I have several pairs of Ariats and have always loved them, but this is, by far, the best Ariat I have ever purchased.  They are super lightweight, fit so nice, and they were comfortable right away - no break-in period.  I hiked and mountain biked in them the first day and my feet felt great.  The did get wet and have a few very slight water spots - I will be waterproofing them before my next rainy adventure.  I can't wait for next summer when I do some combo horse/hike outings.