Like. I have narrow feet so they fit me very well. I would say if you are a true 9 in the US you can get a 9.5. 9 is more like 8 3/4. They don't have much meat. The sole does not protrude laterally. The shoes make your legs slim. There are better shoes for hiking. The protrusions on the sole are not very massive. If you have weak ankles you may need something wider on the sole for stability. What's wrong with Merrell colors? I have a Deverta in Boulder and they are as gray as can be. These shoes are considered bouldering shoes and are brown in color.