Frye Arkansas Mid Lace

When I found these Frye Arkansas ankle boots on the Zappos website, I was wanting a shoe or short boot that could serve the purpose of a dress shoe, but that wouldn't be so fancy or stylish that it would look out of place worn with jeans and a t-shirt, which is more often "the norm" for me. As far as look, but also fit, since I almost always wear Vans Old Skool hi-tops, these ankle boots fit the bill perfectly. Absolutely beautiful boots. They're at once simple and rugged, yet understated in their style and versatility. These boots are very solidly crafted, quite obviously with great care and attention to detail. I've been wanting to buy a pair of Frye boots for over 15 years after really closely checking out a pair a co-worker at the time used to often wear and highly recommended. I could never "justify" the price tag, however. Well, I'm glad I finally did, because there's no justification needed. They are worth every hand-crafted penny of their totally acceptable price tag. I now see it more as an investment, and I'm glad I finally made that investment. They're extremely comfortable right out of the box, and are great for casual or even more formal uses. I'll be wearing these for years to come. Both my girlfriend and my mom got excited when I told them I bought a pair. My girl wears a pair of ancient Frye engineer boots that have absolutely been through the ringer, but are still going strong. My mom mentioned that she's never owned a pair, but has been aware of Frye, as a quality company with an excellent reputation, since she was in middle school, and she is now 74! I remember that my two older sisters also used to wear Frye boots and shoes when I was growing up in the '70s. They loved theirs as well. I'm thinking about buying another style at some point as well, as they offer lots of options and styles to choose from. Very nice boots. Highly impressed and satisfied. One thing I found odd is the sizing. I wear 9 1/2 in nearly every brand of shoe or sneaker I buy/wear (Vans, Adidas, Puma, New Balance, Timberland). However, with these boots, I ended up purchasing a size 8 1/2! I tried the 9 1/2, in which my feet were absolutely "swimming", then moved on to a 9, which were still too big as my heel kept sliding forward inside the boot. Eventually the 8 1/2 did the job. I'm just glad that Zappos offers free return shipping, or this would have been very annoying and disappointing. Thanks Frye. Thanks Zappos.

I'd also recommend: Timberland

This is my second pair of Frye footwear (I also own the James Wingtips) and I am thoroughly satisfied with both purchases. I was looking for a dressy, yet rugged boot that could easily transition from work to play without a problem and these do the job well. After considering Red Wing, Alden, and Wolverine, I found the price of these boots to be more in line with what I'm willing to pay for a high-quality pair of boots. Frye is as iconic as any of the aforementioned brands and the quality is second to none. The supple richness of the leather and an incredibly sturdy platform and sole should ensure years of wear before being repaired.

I'd also recommend: Keen, UGG, Red Wing

I was looking for a boot that could take me from home to work and back and not look out of place if I needed to take them to a meeting. They fit the bill. They are well constructed and look like a cross between the omnipresent work boots and stylish on the town boots. But they're not perfect. While I love the style, the comfort can leave something to be desired. Other reviewers have commented on this, and I agree, there isn't much arch support, and the shoe feels "hard", especially on your heel. Like others, I put in a three-quarter insert that helped. Also, I'm not sure if the leather is dyed all the way through. When I've accidentally kicked things, the boots do nick up a bit, though conditioner can usually minimize it. This may be particular to the Redwood color, black or dark brown may have less problems. They took a week or two to break in, but the process wasn't painful. I used a leather conditioner before the first few times I wore them and it worked out nicely. Anyway, on the whole, I'm four-star rating, pleased.

Great boot. Classic style and looks very well constructed. Compared this head to head against the Red Wing Beckham. I did not see a price difference between boots.