After wearing out a pair of boots in the Smokies, I found a pair of these shoes at an outfitter in Damascus, VA. I wore these for 5 weeks throughout Virginia into West Virginia. Great shoe. Toe protection is great as I would constantly bump or kick rocks moving through "flat Virginia". In the rain they provided good traction and dried quick after the rain. Lacing system allowed for perfect adjustments throughout the day. I may have ended my Appalachian Trail hike for the summer to return to work but these shoes have plenty of miles left in them.