Like all Keen boots, these are top quality, beautiful looking, sturdy boots that will last for many years. They are at LEAST as awesome looking in real life, and as someone who needs boots that will stand up to wading through low water, I think these would easily do the job.

So why the 3 stars? Because I feel like they have one major design flaw that makes them completely unusable for me. Where the firmest part of the toe meets the park of the shoe where the laces begin, these boots are simply too low. As someone with high arches/instep (not freakishly so, most shoes fit me very well), I could not comfortably wear these. The very sturdy ridge simply pushes too hard into the top of my foot. It would likely cause blisters or numbness if I had to wear this during an entire hike, I was uncomfortable just having them on for half a minute.

So if your feet are of average height or somewhat low, then these will work perfectly I think, but if you have at all a high in-step, think twice before buying them.

Oh, and go half a size up. An 8.5 is normally great for me as far as length goes, I could even wear an 8 in some shoes. Reading some warnings here, and seeing that seam over the in-step, I went for a 9, and even in thin socks, I could feel the end of the boot with my toe. That doesn't normally happen unless I wear an 8, sometimes 8.5. I had the same experience with Keen boots that I bought a few years back.