Altra Men's Vali Lace-Up Athletic Sneakers Red/Grey (9.0M)

My feet are always happiest in open toe sandals. The Vali has those same space and freedom. I just finished a month long tour of Asia - Macau, Cambodia and Viet Nam. Lots of walking over rough paths and climbing up stairs. My feet were so comfortable in the men's Vali.

I ordered a half size down from my usual Altra running shoe size, and it fits perfectly. So nice to have an Altra for casual wear - the others are too dressy for my tastes. The knit seems to breathe well, and my feet don't get stinky like in Vans. This is a 5-star shoe and I'll be wearing it more than any other, but I think there's room for improvement in a few areas. For one, the aglets on the laces are heavy and tend to click against each other when walking. I find it difficult to get the pressure just right with the lacing - either it's too loose and my heel slips, or there's pressure on the top of my foot where the laces are tied. And finally, I would prefer slightly less stack height, and more flexibility. Maybe it will continue to break in.