Before I go into the details of my experience, let me say that these appear to be very well-made, sturdy shoes.  They probably won't win any style contest, but they show a good attention to detail and excellent construction.

I can't remember the last time I had a pair of shoes that required breaking in.  I don't know yet if that is good or bad.  The size is exactly what I expected from a 10.5 (I have had some brands that were smaller or larger than the stated size would lead you to believe).  I've worn these shoes once.  They feel very stiff, like a good pair of hiking boots do.  I think it must have a solid shank in the sole, which is a good thing.  I noticed that once in a while I would catch the toe of the shoe on a stair as I was walking upstairs at the office.  I don't think the stiffness is going to go away with use, but time will tell on that.

Also, the tongue of the shoe is very stiff also, and I felt some pain where the top of the tongue of the right shoe hit my foot.  That's where the breaking in will probably help.  It kind of reminds me of my old Army boots.  Terrible the first week, then they molded to my foot and were so comfortable that I seriously considered wearing them at my wedding.  I'm sure you can guess who vetoed that idea.

The one thing I hadn't thought of when I ordered these shoes was that the large, plain-leather toe is just inviting scuffs.  When you drive, the side of your foot will hit the brake pedal on occasion, and many other times, you'll hit something with the toe of the  shoe.  So I am betting that these shoes will require polish on a frequent basis.

But they are (currently) nice looking, very comfortable (other than the tongue rubbing my foot on one of them).  I awarded 4 out of 5 stars because of the unknown of how they will break in, but will try to remember to update this review when I find that out.

And one more thing:  I paid around $55 for these, so they are a great bargain at that price.  My usual brand, Propet, are a little more than that and give excellent value for the money, so I wanted to try these to see how they compare.  More on that comparison when I do an update.