TT from United States, CA Public Profile

This is my second pair of the Wildfire Mid GTX boots purchased March 2024. First, this latest pair is working out great and come with improvements. Hiked 2 trails of 5 miles each with around 1500 ft elevation gain since purchase. Shoes performed just as I wouldve wanted. Light weight, good support, traction and water proof. Did around 2 miles in 1-2 inches of a shallow stream and feet were perfectly dry. One big improvement over my first pair purchased in 2021, the built in "gaiter" now has a velcro tab which opens to allow easy on and off of these boots. The older generation did not have this velcro opening making putting on and taking off these boots a real pain. Many people shared this frustration. This problem is now solved with the new opening. This also allows for a somewhat custom fit to accomodate different ankle girths. I also dont recall the earlier generation having a second pair of inserts for a more narrow fit like this new gen includes. Seems like they took a great boot and made it better. In my experience these run a half size small. I am an 11.5, my first pair was an 11.5 and they were quite snug with pressure on my big toe, so no added insoles or thick socks. My new pair are a 12.5, these allow for my thick Darn Tough full cushion socks and a nice amount of room for swelling throughout a long day of hiking and the option for thicker insoles if I want. Other than those needs a 12 would have been the right size for daily life/everyday use.