I'm happy with these boots. I've had them for a year and a half - wearing them on several backpacking trips, doing construction and landscaping work in them, traveling through Africa in them, burning them, soaking them - and they still function. Heavy landscaping work took its toll on these boots, and I failed to properly maintain the leather, but the soles have help up. The only reason they have any holes is because I hit them with a weed-whacker. Thanks boots, I'll always remember what you've done for me.