It might be premature, but I just walked my first five miles with these on a paved bike trail and am very happy with my purchase. They needed no breaking in. I've owned six pair of Moab ventilators, have climbed mountains in them and they generally last three years for me, but thought I'd give these a try. Unlike another review, I've found no problem with keeping the laces tied - in fact they are an improvement on the Moabs as they aren't overly long. They fit snugly at the ankle which is good for support. I have high arches and a wide foot (bunions) and the medium width worked, though I needed to go half a size larger. Arch support is excellent. They look to be great summer hiking shoes and will probably keep me in the Merrell camp for the foreseeable future. I usually buy on Amazon, but found them at a chain shoe store for $79 with a promotion.