The shoes are very comfortable out of the box.  I bought these to replace my Merrell Moab's which have a wider sole and was a little concerned about stability on uneven ground.  I haven't yet been able to hike in these, but on rocky dirt roads they are more stable than I expected.  I did order a half size bigger than normal since the Moab's I have were too short for hiking down steep hills.  I'm glad I got the half size bigger as this will allow toe room when going down steep inclines.  So far I have been extremely satisfied and especially for the price.  Merrell's always work well for me.