Columbia Women's Crestwood Hiking Shoe

I use trail shoes for short hikes locally where there is rocky terrain and some up and down hills that I need good traction. The traction seems very good but the shoelaces are extra long and I have to tie them 2-3 times to get it tight and there is so much left over shoelace to worry about coming undone and tripping over it. The fit in front is decent but could be a little wider (it's more pointy than rounded) and the heel is not as tight as I like it. On the plus side, this is the first trail shoe I have kept from many I have bought and returned. It's not excellent but it will do. I really like the look of the shoe.

I purchased these ahead of time for my up coming cruise to Alaska next year. I purchased the 9 1/2 as it was the only size available. I normally wear a sized nine. I walked around the house in these shoes, they feel comfortable with the thick socks. If you intend to walk a lot especially trail walking or hiking I recommend you get them 1/2 size larger and wear with thick socks for comfort and possible swelling of feet after long day of walking the trails. The size nine would have been uncomfortable as my toe would have been pressing against the foot of the shoe with no wiggle room. I recommend these shoes.

This is my second pair of these Columbia hikers; the original pair have been worn down to being "gardening shoes" so I needed a new pair for daily walking. These have been great because they fit my high-arch foot much better than other brands. The heels stay in place without slipping (and blisters), and there is enough cushion underneath to keep my foot happy. I prefer a shoe like this, with leather areas on the upper to give stability to the actual shoe unlike so many of the fabric shoes that offer little support or structure across the sides and toe of your foot. These are my go-to shoes when I just want to do a serious walk/light hike and don't need to go for a full coverage hiking boot.