One of several deals I got from the REI Garage Sale, these were bought more for running around town/going for walks than for on-trail use. They were designed for trail use, certainly, but they aren't what I want in a trail shoe. I'm high-wear on my footwear (heck, I'm high wear on everything) and after demolishing shoe after shoe after shoe, Bob pointed these out at the REI sale, and I figured what the heck, they fit, the bottoms are vibram soles tougher than most shoes, and they're cheap (under half their retail price.). I'm liking them for kicking around town, it should take me a long time to grind through the bottoms.
Some people DO endorse shoes like this for hiking, but not me. I'm clumsy, and my ankles are historically a problem point. I MUST have ankle support. No ifs ands, buts or compromises. So, even though these are lighter than my Vasque Breezes, I'm not wearing them with my pack. I might wear them to run around a local park or trail without a pack though. And they're a well built shoe, just not to my specifications. I am finding though, that the sole doesn't give me as much support as other shoes, even after breaking it in and molding it to my foot shape. This lack of support lends itsself to a bit of discomfort in the arch, particularly on my weaker left foot.
I've done some training walks, and according to Bob I'm much faster when I'm wearing my Breezes. I don't think that was the only factor in my pace, but they sure do seem to contribute to a slower speed.
All in all, they're a nice shoe, and while I wouldn't necessarily recommend them for backpacking, someone with different criteria might consider them. At the end of the day though, I'm mostly left wondering "why did they name a waterproof shoe after a desert"?
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