Merrell Siren Sport Gore-Tex XCR

These are a great fit for me right out of the box. I have given them a 4.5 because the Gore-Tex makes them kind of hot. You will want a pair of camp shoes if you have hiked in them all day. Wear with gaiters for snowshoeing or hiking in muddy country.

I do not like the mid or high-ankle boots so these are my hiking shoes at Glacier National Park, Lake Chelan, Yellowstone, Grant Tetons, etc. I also wear them with casual wear. We take the bus in town so you never know when it might rain and these keep my socks dry.

I have a pair of the non-Gore-Tex ones, too and they fit the same, but are not as hot. They are also reasonably waterproof and I have worn them snowshoeing with gaiters as well.

I bought these last year as an light weight alternative to my older, heavy Merrill Chameleons. I walk a couple of miles every day with my dog. These are fine for urban walking with a mix of concrete, grass and crushed limestone gravel.

I also tried these on short dayhikes up in Northern Wisconsin. While they were comfortable enough on really well groomed trails, the same isn't true on trails that aren't. There simply isn't enough support to be comfortable. I felt every rock, tree branch, rut that I stepped on. There is no ankle support.

I find that if I walk more a couple of miles in these shoes, my feet start to ache. On the plus side, I haven't gotten a blister yet.

They untie easily so I double knot to solve that problem.

I got my wife these shoes for her birthday a few months ago. She has always been a rough it tough it kind of girl, hiking in just any shoes. I put a stop to it though with these! She loves them and I love them. 

They look great! They seem tough with their vibram sole and they are wonderfully waterproof. I had her stand in a small creek and saw a smile on her face grow bigger and bigger.

I would highly recommend these for any active women who wants all the comfort of running shoes with the added lightness and durablility of hiking boots. They do run a half size small, she is a 4.5 and the 5 fits perfectly! I would recommend trying them on before purchasing.