These boots were comfortable right out of the box. They are very lightweight for their size and very easy to get on and off. When laced to the top, they provide me with good ankle support. The aggressive tread design and rubber sole provide very good traction on snow packed sidewalks and suburban park trails. They don't have much traction on ice (no surprise) but I have ice cleats that I can strap on when needed. So far I've put about 20 miles on them in temps from 15-25 degrees in 3-4 inches of snow and my feet have stayed warm (these boots are not insulated). The EVA insoles are very light and flexible. Because they are so flexible, I tend to feel any rocks hidden under the snow. The soles may not be the right choice for a serious hike on a rock strewn trail. My feet have stayed dry so far, but it's been too cold for any liquid water so I haven't had a good "waterproof" test yet (Note: the top 2 inches of the tongue are not attached to the upper so water deeper than 3-4 inches would get in around the tongue.)

Update 02/27/11
I now have 100+ miles on these boots and they're holding up well. We had a couple of warm days and most of our snow melted. I've taken them through 2 inches of standing ice cold water on the trails and can now report mine are waterproof as advertised and my feet continue to stay warm and dry.

Update 07/11/11
I just purchased my second pair of these boots. Exact same reaction as the first time, comfortable right out of the box. I hope they hold up as well as the first pair which have been promoted to work boots for around the yard. If they do, I'll upgrade to ArmorLace boot laces when the original laces wear out:&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/ArmorLace-Boot-Laces/dp/B0049LUPR4/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">ArmorLace Boot Laces</a>.