ghost, ive got bad knees and as such what shoes i wear matter greatly....though they have good reviews New balance dont work for me either.....on the off chance our feet are similar you might try Columbia for normal shoes/hiking boots.....not all of them work for me but bout 1/3 of their products fit me like a glove.....might be worth checking if you find yourself in a store that carries them... tend to be able to tell right there in the store if they will work or not....
I am in the same boat, Merrill hikers and sandals are great but I wear a pair of ECCO track 11 ankle boots for just about every outdoor active thing I do.
