Beautiful, engineered - Lowa Phoenix Mesh Lo Hiking Shoe - Men's

This shoe feels substantial and the quality is evident. I hike in dry but rough and rocky terrain - I like durable and a little stiff, but nimble. This shoe is straightforward in its engineering and has no gimmicks. The lacing is clean and smart. The protection is in all the right places
This shoe is noticeably heavier than many in its class. The sole is Lowa's proprietary product and it is dense but more rubbery in feel. Probably softer for scrambling.
Has a PU mid sole - which is hard to find in this class and in more common brands sold in the U.S. - and at this price (on sale). Nice addition in durability and longevity.
The padding around the ankle collar is great. This is often a tough fit for me. The problem for me was that the heel cup feels shallow. Or maybe the shoe is too low? Maybe something that could be adjusted with another insole? Maybe perfect for someone with narrow or shorter heel-to-ankle bone feet?
I had to return them...I feel like they were the (nearly) perfect shoe that got away.