My goto - Treksta ADT 203 Mid Boa GTX Hiking Boot - Men's

My background.
I have many (too many) hiking shoes as well as the shoes I wear at work and outdoors which most times is both. My average day is about about 14mi on my feet be it dirt or concrete. This is not just walking as most of the time I am carrying 40lbs or more (theatrical stagehand and avid hiker), so support, traction and just a good footbed make a difference.
I have gone through Garamont, Asolo, the old Salomon style then the 4d series. But since purchasing the Nestfit setup I keep going to the Trekstas. Even so far as buying a used set of Kobras in that funky green/black. So after wearing them flat, love the fit but the traction gave me problems so it was time to spend and get new shoes.
I can say I am not a fan of the coloring, but I was thinking "hell if they fit good, feel good and take the beating I just don't look at them approach"
The shoe.
The toe box is roomy but not sloppy spacious and with a great cradling effect, though I wish there was some rigidity to the upper. It's kind of soft if you are using it to shift gears on a motorcycle.
The toe tip is good enough to withstand rock stubbing and has the benefit of grabbing said rock on and approach or a decline. The soles are sticky but not overly so. Every have a pair of shoes that feel like they are dragging with every step on hard surfaces ? My old pairs had great durability * except where the edges of some lugs were adhered . This may have been a personal issue as I use these to slide and kick carpets at work. (yes my knees are pretty much toast) So I glue them up.
The heel box is a wonder! Deep enough to not be sloppy and again cradles without digging into my achilles, no hot spot. The inner is probably why I am so happy with them, it does stretch your arch when you try a pair on the first time but after the break in.... It is just the right shoe. My meaning is you just forget about your feet. Walk up this, climb down that, slide down the other side of that boulder, side slide down scree. The ankles are supportive for a mid and no roll overs have occurred.
The Boa..
I do like the fast on fast off. The ability to tighten or loosen as being on your feet all day they swell and unswell sp?
But if they catch on a rock or slam ( I do mean slam!) they can crack and they just unwind. In 4 years I have broken 2 through but this shoe has a new design of Boa, they are more rounded. Yes you can go to Boa and get a kit to fix them, I think it's $5 shipped. A 2 or 3mm wrench and the inner gear.
The GTX surround was new for me and we had some 90+ humid weather, even in medium merino I could feel the coolness. I have yet to test them in anything below 40F but at that temp they were comfortable.

Do I love them? Well yes but I just don't look at them. YMMV.
I wear shoes to beat on and not beat on me. I keep getting the best fitting and feeling shoe I can.
Just wish they had the brown/orange with the Boa..

This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.