I have to start by saying I've worn nothing but MBT hikers since 2003, but now that the style has been discontinued and mine have each been resoled twice, I decided to stop putting money into old shoes and find something different. I took a chance on these.
They are really well made and comfortable. I wore them right out of the box all day long and never had any issues as with most new shoes needing to be broken in first.
I have one complaint and warning to others. Be VERY careful coming down stairs with these boots. It must have something to do with the way the sole curves at the start of the heel. On several occasions, the heel gets caught on the edge of a stair and I've almost fallen face first down the stairs. Now, being aware of this, I'm very cautious on how I place my feet when walking down stairs.
All said, I'd give these up in a heartbeat for another pair of MBT hikers.