Hi-Tec Sonorous Mid II Waterproof I Hiking Boot

Comfort

“These boots are like a good referee,” one tester says. “They’ve done their job because you don’t notice them.” The average-width toe box was a squeeze for one wide-footed tester, but we never felt any hotspots or blisters during testing.

Support

Testers loved the stiff sole, which uses a nylon fork shank: Split down the middle like a snake’s tongue, a fork shank provides stability like a normal shank would, but the fork gives it a bit more flexibility side to side. Most of us felt at home in boulderfields and other terrain where balance is key. (Some testers thought the boots felt clunky.)

Durability

After a week of hiking through canyons that wore lugs down on other boots’ outsoles and severely abraded their uppers, the Sonorous Mids escaped without significant wear. Credit the carbon rubber outsole and large, protective TPU toecap.