As a lifelong camper and hiker I understand the importance of proper footwear and the value of a good hiking boot.  I cringe at getting my kids relatively expensive boots like this because they'll outgrow them so fast but it's worth the investment to have them properly shod in the field.

I've had good experiences with Hi-Tec over the years.  After quite a bit of trial and error, we chose this particular model as my older kid's first pair.  She's outgrown them but they performed well enough that we got them again for her new pair, even though we had to pick a different colorway because the one she liked wasn't available in her size.

I'm used to needing a decent break-in period with new hiking boots.  But when I had her break these in, both the earlier pair and the more recent one, it was effortless.  She never went through any period of discomfort.

In the field, they had the opportunity to prove their waterproofness and performed perfectly.  They also provided the needed traction in difficult conditions and protected her feet as one would hope.

I'll stick with this model for future resizings until it's no longer available.