Hiking shoes

I used to love my waterproof boots, until I had to cross a creek that was deeper than the boot was tall. The waterproofing holds water in as well as keeping it keeps it out. Anymore, unless its really cold, I prefer to wear a pair of quick drying shoes (recently switched to Inov-8 Flyrocs from Salomon Tech-Amphibs).
If you would rather try different shoes, a lot of places online have very good return policies. Backcountry.com and REI will take refunds with basically no questions asked.
And regarding the need for mid to high top shoes, I obviously don't seem to think they're necessary. The Flyrocs have phenomenal ankle support compared to the Tech-Amphibs and I never rolled an ankle in them.
This is all just my opinion though. Everyone's view points will differ.

Adam

The most important thing about shoes is getting a good fit. Everything else is pretty much secondary. From my experience Hi-Tec's fit rather narrow but it depends on the particular model. Try buying online form a place like zappos.com that has free shipping both ways to try on a large variety of shoes not locally available.

1. Is getting a mid-high sole really needed? is it worth helping prevent possible ankle rolling for the weight?

A mid won't give that much more support than a low cut shoe. You get ankle support from the stiffness (and fit) of the heel cup and torsional rigidity of the sole. The extra height of mid may help keep your heel securely the heel cup, which is critical.

2. Should i get water proof shoes or not? is breath ability really important, or it just means your feet are going to be wet that night until u change socks

It's a personal choice but, I would go with out. Waterproof shoes can cause your feet to sweat which will increase the chances of getting a blister. If you get a a breathable shoe that drains well and combine it with a comfortable sock (I like the smartwool adrenalines) you might be surprised how comfortable your feet stay.

3. Also it getting water proof shoes worth it in case u fall in the creek while crossing rocks etc etc.

If water goes over the top they become nice water carriers. However you can take them off and dump out the water and squeeze out your socks. Your waterproof shoes will take a while to dry out once soaked.

Lastly, one shoe that tends to fit a lot of people well is the Salamon XA Comp.

Thanks to both of you, and now i know what i am going to do. I will probably try ordering some shoes and trying them on. You made good point about the water proofing and in the end that is extra weight. One last question i have is, is their that much of a difference? i have always worn leather heavy boots so on so on. Does going to a lighter shoe like thats salomons make that much of a difference? For the most part every one counts every ounce to get the pack weight lighter, but we have grown up since a kid wearing shoes so its not as though the legs are not accustomed to it right? so does a lighter shoe make that much of a difference? does it actually help?

The issue is not what your legs are accustomed to, it is the energy you expend to move heavy boots. Sure, if you have worn heavy shoes they won't feel like bricks on your feet, but they will still burn calories. Lighter shoes will let you go farther and faster. There are folks who claim that an ounce on your foot is equivalent to some pounds in your pack. That is undoubtedly true, though folks could quibble about the numbers. Remember that 95 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.

Andrew,

Vick nailed it on the head. It does make a noticeable difference having light weight footwear.

It has been said that every one pound on your feet is equivalent to 6.25 on your back, but I can't remember where this comes from…