Customer Reviews Ahnu Montara II

These have a substantial, heavier sole. Roomy toe box. The lining feels very silky and luxurious and shoe is nicely cushioned inside. The heel might be a solution for some with narrow heel slipping issues (like me). The provided insole was a little more substantial than the average (but still minimal arch/heel support). The heel is some combination of higher rise and/or curving in more than average. For me, this seemed to be OK on my smaller foot (size 10), but it cut in and was very uncomfortable on my slightly larger foot (size 10¼?). My heel still slipped in both shoes, but less so than in every other low hiker that I have tried on in the last year (which is probably over 15), except for Lowas (which are too narrow at the forefoot on me). I tried these on with provided insoles and two other more rigid/supportive ones, and results were similar. The tongue of this shoe is weirdly shorter than normal. The bow sits only about ¼" from the end. I did not like the lacing system. The eyelets are wide and metal, and do not grip the laces at all, so the overall tightness depends totally on the final tug before you tie the bow. Overall, these are more like walking shoes than hiking shoes. I returned them.

Buy your usual US size. I bought these in women US Size 7.5 medium which is labeled as 38.5 in the shoe. I usually wear a 38 Euro, size 7.5 medium, so I guess the 'size up' depends on whether you are ordering in Euro or US sizing. The 7.5 medium was perfect in length. I find them just the slightest bit tight across the widest part of my foot, but the toe area itself is roomy without being too boxy looking. I may have a slightly wide forefoot, or the shoe may run slightly narrow. They look nice on: better for city trekking than many hiking shoes, but with enough technical specs to work on trails/country. I wear them with Smartwool hiking socks or the Wrightsock lightweight Double Layer CoolMesh (best hiking sock ever!) The shoes have a very breathable waterproof membrane that keeps your feel cool and dry. Some waterproof hikers came get hot because of the type of membrane they're using. There is a slight heel slip but I re-laced the upper laces as suggested in another post and that seems to work. I'm afraid to go up a 1/2 size as that will lengthen the shoe and take it up a lot more in Euro size, which will increase the heel slip. I put Super Feet insoles in all my hiking/walking shoes and probably will in these, too.

Finding good trail walking shoes has been a challenge since I was diagnosed with arthritis in my feet. I was having difficulty finding shoes that accommodate my custom orthotics and hammertoes. I need a deep, broad toe box, and a narrow heel. I've returned many shoes, and had almost given up when I found this shoe. As recommended by online reviewers, I ordered up a half size. The fit is excellent. Although the description doesn't note it, the footbed is removable. The shoes fit best with a lightweight Smartwool sock with cushioning. I did have slight heel slippage, but I resolved that issue by rethreading the laces through the last metal rings, after hooking them around the hooks (the laces are plenty long). This brought the knot down lower on the tongue and allowed me to cinch the laces tighter to prevent heel slippage. The laces will stay in this position when removing the shoes and putting them on. I ordered the black, but I'm very tempted to purchase another pair in purple or wine. They are comfortable, supportive, the sole has great traction, the leather is excellent quality, and the waterproof material makes them very practical. They're also attractive, for a shoe of this type. I'm very pleased with my purchase.

These shoes are comfortable until the end of the day. The other shoes I wear and swear by are Keen Voyageurs for their support. I have medium width feet. I tried this purely for the unique color and get a ton of compliments on them. They are cute, flattering, comfortable, unique. I did order a half a size larger for length. I work in retail and am on my feet all day, standing in one place for periods of time so I need really comfortable shoes, and not necessarily running shoes which are great for moving.

I bought these hiking shoes for a trip through Italy, including walking up Mt. Vesuvius and going to various small towns in Tuscany where it is very hilly. I wore these for a few months to break them in, and they were wonderful to wear on the trip!! Love, love them!!

I tried these on at Nordstrom Rack in a size 7, which is my regular shoe size. However, I generally need a 7 1/2 in athletic shoes. My toes came right to the edge of the 7, and they didn't have a 7 1/2, which was sad because they were on sale there. I ordered the 7 1/2 from Zappos (full price), and while they fit, the brown was a completely different color than the pair I had tried on previously. I suspect the pair at Nordstrom Rack were last season's model as the brown was much richer, and this is a very blah brown. I haven't decided yet if I'll keep them or exchange them for a better color. Overall though, they are comfortable and they're the best looking hiking type shoe I've seen.

Ouch! The back of the shoe over the achilles tendon area curves back in over itself. One short walk around the block and I was bleeding! If this issue hadn't been present, these would've been perfect shoes for hiking! :(

The best shoes for arch support and all day comfort I have found. I have been living in them. Great arch support, water prof helps combat short walks thru grass where my shoes were getting damp in the morning. Only improvement I might suggest is a bit more padding behind the ankle, but I now wear them with sport socks that have extra padding in the back and they feel perfect.

A great alternative to the Montara boot. Same foot-bed and comfort. I tried and did not like the feel of the Sugarpine. Montara and Montara II all the way for me!

I have the ankle high Anhu hiking boots and these fit just like them but in a low cut. I have low volume feet and these have just enough room in them. I tried the Anhu Sugarloaf but the volume in the toe area was too much. These Montara II work great with super feet as well. Had them on 6 hours so far and no break in period appears to be needed. My feet are still happy with good support, nice cushioning, no heel slip, and no sweat. These shoes really are breathable. They are way lighter than most all hiking shoes and just slightly heavier (by a couple of ounces) than a cushiony sneaker. Haven't tried the waterproof-ness on these but my ankle high have proven themselves time and time again.

