I love these! I know her very well. I've worn them as both hiking shoes and water shoes. Out of the water they are very flexible, breathable, light on the foot and can be worn with or without socks. The upper provides enough support for comfortable walking, but not enough for heavy activity or lateral movement. They have a decent tread and the tread seems to be wearing well. They're great in the water too. The lower tread offers more protection than some other water shoes. As long as you stay wet, they're not that bad. When shoes are wet, they feel soft. For real. Feels like wet shoes for a while. They eventually dry out, but it takes a while. I pocketed them as my only shoe for a two week vacation after misplacing my luggage and while they didn't always go well with my watch or pants, they have been extensively tested in the water and on land and they have performed well.