I am a pretty true size 7.5, with somewhat wide feet and somewhat high arches.  I do find that Born boots (including this pair) tend to run a little long in the toe, but on the other hand, whenever I've sized down to a 7, they end up a little too tight in the width and nearly impossible to get on due to the instep. A 7.5 tends to be the perfect compromise, and that was the case with these boots, too.

These are comfortable right out of the box.  The shaft fits my 15.5 inch calf perfectly, and I expect another half inch could be gotten easily without it being uncomfortably tight. The shaft is also quite high- I am 5'5 and they hit right below my knee.  Before I broke them in and the shaft 'sank' a little due to the ankle getting softer, the back of the shaft touched my thigh when I sat down.  That no longer bothers me since the leather softened. The elastic portion is not *super* stretchy, which I personally like but if you have really wide calfs it might not be quite stretchy enough for you, at least at first.  The footbed is padded of course, and very flexible. I've worn these for miles of walking so far and they are warm and look great! They are NOT waterproof unless it's only a drizzle outside or a quick dash across the street.

I love these boots and would definitely recommend them!