Well Made, Very Comfortable, Holds up on the Wet Mountain Trails
These were a great deal! If you are between sizes, I would recommend sizing down. I usually wear an 8 1/2 in athletic sneakers, but typically size up to a 9 when half sizes are not available. The 9's were easily a full size too big when they arrived so I returned them and got the 8's and they fit perfectly. I purchased these for a trip to Vermont where I knew I would be hiking through wet conditions, and I wanted something I did not need to wear socks with it and that would give me good traction on rocks and slippery surfaces. These shoes were perfect. I hiked up and down mountains and they held up, were comfortable, and I didn't slip once! I got no blisters, even with minimal breaking in before hand, and my feet barely hurt after hours of trekking. They were so comfortable I ended up wearing them throughout most of the trip, even when I wasn't hiking. They're also actually kind of cute! Other shoes of this style from brands like Columbia or Teva will cost you no less than $80. If I hiked every weekend then maybe I might look into spending that kind of money on a trail shoe, but for someone like me who only hikes every now and then, I think these are the way to go. No, they probably would not stand up to years of regular hiking, but if you need them for a specific trip or only hike every so often, I feel like they are well made enough to last a few years. And even if they do wear out, hey, they cost less than $30, so it's not outrageous to replace them when you need a new pair! And let's be honest...even the expensive brands don't last like they used to, so you'd probably end up replacing those in a few years, as well.
✔ Verified Purchase
A
Angelica Romero
July 14, 2016
10 Hour Volcano Hike a Success! No foot pain after trekking all day long!!
I am headed to Costa Rica in 4 weeks and since i had seen that another reviewer had bought these for the exact same reason I went ahead and placed my order.Shipping: I don't have amazon prime and had expected this to take a week but I placed this order on a Friday, requested regular delivery and they arrived that Tuesday. Now, I am only 45 minutes away from an amazon distribution center so this may be why but I will be rating shipping 10/10Look: I really only bought them for my trip, I usually find this type if shoe really unappealing and was hesitant on buying them but was really pleasantly surprised by how stylish they were, they appear kind of bulky but are super light weight! I even have my Mom and sister wanting me to buy them a pair ;) I'll rate this a 9/10 just because i felt the color options were limiting.Fitment & Comfort: I usually wear a 7.5 and have a narrow foot and these do not seem to come in half sizes. I was hesitant but went ahead and ordered a size up to an 8, thank God shoe fits perfectly! I even decided to wear them around to "break them in" but haven't experienced the usual pain and blisters when I do buy shoes, and I'm a server so I wore these on a double and had no foot pain what so ever! my mom however, has a wider foot and wears a 9, She tried mine on and i would say that a 9 would have fit her perfectly. My advice? If you have a narrow foot go with a size up, and if your foot is wide stick to your regular size! My rating on this is a 9/10 as well just because I feel the sole of the shoe could have been made a bit softer.I'll be buying another pair for my mom!! I'll also update this after the trip since i noticed a review that complained about them not holding up for more than 6 weeks.******UPDATE*********I decided to embark on a 10 hour Volcano Hike, These shoes held up the whole time i was climbing and sliding up through the jungle, and also on a muddy and heavy hike back down, we went swimming in a crater and all the mud just washed right off them. It was amazing! I had no pain the whole time and even the next day the only sore thing was my legs and arms. I can officially say that I LOVE THESE THINGS!!
✔ Verified Purchase
D
Deb Blades
September 28, 2014
good sandals good price
i have been wearing nevados sandals for years now as my go to shoe for work and hiking. i could not longer find the style i liked so i tried these northsides. they are equally as comfortable but even lighter. some others commented on them being too hot because of the neoprene. i do not find this to be the case and i wear them with socks. they are true to size but maybe a bit on the wide side especially after i have worn them all day and they get stretched out. i have a very narrow long foot so this is often a problem for me - when a get a good length the shoe is too wide. the adjustable drawstring on the northside helps with this problem. i wear them for work every day and my feet and legs feel good even after 10+ hours on them. i have not yet hiked in them so i cannot comment on their durability outside but for long days indoors they are great. i would recommend these shoes as i think they are light comfortable and a good buy for the price.
✔ Verified Purchase
Great price for a product that is perfect for hiking and works great in wet and dry conditions.
I was skeptical about buying this product since it wasn't a name I was familiar with. However, I couldn't afford the typical hiking shoes like Chaco or Teva. When I got this product I wasn't thrilled with how it looked but now I am absolutely in love with it. I love that my feet are almost completely covered and protected while walking. I wore these shoes once for maybe 20 minutes before wearing them everyday in Nepal where I walk on average 7-10 miles a day up and down hills. Not once did I blister during a 10.5 mile uphill hike that was anything but smooth trails. On the hike down there was a monsoon rain and my shoes were soaked and I only got one blister which I can't blame the shoes for because they were wet from an insane amount of rain and all the rivers were flooded so there was no chance for them to dry. When showering with them on in public showers at night by the next morning these shoes are already 100% dry. I could not be more impressed with this product. After 3 months in a third world country these shoes have kept my feet blister free, except from the one time that wasn't the products fault, protected from sunburn, rocks, and other people stepping on me, and are really comfortable to walk around in. 10/10 will buy these again.
✔ Verified Purchase
