow trail with a steep drop on one side, and also covered with loose dirt and gravel. I was pretty nervous about slipping, but these helped me feel a lot more secure than I would have been with tennis shoes.I'm extremely happy with these, and I feel like they will hold up for a long time. And, I'm even motivated to get out more knowing I have proper footwear.
