New Balance Women's Fresh Foam X Hierro V8 Trail Running Shoe, Grey Matter/Quarry Blue/Copper, 8 Wide

I purchased these shoes about 6 weeks ago and could not be happier. I was looking for 3 main features in a hiking shoe: lightweight, sturdy, and good heel protection. I have a history of achilles tendon surgery so the sturdy heel cup is a must, and these shoes deliver. I use them for hiking along river trails in Iowa and the vibram sole provides great traction on muddy, slippery hills as well as grip for bouldering in riverbeds. The mud washes off well. I recently wore them on a trip to Japan to hike Mt. Fuji....and chose to bring them rather than my heavier On-Cloud hiking shoes. They performed well with gaitors on the loose gravel (the descending Gotemba trail is quite challenging...loose rocks of all sizes, and so deep your foot sinks in past the ankle), although given the terrain, I may take a heavier shoe or boot next time. Although the light weight was a benefit, and my feet were well protected. Since it takes me a lot of trial and error to find the correct fit in hiking shoes, I am pleased enough with the Hierro v8 that I will be buying a second pair. They have a tad more flexibility in the sole than my On Cloud shoes which is nice. Looking forward to wearing them on our yearly trips to Colorado as well as my daily and weekly hikes at home in Iowa.

Nice looking sneaker. They are meant for hiking and trail walking, but I thought they would be OK for walking around the neighborhood. As soon as I put them on, I realized that was not the case. They were squeaky and felt weird under foot. So I returned them. I would not discourage anyone who actually hikes and does trail walking to get them. They were comfortable and had a good grip for hiking.