My Appalachian Trail hiking days are long behind me, and I’ve never been much of a runner. But I still do a fair amount of walking in some muddy conditions. I thought the Element Donnelly sneaker would meet my needs in that regard, so I ordered a pair. Once I figured out the best laces to use with the shoes, they proved pretty comfortable, as I wore them for several hours spent on my feet. The Element Donnelly isn’t a true sneaker, but it isn’t a traditional hiking boot, either. It’s more of a hybrid. It comes in various sizes and three colors: brown, green, and charcoal. I ordered the charcoal. Although these are not hiking boots, they appear capable of holding up well in moderate terrain. The soles are hard, black rubber, one inch thick at the back and 1 ½ inches thick at the front. They have dozens of triangular rubber studs underneath for better traction. Above the heel at the back, is a hard rubber backing 1 ½ inches high. On top of that is a more flexible cushioned material. The shoe ranges from 5 ¼ to 6 ¼ inches tall. When I wear the sneakers, they completely cover my ankle. I wear a size 9 ½ shoe, but I have a sizable bump on my right foot just below the big toe (thanks to a broken toe that never healed right). As a result, I usually wear size 10 shoes. Even then, I have trouble finding one that fits the right foot comfortably, especially if the top of the shoe is made of a stiff material. I ordered the Element Donnelly sneaker in size 10 and hoped for the best. The shoes came with two pairs of shoelaces, a harder circular lace, and a softer flat lace. When they arrived, the shoes had the circular laces in place, with the flat laces tied up at the top of the shoe. The shoes have four standard holes for laces followed at the top by two rungs on the outside. These rungs allow you to either lace the shoe through the hole or over a hook for faster lacing. This rather unique lace hole design will enable you to experiment to determine the best fit. The shoes also have loops at the top of the tongue and the top of the heel. You can pull on those as needed to help get the sneakers on easier. Because the circular laces were already in place when the shoes arrived, I first wore the sneakers as they were. I found that the left shoe fit perfectly, but there was pressure on my right foot near the broken toe. However, when I switched to the flat laces, the right shoe fit almost as comfortably as the left. One reason these shoes are so comfortable is the padding inside. There is furry padding the entire inside length of the shoe, with the thickest being at the top. The padding around my ankle is over ½ inch thick. Since I’ve gotten the Element Donnelly sneaker, I’ve worn them on my weekly shopping trips. I’m usually on my feet, walking around various stores for four to five hours. The best compliment I can offer is that I don’t notice the shoes the entire time. They are much more comfortable than most sneakers I’ve worn. I also wear them on garbage runs to the dumpster in muddy conditions. I’ve never gotten wet, but I haven’t been out in heavy rains with them. People should take a good look at the Element Donnelly sneaker before buying them. They aren’t designed for heavy-duty mountain hiking or playing competitive basketball. But these are great shoes for those looking for comfortable outdoor shoes for moderate activity (and a pair that will keep their feet dry in most conditions). NOTE: I received this product as part of the Amazon Vine program. However, the contents of this review are entirely my own.