Everyone's comments about these shoes feeling great right out of the box: spot on! As to sizing...imho, a good waterproof shoe should work fine with regular socks. I NEVER wear two pairs of socks, or heavy socks with waterproof shoes. And I live in Maine. With regular socks, the sizing is also spot-on. Last point: the wine-tasting is much darker than it appears in the pix. I re-ordered night shade instead. All of that said...love, love, love these shoes. Thanks Zappos!

This is a GREAT shoe! It has trained for 6 months for The Camino de Santiago and will go with me tomorrow as we walk 470 miles. Comfortable, wide enough for my foot and well made. Good job!

I just got these shoes and I'm already in love. What else is there to say. Well built, comfortable and comfortable again, and for a hiker type shoe, the style is just plain cute! And who wouldn't love purple?

First, I should say that I've been wearing Merrells for 20 years. Their sizing and fit has become so inconsistent that I've been seeking boots elsewhere. These Ahnu felt cheap compared to their price and to Merrells. They were stiff and "cardboardy". I did appreciate the fit - narrow heel and wider toe area, though. There was reasonable cushioning for a city hike, but too thin a sole for much more than that. I had hoped they would be better. back they go.

It's an attractive shoe, but the shoe rubs the back of your ankle. I'm surprised at the high rating by others. I think it might be a new issue though since most older reviews rave about the shoe. I walked around the house for a couple of days and had to return because of the back of ankle rubbing. Maybe after months of wearing it gets better. I tried to get a size smaller and it helped a little but still returned because for price should not rub like that.

I love the style of the shoes, and they turned out to be nice and waterproof. However, I noticed the shoes were rubbing on my ankle, and I wore them outside anyway. After an hour of walking with normal socks the shoes wore some skin off the back of my ankle. This has never happened with any other shoe before. Also the toe box didn't seem to be as roomy as other people have suggested.

Horrible! blisters on back of both feet after a 2 mile walk. I had worn them previously for much shorter distance with no problem.

I got this shoe after an extensive search on Zappos last winter for a big tracking vacation I took the following spring. The shoe felt excellent at home- I was very impressed with the arch support and fit, together with a way the shoe looked- sturdy but not too rough. When I had to wear it outdoors very soon it started rubbing the back of my heel raw, lucky for me I had a bunch of super size band-aids with me, double socks also helped. I was quite disappointed since I was looking for a quality shoe that would make my walking easier and painless, not hunting for a bargain. Also, after a month of wear the back of the shoe got a hole corresponding to the blisters on the back of my feet and few of the stitches on the front of the shoe came undone. After a while I wore the shoe again and again the blisters opened up after half an hour of walking. From such an expensive shoe from a good maker I expected much better.

I love these shoes. I have a high arch, bunion surgeries on both feet, and dependably wear a size 9 medium width. I get compliments all the time on the way these look, but I am even more impressed with the the way they feel. Bunion surgeries were just a year ago, but I frequently I notice that in these shoes my feet just feel good. The laces/metal rings (?) make for custom fit. These shoes were a recommendation by Zappos staff. I had ordered and returned a bunch of trail shoes - I called Zappos to make a recommendation that it would be easier for me to find shoes with "excellent support" if I could search their data base by this customer recommendation. The Zappos employee I spoke with agreed that would be a good idea, but then worked with me, asking good questions, and making this recommendation - many thanks, again, Zappos. I love doing business with this company.

I've had this shoe for three years and like it so much am thinking of ordering a second pair for the day they eventually wear out.... I need a comfortable footbed - not too stiff but also not too soft - with good support. This shoe has been perfect. I have average to slightly narrow feet. I did order a half size larger than my normal size - 9 instead of 8.5, which has been perfect as I'm able to wear a smart wool medium weight sock or a lighter sock in summer.

Great looking shoe and so far VERY comfortable! I leave for Germany in a couple weeks and, so far, there has been no real break-in issues. I have very narrow feet but these seem to fit well...I do almost have to pull the laces all the way together though. Nice, nice shoe so far.

These shoes are great. Bought them to take on a trip to eastern Canada and they were comfortable right out of the box. Did get very wet in a torrential downpour and took several days to dry out so could be worn again, but I wouldn't hesitate to buy these shoes. Also look less bulky than other hikers and blue color is attractive. Wear a 7.5 and ordered that size. Perfect.

I love the Ahnu brand. I have owned a pair of the Montara boots for 2 years and ordered these as an alternative to a boot in warmer weather. These look nice with chinos, utility pants, jeans, and hiking shorts. They are WATERPROOF (not just water resistant) which is very important to me when hiking and camping. They are extremely light weight and comfortable right out of the box; I can wear these hiking in the woods, standing on concrete, or walking downtown for hours. I ordered two sizes, a 7.5 (my regular shoe size) and an 8 (the same size as my Montara boots), and decided on the 8 to fit with thicker socks and to give my feet a bit of room should they swell. I LOVE the Montara II (and the Montara boots) and can't say enough good things. My boots are 2 years old and still look brand new; I am hoping the Montara II holds up just as well. BTW, I know with my boots, if they get muddy, just hose them off and they look great again. These are made for low-maintenance, but high expectation types like myself.

This shoe is so great that I have just bought my 4th pair... I have had 3 pairs in black and have just "stepped out" (Ha!) and purchased the midnight blue..... I wore them when I lived in Africa and am heading back to Morocco in the fall and want these boots for the pace of the day's demands.....