Merrell Women's Ontario Mid Waterproof Hiking Boots - Lightweight & Durable for Outdoor Adventures, Trail Walking & Backpacking

First off I have to say that I have bad luck getting a good fit in most any shoe, especially "sneaker style" trail shoes. I've tried a bunch, most recently Scarpa, and L.L. Bean, and either return them or just toss 'em after a few days or weeks. I generally find the toe box to be too confining compared to, say, Red Wings, or lately, Hubbard products.A decent pair of Merrell shoes a few years ago made me take a chance on these Ontario Mid trail shoes. I chose the color called brown sugar, kind of a light saddle tan. The leather is full grain and appears tough and thick enough to last. Out-soles are a moderately aggressive Vibram that seems fairly stiff and the mid-soles are nice and cushy. Insoles and lining are decent quality. Overall the look of these is conservative, some would say dull, some would say classy for a trail shoe. The price at around $150 was very attractive as well.The size 12 with a fairly thick sock feels great initially. Roomy, but not so much that I feel my feet shifting around over uneven terrain. I've learned the hard (expensive) way to be hyper critical of the initial feel of any shoe. I now reject any pair that exhibits ANY annoying aspect of fit. If they're a little off at first the odds of them getting better are slim.This shoe is also offered in a low top model which was tempting but for my local trails here in central Arizona I opted for a bit of ankle support as at age 69 I'm not as steady on my feet as I used to be.