I have been coveting these
boots for close to a year and finally decided to invest the cash in them. They are definitely worth it. Nice thick leather, well constructed, they feel indestructible. Which means that yes, they feel stiff and heavy and tough to get on right out of the box. I opened the buckle, slid my foot in as far as it would go (wearing nylons, a plastic bag over the foot would work too), then pulled up on the back of the boot while rocking my foot back and forth until it popped in the rest of the way. They are going to require some breaking in, but you kind of want that in a boot- it means the leather will not break down and get too stretched out. Despite how stiff they are right now, I can tell they are going to be comfortable once they are broken in. They have good heel and
arch support, the calf openings are not too tight or too loose, nothing is rubbing on my toes, etc. I had been torn between these and the Veronicas, so if you are too, here are the differences I saw: the Veronicas are a much thinner, softer leather, and a thinner sole/lower heel- more of a
riding boot than a real engineer boot. I did not like how floppy the leather on the Veronicas is, it actually looks kinda cheesey to me, which is not what I want in such expensive
boots. The engineer just seemed much more substantial. The other decision I struggled with was the color: gaucho or smoke? I went with the smoke, but I am not sure how I feel about it. The overall color is awesome; a grayish brown, with a weathered look- but the weathered look is maybe a little too manufactured. Mostly over the toes- there is a definite line of demarcation between the color of the toe and the rest of the boot that I do not think I am crazy about, so I am going to think about it for a day before I decide if I, going to exchange them for the gaucho. Other than that, I am very happy with this purchase and I cannot wait to wear these to death!