I bought these hiking shoes for a long trip in mountainous areas. I purchased them from "Hudson Trail Outfitters". Their pricing was slightly lower as it was a holiday period. Here is a short pros and cons list to help you better understand the shoe:

Pros:
1. The shoe has excellent traction. They are able to easily grip the ground with many treads located on the sole. The traction is weakest on snow or ice but is still relatively strong even there.

2. The shoe's appearance is quite decent. Not only does it maintain low ankle covers but has nice designs on the tongue. As expected, it is a bit bulky.

3. The shoe laces are very heavy duty and are secured in place by metal holes. However, because of their thick design, the shoelaces must always be double knotted if you want your fit to remain tight.

Cons:
1. The shoes don't offer too much stability as others may have said. I once used them for running because they are trail running shoes. Nevertheless, because of their weight and sole design, my calves were strained a lot if I ran in them.

2. The shoes are waterproof. Although I knew this at the time of the shoe purchase, I am very disappointed that I was unable to purchase a shoe that was waterproof. Although this may seem like a small factor, it is almost a requirement for hiking shoes. If this shoe was waterproof, then it could also be used for winter activities.

3. They are very bulky as expected and thus make it difficult to pack them for trips.

Overall, I would recommend them for someone who plans to use them for only walking and does not require that shoe be waterproof for their daily hikes.