Excellent hiking boots! I like the high ankle on these, they protect from stickers and ticks better than my previous ones did. I can't yet attest to the waterproofing, but just a side by side comparison of these next to my old boots shows that they seem far better able to repel water. I love the hook lacing at the top, too, they are easy to loosen or tighten as necessary over the course of a long hike.