Had these boots for 8 months now and I LOVE them!! They may be the best looking lace up boots I've come across (they get lots of compliments).  Bates has an excellent reputation for making great quality military/combat type boots. I thought that was all they made, so when I came across these riding boots I was surprised.

I ride a lot and am not easy on my boots. Here are some points i'd like to touch on.

1. The leather is very good quality and the overall boot is very well made. Condition them with some Leather Honey, or another leather conditioner and the leather will thank you. I see these boots lasting for many years. (Note; some leather conditioners will eat away at stitching. Leather Honey won't. And no I do not work for them. I just love their product)

2. No problems with the side zipper. It works well and zips down far enough where it's easy on/easy off. I haven't had to untie the laces since day one.

3.  Very good lug sole, great traction when I'm riding and need to plant my feet on wet pavement or even gravel. I believe the heel is 1.75" high. Most of what's considered high in other boots are 1.5". So, if you're on a shorter side, like me, you may appreciate the extra height, which allows me to get more flat footed while on my bike.

4. The boot is very comfortable for me.  There may be lighter boots out there, but this boot certainly isn't heavy. I'd say somewhere in the middle. I've had them on from morning til evening, and did plenty of walking, with no complaints.

5. SIZING:  I usually wear a 10.5 so that is what I ordered. However, when I tried them on it seemed I had just a tiny bit more room than I like. I was going to return them for a size 10, but instead I put in some insoles and they felt perfect and incredibly comfortable.

At right around $100 these boots are a steal. I'd put them up against some boots that sell for twice as much....Chippewa's included (I have a pair of those too).

EDIT: November 1, 2014: Going on 3 years of regular wear and these boots are still going strong. The lug soles still have plenty left and the overall condition of the shoes are still in great shape.