After 7.5 months of light duty use, I sadly have to remove the 5 star rating. I use these for work, as a manager in a retail setting, so nothing demanding. After this time frame the soles are about 90% worn out and the like many other brands, the side zipper was the fail point with zipper separation due to zipper teeth breaking and separating. The boot itself was comfortable for 12+ hours of wear and never got too hot. The soles have been very squeaky on standard vinyl tile flooring throughout the life and even with only 10% tread life left, very noisy. My employees joke they know when I'm coming. So as of 3/11/18 I'm in need of a new pair and sadly, won't try this brand again. I had such high hopes from the out of the box experience I posted about below but the test of time proved these not to meet expectations.<br /><br />The true test will be that of time and wear. But being a Bates brand loyal customer, I bought these simply because of the reviews. Right out of the box they are exceptionally comfortable. The foot bed has enough cushion and arch support that I won't need insoles for my high arch, wide feet. The side zipper isn't as convenient as that found on Bates but maybe it will ease up a bit. The sipper has a swooping arch to it which makes standing and putting the boots on difficult. When sitting it's fairly easy but I like to jump into my boots and go. The design allows for flex in all the right places and doesn't seem to need a good break in period. I am on my feet 11 hours a day, up and down ladders, kneeling, walking etc. One set of Bates lasted me 5 years, the most recent pair just over a year until the leather wore out and the side zipper separated. Time will tell the comfort and durability of these boots but after one month I'll have a good idea of how they hold up to moderate abuse.
Rating: [3 of 5 Stars!]