text: I don't understand all of the good reviews these hiking shoes are getting, I bought a pair about 14 months ago, never used them on rough terrain,  mostly trails and sidewalks, and I walk between 1 and 3 miles a day. After owning the boots a couple months a piece of rubber broke off the front of the sole, but it was no big deal, it was by the toe and not the part that touches the ground.<br /><br />  They are advertised to be water proof,  but one day about a week after buying them I was out walking in a very heavy rain, and walked through a few shallow puddles a couple inches deep, by the time I got home my feet were soaked, so much for them being water proof, actually I would not wear them if it was raining hard or I expected to be walking in wet grass or whatever because the water always soaked through.<br /><br />  The final straw was about 4 months ago when the soles separated from the uppers on both shoes, the holes were big enough for me to put three fingers in by the time I stopped wearing the boots.<br /><br />  One thing I will say Salmon has excellent customer service, I called them explained my story, they sent me a brand new pair of boots, I hope they are better then the first pair.