They fit very well straight out of the box. No hack needed. The correspondence is correct; no need for half size. Wide ankle support and a padded tongue that won't dig into the laces. Throw away those old blings and start a new journey through the green hills of summer. The laces are the right length, no need to trim the ends. Attached is a small booklet that explains the meaning of the company name. Arrives in a box without a package. Very happy with this product but they look so pretty I don't want to get them dirty.