I bought these shoes before a trip to Colombia and Ecuador.  I wore them for 9 days straight with no break-in period and found them to be quite comfortable.  They held up great, although I must admit I did not do much major hiking in them.  I never had a need to test out the waterproof feature, so I cannot comment on that.  I have worn them on some day hikes and they offer more protection than a pair of running shoes, but not all the hassle of high top hiking boots.