I originally bought Bean's "snow sneakers" with the Velcro closures. I returned them because they were "clunky." Thought I'd try these. I'm 6 feet, 200 lbs., active. Live in the northeast, where we get plenty of snow. Get these and a pair of Bean's heavy socks, and forget about "winter boots." These will keep your feet warm, dry and comfortable. They also give great support to your feet, arches and ankles. Best of all, you can wear them in any kind of weather: just change the socks to a diffferent weight. These are good looking enough to wear into the city, too. And comfortable? Fuhgedaboutit!!!
Thank you, L.L. Bean for maintaining the quality, style, durability, and value of this shoe! Please do not change what is, honestly, the perfect hiker. I pulled these out of the box (they smell divine!) the very day of delivery and literally wore them for seven hours. They neither hurt my feet nor were they even uncomfortable. I absolutely love these boots! They go on and off very easily. Having said that, they will require a break-in period, and I sent back first pair and reordered a half-size down. Medium-weight socks are ok, but thick socks work best - I highly recommend L.L. Bean's wool version. Usually, one will find a sacrifice made somewhere in a shoe, whether it be in styling or comfort. Not the case with the Cresta. While I want comfort and practicality in a shoe, I also require style and good looks. Again, this shoe has it all. I've received so many compliments while wearing! I'm afraid if I wear them on the trail too often, they might get dirty. I wear them almost anywhere. They also look great with cords and chinos in addition to jeans. Before you even consider buying another hiker, give these gems a try. You won't want to take them off.
I have about 10 miles on my Cresta hikers and they are the most comfortable boot I have owned. Backpacker magazine rated them highly and they continue to earn the rating. Well made and extremely comfortable plus lots of support. Excellent boots.
I have used these boots for approximately 20 miles of backpacking with a 30-35 pound. The boots are very comfortable and provide good ankle support. The insoles are made from cloth covered open cell foam and while comfortable, they do hold water like a sponge and are not holding up very well. I believe the boots to be waterproof; the boots became wet inside from rain water wicking my down base layer into the boots from the top. The leather is thick and of good quality but is now well scuffed from rocky PA trails. A protective rubber toe cap would be a nice improvement. The size was on-target.
