I've loved these since I first saw a pair in the '70s, and was delighted to find the style is still available.

There are a few things worth mentioning to prospective owners, and for that reason, I did not give them a 5 star rating.

Fit wise, the length is spot on. The shaft of this boot is on the narrow side, and you must loosen the laces as much as possible to get your foot to make the turn into the shoe part. My calves are not big, but these boots are not overly wide and they 'fit' my leg. My foot is a medium width, having spread with age from a narrow, and they fit well. Those with wide feet need perhaps beware.

Inserting the laces is a bit of a challenge, and you'll do yourself a huge favor if you start out equipped with something like an eyebrow or other tweezer to use for threading, as the holes go thru two layers of leather and the holes do not match exactly.

As for the 'on and off' bit, do loosen the laces as much as possible to save on required effort. These are NOT an 'easy on, easy off' style!

The black is a rich, dark color. However, even with minimal handling, the black dye comes off on your hands, leg, and most anything it touches.

I went to a shoe repair place and got a can of Master brand "Quick Shine with Lanolin" - which is a product they use to seal shoes that they dye in the shop. I turned the boot shafts down, to enable me to spray the whole inner shaft part, and gave them a thorough coating. Once dried, I see no evidence of any more dye rubbing off.

Please note that I was told not to use this product on the outside, but rather, to use a product like "Camp Dry" to waterproof and protect the outer part - something I do with all new leather or suede items before they're worn or used.

This is a marvelous vintage-style boot, very comfortable to wear, and something you will enjoy a great deal if you pay attention to the specifics before you buy!