Customer Reviews New Balance WW978

I was looking to replace some very old New Balance waterproof low-top hikers but bought these after reading rave reviews from others. I have terribly hard feet to fit (small, wide, with an extremely high arch). I bought a size larger as suggested, and they were so comfy I wore them right out of the box on a 4-day hiking vacation - something I have never done before! Other boots sometime cause me to curtail my hiking because they lack arch support or feel like cement blocks, but I was amazed at how light and comfortable these boots are. My feet never got tired and I hiked all day, every day, without pain or discomfort. I hope they last as long as my other NB hikers, though I might consider springing for another pair before they get discontinued.

The sole in the heel too hard for my sore feet and the leather and fabric on the top of the shoe too soft. I am looking for an outdoor shoe that has comfort and better protection from snakes. Over all it is a comfortable shoe and seems like it could be worn all day.

If you have very wide feet and problems with your arches - these work. They're a little stiff, but don't really irritate. They're not beautiful, but no one laughs at me. They're lightweight and have great traction on slick surfaces.

I never wear a size 10 shoe or sneaker but that's what I needed in these boots. If you plan to wear them with thick hiking or trekking socks than at least a half size bigger than normal is a must. The footbed is the most comfortable boot I've ever worn. As good as sneakers -- no, really. They are a bit clunkier than I would like but that's because the toe box is quite wide which is one reason I find them so comfortable. So, I can't complain. I've had them for 3 days now and took a short hike on day one. Even then, they were comfortable.

I like the lacing system on these boot. Quick on and off, especially when you're dressed to hike/walk. My only complaint is I'd like a little more arch support. I have an old pair of this style and they have a little more arch. They are warm, keep your feet dry and support your ankles. I haven't tried on ice yet. Oh, and get a 1/2 size larger!

Got these as a present in January and used them for work as a landscaper. I was able to wear the tread off by July. Other than that they are comfortable and always kept my feet dry, would recommend a different pair of laces.

Good padding, but too narrow for me, wish it came in extra wide. Also hit ankle bones uncomfortably.

I ordered these shoes because they were the only hiking shoes I found for a narrow foot. I'm going to use them for a 33 mile hike in Yosemite. I've been walking several miles a week to break in the shoes. They are very comfortable for the first four miles. If I stop, take off a layer of socks and cushion corns/bunions then they are good for another four miles. I haven't hiked enough to know, but I'm guessing they are as good, if not better, than any other hiking shoe on the market.

I'm so disappointed these didn't work out. I'm an 8.5 N across the board. My old NB hiking boots are an 8.5 N so I was pretty confident that ordering the 9 N would be perfect. But they were so small, my toes touched the end sitting down. So I ordered the 9.5 N but those were so big, that the arch support hit in the wrong spot. And I've made that mistake before, ordering shoes too big and then they break in the wrong spot and cause blisters. Sadly, these both will have to go back.

Well, considering I have a very high arch, bony feet, injury to my left foot which makes it swell a little sometimes, these were not good for me. I tried them because I know people that have them and was told they had a little wider foot pad bed which I thought would be good. I order usually at least 1/2 size larger to allow for swelling. Plus the back of the shoe rubbed on back of my foot. Just didn't work for me. But thankfully Zappos sends them with free shipping both ways, so I didn't have to go looking from store to store for them! Thank you Zappos!

The positives about this shoe are its styling (makes my large feet look not so big), very roomy toe box, warm, and a comfortable footbed. Unfortunately, it also rubs very badly on my outside ankle bone. I wore them around my house for awhile before venturing outside and then wore them all day. By the end of the day my ankle bone was sore. The next day I couldn't even bear to put them on because my ankle hurt just to wear them. After some days of not wearing the shoes, I can put them on again, but I think I'll only be able to wear them for short walks with the dog unless they break in over time. I normally take a 9.5 in this type of shoe, and a 10 worked.