First off, I typically love Columbia products, and I rarely have a problem with shoes that are painful, but these were terrible. I took them on a couple of short walks and noticed they didn't feel all that comfortable. The sides dug into my ankles. When I tested them on a several mile hike in the snow, the boot was painfully digging into both ankles. It almost made me cut my hike short. Also, these boots are a little excessively roomy on the inside. The only way to make them fit right was to wear thick wool socks. I think the roominess may have contributed to the pain.