I have had the boots for over 10 years. Used it 4~5 times a years in backpacking trips, averagely 3~5 days each time. I had been extremely satisfied with the boots and have recommended the boots to several friends. Good fitting, minimal break in time, excellent waterproofing, good tracking on the trail. Had gone through mud, snow, stream, .. etc. I have always expected the soles would wear off gradually. Unfortunately, this August (2016) while hiking the Syncline Trail loop at Caynonlands National Park, the soles of the boots came apart completely in the left boot and half way off in the right boot. I hiked 4 miles including the steep ascend with ropes holding the soles to the boots. I would have given 5 stars if the soles had been worn off rather than falling apart.
I bought a pair of Cresta Hikers in 2004 and absolutely loved them. I have put more than 1500 miles on those boots. Those boots were a size 11M. Over the years, my feet have gotten a little wider and a little longer. I recently ordered another pair of Crestas in a size 12W. The boots arrived and I was so looking forward to trying them out. Unfortunately, the size 12 was no longer than the former size 11 and the 'Wide' width was actually more narrow than the former 'Medium' width. I measured and compared the new boots to the old Crestas and to other pairs of boots that I own. Small all the way around.
When I contacted Customer Service to tell them of the problem, I got the standard form letter - 'Please feel free to return any items with which you are dissatisfied.' There were no comments about looking into the sizing issues. I was also disappointed to see that the Crestas were no longer made in Italy but had been outsourced to Romania along with costing $50.00 more.
Since there is no width available in the Crestas that is wider than a 'Wide' width, I returned the boots for a refund. I will look into Danner and Keen boots now for a boot that has a better fit.
I've been wearing these boots for 15 years, replacing them every 1-2 years depending on how hard I use them. I could probably get more use out of them but I wear them year round, nearly every day. They are extremely comfortable. I tend to replace them because the bottom of the boot begins to separate from the sole which allows some water to get in. Although the boots are still functional, I need a completely waterproof boot and probably replace them sooner than most people would. I did have my most recent pair break apart completely at the heel, but it was after 18 months of very hard use. I use them for hiking year round, including in heavy snow. I also work in them year round cutting wood, working in mud, snow, ice, etc, occasionally submerging them accidentally. I also suspect I would get more use out of them if I was more careful about allowing dirt and sand to get in them. It seems as though they have replaced the insole of the boot with a thinner, lower quality one on my most recent pair (spring of 2016). I'm not happy with that since it fell apart after about 3 weeks of use. Hopefully they will realize the mistake and go back to the better quality one. Because of that, I would recomend planning to put a higher quality insole in the boot as soon as you get them.
I have purchased 10 or 12 pairs of these over the years. Great fit and waterproof qualities; but the last pair I bought (two weeks ago), have an inferior insole. After two weeks they are coming apart. I will need to buy "after market" insoles soon.
