actually own two pairs of these simply because I haven't found any I love better.

Admittedly I bought the first pair (the "Aura" color) because it was one of the few hiking shoes that didn't look like a man's shoe (brown on brown), had some spunk, supported the ankles front AND back, and I love the brand in other shoes.

It's purple with yellow accents. Oh how I fell in love at first glance.

This pair I bought for a hiking group in which my husband and I are members. So I got them for all kinds of hikes: long, short, you name it. I love that these boots truly center your foot; Vibram is the designer for Ahru on this one and it's a brand known for taking the physics of your foot into consideration rather than simply thinking of the design. First day of hiking, this is very evident. You actually wind up with less blisters due to your foot not moving back and forth as much and the waterproofing worked.

The boot is unique in that it is made to also allow sweat to evaporate while being waterproof and this is where I decided to put it through a real test.

I bought a second pair for caving. (They don't show my second pair in these choices, it is brown but has light blue accents). Same model. Same brand.

My husband and I are spelunkers and own a water cave. Foot wear is key. In a water cave sometimes you crawl, sometimes you walk for long periods on dry sharp formations, sometimes you swim, sometimes you do a little of everything like a salamander...When you are traveling in the water and you have no ability to see deep crevices ahead (falling happens all day long once the water becomes murky and you don't know what you are stepping on or in) from formations that have have occurred and broken away for thousands of years, shoes are as important as your light. Broken bones are common in caving so I look for strong ankle support, not just in front, but in back as well because I may be in a cave for 8 hours, in shoes filled with water, and have to climb up and down walls, rappel, shimmy through tight spaces, and walk over sharp objects all day long. Losing your footing means a broken ankle. And you lose your footing all day long. You have to have great support.

These not only hold up well for my hiking needs but also my caving needs. While waterproofing is impossible when walking and swimming through a cave, support and ruggedness are important and I wondered if letting the sweat out would assist in letting some of the water drain better. I will say I was in all the way up to my ankle and not one drop of water entered the shoe. These are exceptionally waterproof!

Typically my cave boots feel like they weigh about 5 pounds a piece being heavy with water and mud. These actually did the trick.

Nothing is harder on shoes than water caving but comfort is so important. While my purple ones get the rave reviews ("Those are cool. what brand is that?") from fellow hikers, the ability to support, stay intact, and last when the sharpest floors on earth tear at your shoes all day long while you pull your body through them in the darkness? Now there's a real test.

They have held up in cave after cave...while my purple pair give me feet comfort and support while hiking and looking stylish...the best of both of my worlds.

Sizing: I typically wear a size 7.5. I bought a size 8 in this shoe because I wear very heavy socks while caving and they fit great. I bought a size 7.5 in the pair I use for hiking because I wear a thinner hiking sock. They do seem to run a wee bit smaller than some shoes as I can very rarely wear a 7 but sometimes I can and an 8 is typically very loose on me but it's not that loose in these. I think if you are on the fence about sizing, I'd go a half size up.
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