Right from the box, I wore these on a 3 mile beach walk on ice crusted snow...performed well. Great traction.  A llittle stiffer than my usual running shoes, but they are quite runable!! Did not check the waterproofing as everything is frozen but they do seem a little warmer than some running shoes and also protect feet better from rocks, sticks etc Lacing system allows for nice snug fit. I suspect these shoes are a tad narrower than some "b" width shoes...but the fit is fine for me.