Gaerne Balance Oiled Leather Work Boots - Size 9, Brown - Durable & Comfortable for Construction, Farming & Outdoor Work

Short break in , years of useBest dirt bike bootsI've put 20,000 miles on these riding my Tiger both on and off-road in the past year. They're holding up well generally speaking. The fabric liner is beginning to wear through at the top of the boot on both feet. It isn't a huge deal but it was a little disappointing. Otherwise, they are comfortable, waterproof and externally durable.very comfortable, high quality. but VERY heavy! I noticed they were heavier while riding trails and they even made my legs more tired, much earlier than usual. The other downside to heavier boots, is that if your foot does hit something at speed, the extra weight will cause higher impact energy. i had a nasty wreck where i think my foot hit the peg. I had a nasty bruise. I can't say if it would have been worse with other boots or not. Is the extra protection worth the extra weight? I can't say for sure.very comfortablevery heavy and can be tiring to wear.stiff at first but break in nicely and become much less stiff.Gaerne makes some of the best boots in the world - tough, comfortable, and stylish.However, these did not fit as expected. The foot was okay, a little narrow for my tastes, but the calf was designed for stick figures. The top buckle, fully extended, would barely get around my calf.Granted, I'm industrial sized and muscular, but these boots didn't even come close to being a good fit or comfortable.Net-net, if you have wide feet and muscular calves, look elsewhere.These were unbelievably comfortable right out of the box - almost like walking on air! They are light but still rugged and protective. The fit was spot-on ( I wear a 10 and ordered size 10). I wanted a boot with a little bit of a vintage-motox look for my retro-looking Moto Guzzi V7 Stone street bike, and these fit the bill perfectly. (I know, motox boots for a street bike?... but I like the look). They are very stylish (of course they're Italian) and really go great with the bike. On top of that, they are comfortable and flexible enough to walk around in off the bike as well. Another thing that I really liked about these boots was that I did not have to adjust my shift lever - the toe box is compact enough to easily fit under it, and shifting was a breeze. Granted, there is no shift pad, so there is some marking from the shift lever. But these are oiled leather that shows marks anyway, and it contributes to their overall serious, rugged appearance. They breathe nicely, and although it was a warm day (low-mid 80's), my feet did not get sweaty at all. They have the Drytech lining that lets perspiration out but does not let water in. I have not had the opportunity to test the waterproof capability, but given the overall high quality of these boots, I believe the little tag on each one that says "waterproof." The straps were easy to adjust and worked well, and the soles were nice and grippy. I am very pleased with this purchase and have no complaints at all.Boots are a good fit and very comfortable. They are well built. The only thing I don't like is the buckle system. I have had one strap fall out and it concerns me over the life of the boot. I tried upgrading the inner sole and I will tell you don't do that. The boots are a close fit and anything to change that like a different inner sole will make them uncomfortable.Chicks love when you tell them you own a $500 pair of hand made Italian boots.... then are severely disappointed when it's so you can go dirtbiking. ...guess I need to find different chicks...They fit well, but wear thick socks if you dont size down. Felt great even on the 1st break in ride.