Howgill is a nice all-around shoe for cooler, wetter weather. Coming directly from wearing Keld and Swale in the summer, Howgill is notably rounder and pointier, more of a foot-spaceship. For me, that meant sizing up from 42 to 43 to fit my toes. The roundness may be in part due to the continuous knitted structure - the shoe upper works a bit like a tube sock. It ends up with enough structure to resist pulling or rolling off during activity (unlike the Keld!) without creating pressure points.
The through-knit construction may be behind some reviews about insoles sliding around; I wear them without insoles, so not an issue here. I think the through-knit may be an advantage for wear. I managed to stomp through the insides of both Keld and Swale over about 6 months - the inner lining there is glued to the midsole and can peel back. For Howgill, no separate lining should remove that failure point.
The Hill Grip sole is noticeably firmer than the TrailGrip on the Swale. This is likely a plus for wear. It does seem to concentrate pressure along the midline of the shoe, at least on urban surfaces where I'm usually walking.
Pros: good moisture control, nice ankle collar, secure fit without pressure points.
Cons: narrow(er) toe, midline-focused grip (less 'walking on the whole foot' feel), vestigal heel pull.
Freet UK
Freet USA
