I purchased the Columbia WallaWalla 2 w/ Omni-Tech due to it's good price, familiarity with Columbia shoes and because I needed a lightweight, waterproof shoe for next summer. I've owned several pairs of Columbia shoes with mixed results, but they've mostly served me well in the past.

I had to return my last pair of Columbia shoes, the Lonerock, because they were too small. The WallaWalla 2 is bigger, but not as spacious as the great fit with my Columbia Switchback 2 shoes, which are similar to these. The Switchback 2 has a wider toe area, but the area for your toes in the WallaWalla 2 is a little too narrow for my liking. Overall, the Switchback 2 is a more comfortable shoe, even though the WallaWalla 2 does fit and has it's advantages, too.

The sole in the WallaWalla 2 seems more rigid then in the Switchback 2. I'll appreciate the thicker sole, because I felt too many rocks with the Switchback 2. As I've noted, the Switchback 2 is a very comfortable shoe, at first, but it's softer sole seems to lose cushioning fast with time and my left shoe squeaked while walking from the day I purchased them. I haven't had any problems with the WallaWalla 2 squeaking, yet.

I purchased both shoes for work, so I didn't give much consideration to how they looked, but I much prefer the looks of the Switchback 2 over the WallaWalla 2. I purchased the Black/Chili combination because it was less expensive, even though I'm not a fan of red on black color combinations. It would have been nice if Columbia would have included an extra pair of all black laces, so the customer could get rid of the red trim on the black laces included. I normally like trims with different colors, but I'm just not a fan of red on black. I'm also not a fan of the pointy toes and wish they were rounded for better looks and more toe room.

Overall, I think I received a fairly nice deal and that I'll like the WallaWalla 2. The options with waterproof trail/hiking shoes is limited, so I'm just happy when I find one, because I'll be getting these wet a lot and it's nice to keep your socks and feet dry all day.