I purchased a black pair of these boots approximately 10 years ago and have been extremely happy with their performance and durability. Despite the fact that I used and abused these boots for years, they stood up to everything I threw at them. The steel toes are very strong and have protected my feet from injuries on the work site and even at home when working in the woods and burning brush, etc. The tread/grips on the bottom of the boots are also deep and helped keep me from slipping in mud or on wet or icy surfaces. My pair is finally wearing out and I am preparing to purchase a new pair. I also paid closer to $100 for my pair at Sears so don't think you can go wrong with purchasing these tough manly boots.  Also note that different colors of these boots appear to be different prices.