These are the best shoes I've ever owned and I have experimented a lot. As much as I prefer the look of the traditional one piece leather boot, these just function better. They are supportive yet flexible, light (for a boot), breath well enough and don't overheat my feet, are easy to get on and off, and have excellent traction.These now serve as my hiking boot, stay warm and waterproof shoe, and have evolved into my daily shoe for most things which I never expected.I bought a 1/2 size up from my usual Hoka running shoe size to accommodate wool socks and am glad I did.My only complaint is that the tongue is too short, so the laces tend to creep over the top.Hoka and REI are the best.

I bought the Hoka Men's Kaha 2 GTX "Hiking Boots" on the basis of my great experiences with my everyday Hoka walking/hiking shoes, which have been wonderful. The boots though have been a big disappointment. The good features first: they are just as comfortable as the shoes up to where the boot top begins. The Vibram soles are fantastic - good combination of cushioning, stability, and grip on slippery surfaces. Things go wrong about five inches from the ground where the shoe becomes a boot. Others have already noted that the tongue is about 3/4" too short, making the uppermost lacing lugs difficult to use because the laces tend to ride up over the top of the tongue. Because of this, I lace them only as far as the second lugs from the top, which are 1 1/2" from the ... MoreI bought the Hoka Men's Kaha 2 GTX "Hiking Boots" on the basis of my great experiences with my everyday Hoka walking/hiking shoes, which have been wonderful. The boots though have been a big disappointment. The good features first: they are just as comfortable as the shoes up to where the boot top begins. The Vibram soles are fantastic - good combination of cushioning, stability, and grip on slippery surfaces. Things go wrong about five inches from the ground where the shoe becomes a boot. Others have already noted that the tongue is about 3/4" too short, making the uppermost lacing lugs difficult to use because the laces tend to ride up over the top of the tongue. Because of this, I lace them only as far as the second lugs from the top, which are 1 1/2" from the top of the boot. The most serious problem is the poor construction of the tongue itself. First, the tongue is too narrow, and the gusset that connects the boot to the tongue to keep out snow and water only extends 5" from the ground. If you're hiking in deep snow or hard rain, you will likely get snow or water coming in between the boot sides and the skinny tongue, above the insufficient gusset. The narrow tongue doesn't seal the boot against the elements as much as I'd like it to. The tongue is also thin and flimsy, with only a narrow, sort of triangular piece of nubuck on its outer surface. That piece of nubuck is 2" tall and 1" wide at bottom, widening to 2 1/4" at the top. If I lace the boots reasonably snug, the laces dig into my ankles, especially when hiking uphill. Loosening the laces considerably relieves this pressure and discomfort, but makes the boot top more floppy. These boots are simply not made for hiking on hilly trails or in deep snow. It feels and looks like Hoka rushed these boots into production without field-testing them. I really hope they will re-design the boot tops so they function the way good hiking boots should.

I was looking for a boot that would replace my older boot that I used for fishing and hiking to my fishing spots. Read the reviews and some made me leery but decided to buy it anyhow. Man, are these boots comfortable. I used them hiking across rocks, some ice, and snow. They were great and very comfortable. Stepped in some water as well and my feet stayed dry. The large sole construction, outer and midsole really made these boots feel like a comfortable tennis/basketball shoe, rather than a traditional boot. Toe box was comfy and these seem to be a true to size fitting boot. No break-in was needed and they were comfortable out of the box and my feet were not sore after a full day in the boots.I’m thinking of buying another pair, just so I can have them once my new ... MoreI was looking for a boot that would replace my older boot that I used for fishing and hiking to my fishing spots. Read the reviews and some made me leery but decided to buy it anyhow. Man, are these boots comfortable. I used them hiking across rocks, some ice, and snow. They were great and very comfortable. Stepped in some water as well and my feet stayed dry. The large sole construction, outer and midsole really made these boots feel like a comfortable tennis/basketball shoe, rather than a traditional boot. Toe box was comfy and these seem to be a true to size fitting boot. No break-in was needed and they were comfortable out of the box and my feet were not sore after a full day in the boots.I’m thinking of buying another pair, just so I can have them once my new pair needs to be replaced.I can see what some are saying about the tongue being a bit short, but really, I didn’t have an issue with them at all. If you are on the fence like I was, don’t be. These are great boots, and my feet thanks them for it. 3 days fishing, and on my feet most of the time… Absolutely wonderful boot.