These boots are amazing!  They say to break in boots by wearing them before long hikes and that's exactly what I've been doing.  These boots are similar in weight to sneakers and feel less than half the weight of my steel toed boots.  While there is mesh all over them, they are waterproof!  I got them for Christmas and have been wearing them in Upstate NY snowstorms over the past several months (shoveling and climbing through snow drifts) and my feet have yet to get wet.  My feet are incredibly warm inside them as well.  I think this is my new favorite brand shoe.  Worth every cent!