Being a paramedic, I'm required to wear black leather boots to work. I've gone through almost every name brand that markets to EMS, Fire and Law and I've never been happy with them. I went out on a limb and got a pair of these in black and have been so amazed at their fit and performance that I had to write this review. I would say that if you are a guy and have narrow feet for a guy, go ahead and buy the appropriately sized women's model because they are so similar. The fit is true to size and the quality is totally top-notch. The only little complaint I have is that the blue laces that came with the black boots are round, and so they are harder to keep tied. At first I went with the blue laces, being in EMS and all that, but they kept coming undone so I went back to the flat black laces. Then I went online and bought a bunch of laces in every color I liked. In fact, I like these boots SO MUCH that I came back online a month later and ordered a SECOND PAIR. Knowing I'm a paramedic and you can see how much money we make, that really says something considering they were $199 when I bought them. Since then I've taken them hiking, worn them to and from work, worn them to and from school and everywhere in-between. They are totally waterproof. They look great. They have good traction. If you buy these boots, I seriously recommend you go online and order some more flat laces in other colors. The boots are so nice you'll want to wear them with every outfit you own and extra laces can really jazz them up. Highly recommend these boots, especially now since they seem to be on sale. If you can get them on sale, then that is totally cool.
So I purchased these so that I could become more comfortable hiking up mountains (as I'm a geo major and a lot of my classes involve hiking) and I'm amazed by how great they are. They really hold up to the hype. They fit great (I certainly suggest getting your actual size - had to exchange because I chose 8 1/2 when I'm 8's) and they look great. Oh, and they're super comfortable. I'm practically wearing them everyday, even when I'm not in the field - they're that comfortable. I definitively recommend these.
I am a Probation Officer and need boots for home visits that support my weak ankles, have a thick sole, keep my heals steady and are snug enough to prevent my bone spurs from hurting. These boots are amazing! I walk in places that are rocky, have debris that should never be stepped on by a human being, and these boots provide stability and I could still run in them if I needed to! OK, my one criticism is that they are too warm to wear in a hot office all day. . . but I have never trusted or felt more secure in a pair of boots than I do these. Thank u llbean.
Naively but fortuitously for me, I bought these boots out of an LL Bean catalog in 1998 before heading west to do a semester wilderness program in the Cascade Mountains. This was my first pair of hiking boots and my first experience with long-range backpacking. I arrived at my destination and our group leader warned us of the dangers of not trying on boots before purchasing them. Hesitantly I set out on the first of our backpacking trips and was overwhelmed by the comfort and out-of-the-box readiness of these boots. When the other hikers in my group were wrapping their feet from the massive blisters they had from breaking new and more expensive hiking boots, I was exploring glaciers, waterfalls, and lush forests in the Three Sisters Mountain range. 15 years later, I am still wearing these boots and happily hiking local parts of the Appalachian Trail 4-5 days a week, in the snow, rain, and mud!!! I borrowed a neighbor's old riding mower last year and he didn't bother to mention that the place where you put your right foot gets abnormally hot, so unfortunately, I overheated the sole of my right boot and it has started to come loose. Had that not happened, I think I would still be wearing these for another 5+ years. I'll be purchasing a new pair soon and I'm excited to see that they now offer the boot in different widths. I won't buy a different hiking boot in my lifetime unless something changes about this boot. As an additional bit of info, I am really hard on my shoes and wear them out faster than the average person. I have never owned another pair of shoes longer than this! Highly recommended! Happy hiking! :) PS - attached you'll find a pic of my boots at 15 years old.
