New Balance WW978 SKU: #7692723

Elaine S

from Fairhope, Alabama

I bought this pair of boots a year ago for a hike on the GR 10 in the Pyrenees. They broke in easily on the 200 miles or so of training walks I did. They also were extremely comfortable and performed spectacularly in the Pyrenees, which proved to be very, very rocky and dotted with boulder fields [which also necessitated two good hiking poles]. In rain, my feet stayed dry. I did use the green Superfeet liners rather than those that came with the boots and they took more getting used to than the boots did, but really helped stabilize my ankles. I did get size 9Es, whereas my feet are usually size 8 or 8.5 depending on brand.

Karen M

from Northern Utah

These are hands down the best hiking boots I have ever worn. They are so comfortable that I wear them even when not hiking. Supportive, waterproof, good traction, and they look good, too. These are great if you need a motion control boot to keep you on the trail.

Brands I'd also recommend: Brooks

Anonymous

from Michigan

This is my second pair of New Balance shoes in this style. They give good support and are very comfortable. The New Balance double wide is about equal to other brands wide. They are rugged enough for hiking yet attractive enough for casual dress.

Brands I'd also recommend: Keen

Anonymous

from Chicago

The high cut of this shoe hurt my ankle bone. It also runs small. Normally I'm a 7½ in New Balance shoes - in this shoe I was an 8. Still, it's a very nice shoe. I was sorry to have to return it.

Brands I'd also recommend: Cole Haan

Anonymous

I love these boots! But they are definitely a half size smaller than my New Balance running shoes. I am a 6 and 1/2 in those and I ordered these in a 7 because of the comments and am glad I did; they are a perfect fit!

Anonymous

from Seattle

Wow! These run small and narrow! I ordered the 8EW and my toes were smooshed against the sides of the shoe, and my big toe was crushed against the front of the shoe. I usually wear an 8W and went up half a width but it didn't help. I've never worn an 8 1/2 in any shoe but this one. It's cute, but it will have to go back.

Anonymous

from Florida

I love these shoes. They kept my feet warm and dry on a trip to China and they made it easy to walk on uneven surfaces. I did buy a larger size after reading the reviews, and the fit was perfect.

Scout

The shoes run small, so order a half size larger. I wish I could keep the shoes but the largest size is an 11 and in this boot, I need an 11 1/2. The width was great but not the length.

Anonymous

from Iowa

Definitely order 1/2 size larger. Felt true to width. Lots of room to use my orthotics and an ankle brace. Really comfortable right out of the box.

Anonymous

from Ithaca, NY

I have wide feet and have been looking for a comfortable hiking boot for about a year. These fit the bill! Most importantly, they are true to width. They didn't require breaking in, feel like clouds and have plenty of support. I am a happy woman.

Anonymous

from Los Angeles, CA

This comfortable, sturdy, waterproof boot held up well through hikes in New Zealand and Hawaii. Water did not seep through. Sizing ran small for me. I wear New Balance running shoes in size 5-1/2 2E. I had to get this boot in a 6-1/2 2E for proper fit. Only minus is that the shoe laces come undone (even with triple knots) easily.

Anonymous

from New Hampshire

I needed 1/2 size up. I have bunions and I thought the wide would do, but I had to return it for the extra wide. Nice shoe though...rugged, not too heavy, and comfortable.

Mary L

from Florida

This is a really nice hiking boot, lots of toe room, very stable and supportive. Glad I ordered it!

Brands I'd also recommend: Drew, Propet

Anonymous

from Chantilly, VA

I have very sensitive feet and have a hard time finding comfortable shoes. I like lots of cushion and they need to have room for my orthodics. I have not worn these a lot since it is summer and too hot for them but they seem to feel great. They look very nice too and make my feet look smaller. The top is low enough that they don't even look bad with shorts. As for size, I wear anywhere from 9 to 10.5 depending on shoe brand or style and I have pretty narrow feet. I needed a 10 medium width for these to allow room for my orthodic along with the original insert of the boot for extra cushion. The 9.5 narrow I originally ordered would have fit fine without my added orthodic.

Carol M

from Texas

This hiking boot felt wonderful! I returned it, however, for 1/2 size larger as I tried it on with summer weight socks and it was perfect. I know when I get out the thicker winter socks it would have felt tight. Can't wait for the larger pair to arrive.

Mary C

from New Mexico

While I really love these boots, I'm afraid that New Balance has started to do what so many others have, and they have downsized their size 11's and now they are 'just' this much too short, and hiking in them is not advised if you don't want bruised toes. I'll be looking for other options for hiking, and keep these for riding the motorcycle.

Brands I'd also recommend: Merrell

Anonymous

from near Washington D.c.

I needed lighter weight waterproof boots to work out in my yard, so my legs would stop aching. These have done the trick! I have weak ankles so just wearing sneakers were not the way to go for me. I get plenty of support without the weight of my very old Timberland boots.

Nicole

Like everyone else has been saying, you want to go a half size bigger than you usually take. These shoes are, however, amazing. When I got them they dug into the back of my heal/ankle but I decided to keep them since everyone reviewed them so highly and because New Balance has yet to steer me wrong. After two full days of wearing them at work (8 hour days) they were completely broken in. I did not wear them on two consecutive days as I wanted my feet to recover from the constant rubbing but I'm happy to report that the third day I wore them they didn't hurt a bit and have not hurt me since! They are very comfortable shoes. If you are expecting pillows under your feet, you'll be disappointed of course, but after wearing them to work for the past 2.5 months I can say I've had no pain and have been absolutely 100% pleased with these shoes. I work in a dog kennel and so I'm constantly cleaning and using bleach and disinfectants which are hard on my shoes. I would recommend that you purchase a good boot protector spray or waterproofing spray for the purpose of maintaining these shoes (I probably will have to spray them more often than most bc of the chemicals my shoes come in contact with) but they are really very waterproof. My feet have been nothing but dry (and that's with me walking dogs in the rain and spilling whole bowls of water on my feet by accident. But you will want to apply additional waterproofing spray, of course, as time goes on. Overall, I would definitely recommend these to anyone who needs a solid waterproof and comfortable boot either for hiking or for traction on wet floors and ground.