As much as I love Dr Marten boots, their downside is the lack of side or rear zippers. If you wear your boots while traveling, as I do, you need boots which are easy on and off so your time at the airport security lines is cut to a minimum. These Nine West boots did the trick beautifully, they are cool-looking, comfortable, easy on and off with their zippers, and got me through snow and ice and just a lot of trekking in London and Boston recently. Never felt like pulling them off because my feet hurt, at all. They did get scuffed and dierty a bit, but that just shows they are loved and used a lot. Highly recommend!