When my daughter received a pair of a popular brand of sheepskin boots for Christmas, I tried them on. I was immediately hooked on the cozy comfort of the sheepskin lining. As a bargain shopper, I just couldn't bring myself to spend $200 on footwear. After much research, I settled on the Emu Australia brand instead of the other popular brand in my neck of the woods. I was pleased to discover that it's possible to find deeply discounted Emu boots online. I was thrilled to snag a pair in mushroom at half price. Here are the details:

QUALITY AND CONSTRUCTION:
These boots seem to be constructed very well. The stitching is neat. The lining is soft, but is not as plush as the lining of my daughter's brand of boots. However, she commented that they felt just as soft and cozy as her own boots. The soles are solid. The insole is removable, which is a nice option. The insole is hard, and there doesn't seem to be much cushion under the layer of sheepskin. I suppose it would be possible to add an additional cushioned insole beneath the sheepskin insole if needed. I didn't really notice it after I tried As other reviewers have mentioned, they are a bit stiff when compared with other styles of this brand.

FIT:
I'm a size 7.5 to 8 in most shoes. I purchased a size 7 and they fit pretty well. My toe just barely touches the end. After two full days of wear, they're breaking in quite nicely. I wear them with socks, as my heel tends to slip up and down without socks. This may be due to the stiffness of the boot. The shaft of the boot is not as wide as other ugg style boots I've seen, which I really like. The buckles could be loosened a little if necessary, but not too much. They may be a bit snug on people with thick ankles or when worn with chunky socks.

APPEARANCE:
They are very nice looking. I wasn't sure what the mushroom color would look like, as every picture I found online seemed lighter or darker than the one before. The color of the boots I received is a deep tan similar to richly creamed coffee. The contrasting buckles on the back really set them apart. It's a simple touch that adds just the right amount of flair, in my opinion.

WATER RESISTANCE:
Aside from price, I choose Emu Australia over another popular brand because Emus advertises the "water resistant" properties of their boots. I didn't want to worry about a splash of water here and there. I knocked over a glass of water the first day I wore my Darlingtons, and a few droplets landed on the toe of one boot. I immediately grabbed a towel to blot them dry, but was disappointed that the water had soaked in immediately. A slight stain was left behind in one spot. I understand that water resistant is not the same as waterproof, but I did expect the water droplets to at least bead up a little. I purchased a protectant to apply to the boots before wearing them outside.

Overall, I really, really like these boots. I probably wouldn't pay full price for them. If you do purchase them, be sure to apply a protectant before wearing them outside.