To be fair to Georgia Boots, I am comparing these to Danner Rainforest boots, which are pretty much the best boots ever made. My criteria in buying these was a boot with an 8" ankle, Gortex, Vibram low-heel logger sole, all leather, soft toe. Right out of the box I notice the leather is just a little bit thinner than the Danner Rainforest, and the stitching is just a little bit more "rough around the edges." But for the most part, it looks like a quality boot. I have worn these 8 hours a day for a week now, and the next observation is that boy are they stiff around the ankles. Even my Danners take a few days to break in, but with these, I finally had to switch back to my old boots for awhile because my ankles just couldn't take it anymore, and this is coming from a guy who can break any shoe into submission without it ever causing foot pain. I have ordered neatsfoot oil, and after that comes and I give them a good couple of soakings to soften up the leather I'll give it another go. Like I said, all ankle-laced boots take a little time to break in, but these are extra stiff in the leather. I never remember giving up while breaking in a pair of Danner Rainforest boots. Another thing I noticed is that they seem to have a lot of extra leather. The size 12 is the same length as my size 12 Danners, but they are a a little too roomy... enough that it is difficult to lace them up to a snug fit. Again, some of that is due to the stiffness of the leather. It seems that I'd have to wear thermal socks if I really wanted to snug these down tight. Finally, I have a strangely shaped foot where, though my foot is narrow, it sort of curves outward in the middle, making my overall width an EE, so take this next criticism with a grain of salt. Though these Georgia boots are 12EEs like my Danners, it feels like that outside curved part of my foot is stepping off the "foot pad" of the boot. Now again, my foot is weird and that happens with every tennis shoe I've ever worn, but not with my Danners. I don't know if their 12EE is just a little wider or the leather is more mild, but it just seems a little more stable and "under my foot" than the Georgia. Besides the stiff leather, though, I'm being extra picky. Keep in mind that I paid $200 for these Georgia boots and I would have paid $325 for an equivalent pair of Danner Rainforests. I was trying to see if I could save some money each year in my boot purchase, but it's going to take some time to see if it's worth it. I will review some more after I've worn them every day for a few months. [Edit] It's been 1/2 a year or so now, and I have given back a star, making it a 4 star review now. I still am keeping a star for the reason I stated previously that there is way too much leather around the ankle... enough that the top lace pegs are so close together they can come untied in my case if I don't do it just right. I also am keeping a star because these boots do take a long time to break in. They were comfortable once I got them broken in, but it took a couple of weeks instead of a few days like my pair of Danner Rainforests. But besides those two issues, one of which is only a temporary issue, these boots are great. I cut logs in the rain/mud for an entire day this winter and they stayed perfectly dry inside. The footbed is actually very stable... in some ways they feel a bit more stable than my Danners. For the log cutting type of work on non-flat terrain they have been awesome. From a longevity standpoint I think these will last just as long as my Danners... heck, most of the materials are the same. These have become my go-to work boot. They just feel tough, yet I can work all day without foot fatigue. That being said, my Danners retain the title of my go-to hiking boot. They are just more comfortable and less "large" feeling. So Georgia for work, Danner for hiking. In conclusion, I WILL buy another pair of these when these wear out. They are almost as good as my Danners but I can save $150 each purchase, and they are good enough to make that savings worth it when used as a work boot.
