Where do I start? Thanks to Amazon's generous return policy, this was my high-end splurge testing this against another hiking boot brand. I'm familiar with Solomon as I am a skier. Other than comfort, there is not much one can test in a hiking boot so a lot of faith is involved. You know that feeling when you slide your foot into a fleece slipper? I felt pretty much that as far as a hiking boot would go : )Then I wore it walking trails during the summer and fall. Sturdy, good grip, neutral foot temperature surprisingly maintained. Next came hiking in the fall at Illinois State parks such as Starved Rock. While not super high-end hiking, it did rough trails, good inclines and declines, rough and smooth rock, and best of all, water that came up over the laces (up to where I knew the limit of where the boot tongue and the boot were sealed). I felt the cold which worried me but that is all that penetrated. No water leak as promised. It's not to say that you might not get all of this from another hiking boot, but I found this to be everything that I needed.It is not designed for very cold weather though the addition of increasingly warmer socks help. Others may fare better than me as I have Raynaud's and have invested in heated socks.