Hi-Tec V-Lite Thunder HPi

This shoe is a diamond in the rough. I found this shoe in Outside magazine in their "Best Hikers for 2010" article. It's extremely comfortable, lightweight, good looking, good arch support, and excellent heel and toe shanks. And the Ion-mask water proofing really works.

I took these for a 6-mile hike in Silver Creek National Park and they did great. In and out of some water and my feet stayed cool and dry. I tried on some Merrells, North Face, and Vasques and easily came back to these. For the price they are the best hiker out there.

The lightweight cushioning are fantastic especially at the heels area and with Stabila-Flex will give you an edge when walking on uneven terrace. The insoles are contoured perfectly to hold my heels although its front end is a bit on the wide side.

The outsoles felt quite stiff but I found that they are actually very flexible when pressed against boulders or stumps. Nonetheless they are grippy although much thinner than usual.