I purchased these for my son, who you might think was raised by furry creatures in the forest. He loves them. He's a serious hiker and climber and wears them all the time. These are beefier than the other models and the soles are thicker and grippier. They appear well made in spite of being from China. I personally eschew Chinese footwear, but if you want this type of shoe you don't have any other option. They do run small. He's a natural 12 and that's what I ordered. Had to return them for 13s an now all is well. I wonder how these would work for making fake Bigfoot tracks?