Testing locations and conditions: These boots have been used on almost a daily basis in and around Boulder, Colorado. Between walking the dog, daily fitness walks and weekend hikes in the mountains I estimate I have traveled a good 90 miles on these boots in the first 2 months of testing. They have held up well and have far exceeded my expectations. Temperatures have been between 60° and 0° F (16° and -18° C) and elevations between 5000 and 9000 ft (1524 and 2743 m). They have been used on a multitude of surfaces including asphalt, hard-packed dirt, muddy, rocky and rooted trails and on lots of snow and ice.

I have used these boots to climb Mt. Sanitas (twice), and on trails in Rocky Mountain National Park and the Indian Peaks Wilderness area (my normal stomping grounds). The longest single day mileage has been 10 mi (16 km) carrying an 8 lb (3.6 kg) day pack.

Sizing: I normally wear a size 11 and the length and volume of this boot seems to be spot on for me. This includes my normal sock combination of a midweight wool sock with a thin lightweight wool sock. At one point I did replace the midweight with a thicker heavyweight wool sock and the fit was only slightly more snug. I just loosened the laces a bit and they fit fine.

Comfort: As I mentioned earlier there has been some breaking in to do. The first day I wore the boots two areas of concern became noticeable immediately.

First: Where the tongue wraps around my ankle at the top created pressure points on both sides on both boots. I switched to a thicker sock and that helped a little. I went for a walk around the neighborhood and when I got back the pressure seemed to have subsided. At the beginning of every hike I would notice the pressure on the front of my ankles. By the end of the hike it was pretty much gone. I believe the tongue and ankle area have loosened up to a point now that the pressure is gone.

Second: There are padded protrusions on either side of the ankle inside the boot. They kind of sit in that indented area between your heel and ankle bone. First time I wore the boots they were very noticeable. By the end of the hike the pressure was tolerable but still noticeable. Now you only notice them when you initially put the boot on. After a couple of minutes of walking everything seems to settle in and become comfortable.

With a mid-weight wool sock and a thin wool liner my feet have been warm (while hiking briskly) down to 0° F (-18° C). These boots are uninsulated but well padded internally which gives them some insulation. When just standing around in the snow or during brief rest periods my feet do begin to chill in colder weather. This would not be my boot of choice if I knew I would be inactive in below freezing temperatures. The Gore-Tex® lining also adds a small bit of warmth because it slows down evaporative cooling. The lining is breathable but it keeps that warm moist air around your foot longer than an unlined boot or a running shoe would. I have also worn the boots when the temperature has been 60° F (16° C) and the boots are a bit too warm for me causing excessive sweating. I would consider this a cool/cold weather boot as long as you keep moving if it is real cold.

Moisture management: The Gore-Tex® linings classify these boots as "waterproof" and I would have to agree. I have walked through snow, mud and on one occasion while crossing an ice covered shallow stream my foot went through the ice into 4 in (10 cm) of ice cold water. I pulled my foot out and the rubber parts of the boot were shiny and wet. The nylon parts didn't appear to be wet at all. I rubbed my hand across the nylon upper and there didn't appear to be any water on the surface. So no water got in the boot and no water appeared to soak into the nylon.

My feet sweat a lot on a normal basis. During the summer months I only wear running shoes with lots of mesh and my feet still sweat a lot and my socks collect moisture. The breathability of these boots is there, but it is minimal. One of the things that I believe slows the breathability is all the padding inside the boot. Most of the padding is between .125 and .25 in (.3 and .6 cm) thick. It appears to be some sort of open cell foam, but without cutting the lining to see I can't be sure. At the end of a good hike my socks are wet. Not sopping wet but definitely in need of changing.

Construction: Overall the boots are very well made. They have held up well with only small scratches and scuffs on the rubber parts. The rand is still glued tight and all the stitching is intact. The gusseted tongue has done a excellent job of keeping debris out of the boot and the generous toe cap has protected my toes from rocks and roots. The nylon areas are holding up extremely well and still look brand new.

Soles: The soles of the Helium's have a proprietary tread pattern and rubber compound referred to as Gryptonite™ “sticky rubber”. The soles have lived up to their name with good traction on most surfaces. The wear to the soles appears to be minimal at this point.

Summary: After the initial breaking in period these boots are beginning to be comfortable. They are lightweight but very robust. They have excellent ankle support and give me a great sense of stability. The only thing so far I don't like is the breathability. It could be better but I think the trade off would be a less robust boot.