Montrail Women's

I got the Montrail Namche for hiking/scrambling in the southern Utah desert. The shoe is well-ventilated, perfect for a hot desert environment. It's also very supportive, but comfortable like a running shoe. It runs 1/2 size small, so order 1/2 size larger than normal. It's also a bit narrow, which I LOVE since I have narrow feet. A good hiker for warm, dry conditions that offers all-day comfort.

I moved here from Thailand, and have very narrow feet (double A). This brand is one of few that fit me well. It does seem to run 1/2 size small. A friend has a normal width foot (but not wide!), and this boot also fits her. My husband is American, and is a retired National Park Ranger with narrow feet (B). He has 4 pairs of Montrail shoes/boots which he loves. He wore one pair all over Thailand, Indonesia, Burma, Cambodia, and Laos during the 1 1/2 years he lived here. As an outdoor professional, he likes a snug fit and this brand has that. We are both happy with the fit and quality construction of Montrail boots. OK, this sounds like an ad, but the fit was very difficult for us until we found this brand. Tippaya

My past experiences with hiking boots have gone like this: buy, hike, blister, hike, blister, hike, blister, get frustrated and go back to hiking in sneakers. I had almost given up when the Montrail rep suggested I try these. My first big hike with them was a 2-day trek in southern Utah. I covered my heels in moleskin but was still shocked when, 17 miles later I had only the tiniest of blisters. Since then they have broken in quite nicely. The Namche provides plenty of support for hiking with a 20-30lb pack but doesn't feel like a straitjacket for your foot. If you hate traditional hiking boots, the Namches are for you.

These hiking shoes run small. I wear a 7.5 in a regular shoe and an 8 in running/hiking shoes--but I am returning the 8 and will try an 8.5 (thanks for making exchanges easy!). I hope they fit because I've had good luck with Montrails (Hard Rock) previously!

These boots are comfortable--once I got them on! Loosening the laces at the top is way too much trouble. Too bad there aren't hooks at the top of the boots; that would make it much easier to take them off and put them on. So, I've returned them.

These are good shoes. I like the ankle support for rough terrain and the sole has lots of traction. The fit is okay; they are a bit snug; I wouldn't try to do more than 5 miles in them.