Review on Danner Women's 61284 Hiking Bronze Athletic Shoes: Stylish and Functional by Judy Lawrence

My husband loves Danner's desert boots (I even tried the women's pair but didn't like them) so when I saw these new hiking shoes I thought I'd give them a gift. to attempt. And I'm so glad I did! I couldn't find a mid-calf shoe that was comfortable for me - the upper usually rests on my ankle and causes too much pain - so this low rise model was appealing. I must add my recommendation to other reviewers. Both colors are good - I got red as it was the only one available in the size I needed. I was lucky and got the right size, but it was a difficult decision. I usually wear a medium size 8 (like Skechers sneakers and sandals and jellypop sneakers). Measured using the size chart shown here on the Revain website, it was a size 7. (I wear a size 7 in UGG shearling boots). I checked the Danner website and found that their sizes are based on a Brannock device. Not having access to one of these I tried to measure by hand using instructions found on the internet and came up with a size 9.5! (That should be true if it's on the internet, right?!). Having spent way too much of my life with a sizing issue, I tossed in a coin and ordered my usual size 8. There's plenty of room in the toe box and a 7 1/2 could fit, but these don't feel big either. or thin. And my toe doesn't rest on the toes of the shoes when going down steep slopes. So, I'm comfortable with a size 8. I usually wear lightweight Skechers for my 3-mile walks on the hilly paved road (in the high desert of West Texas) where I live, but I've tried them out to see how they would feel. . . They're certainly a bit heavier than Skechers, but still light and not too hot. They provide support while remaining flexible, and the laces can be tightened or loosened as needed to accommodate foot width or sock thickness. (In fact, I found them comfortable enough to wear barefoot!) The outsole is also thicker than the Skechers—they're hiking shoes, after all—offering excellent cushioning and great traction when walking up hilly, rocky trails. And if you're walking indoors on a tile floor, there's no annoying squeak that some shoes have.