This boot felt good for my 12B feet the minute I put my feet in them. I've been wearing a very nice but too wide (D) Vasque boot for 20 years because I could not find one that actually fit my feet as well. That said, it is very stiff and has a lot of volume - my feet are like swim flippers so I'm not surprised. I added an old pair of Spenco inserts I had in my New Balance 12b walking shoes - they fit pretty good so the sizing is similar to New Balance - the inserts added enough lift so I could tighten the boots so my feet would not move much as I walked. I'll report more as I break them in and get a new set of Spenco's and fit them exactly for these boots - I really think as they soften up I can draw them tighter to take up any extra space on top of my feet - but width and length is very good.. Came with a second set of round shoe laces (Parachute cord?) - the laces in the boot are flat.
I had been wearing the LL Bean Day Hikers for 7 years and they were starting to show their age. Since the Day Hikers are no longer available, I needed to find some other boots that i could do good hiking with in rough terrain and gave me good ankle support and provided great stability. The Cresta Boots are fantastic. I had them broken in with-in a few hours one evening. They are very comfortable and provide all of the stability, grip, and support. I love them!!
I've been through a few brands - all good quality, but these are the first I can say are truly dry. Others held up till I hiked through tall wet grass, and then after an hour or two they would relent and the water would hit my feet. The Cresta just keeps going. Support is great, the wide width helped, they are warm, but I wear good socks and find I'm not overly sweaty. Now the but - the inner sole - garbage. You get a month at most and then they fall apart.
I've had these for a month and have worn them literally almost every day, and on a road trip across Western Canada they have held up to every challenge.
Excellent grip on all surfaces, including muddy, slick terrain and the Vibram rubber is solid - no deterioration after hiking on rocky, abrasive slopes.
Very waterproof out of the box. However, they got completely covered in mud at one point, and so I had to clean them off - since then the waterproofing was effective on the Goretex liner, but not wicking off the leather exterior. I used Nikwax cream and it's as good as new - the leather does not get saturated.
Good looking pair of boots. I got the black boots, I like the style much more than hikers I saw sold by Merrel, Solomon etc. because it's a classic design. It takes black Emu brand boot cream really well, and have a quality shine and finish - enough that I feel comfortable wearing them into town.
Overall, excellent boot, and I am confident they will last many more years. My only complaint, however, is that I can't find extra laces on the website. Already, the left boot's lace is starting to fray at one of the loop holes, and I really want to replace them with the same exact ones that repel water and fit well. I'll be looking around and contacting LL Bean about this.
