KEEN Utility Men's Detroit Mid Steel Toe Work Boot - Waterproof Safety Shoes for Construction, Hiking & Outdoor Work - ASTM F2413-11 Certified

Let me preface this by saying that I'm a long-time construction worker (ironworker since 95 and general construction for the last 3 years) and have always had 10" leather boots. I fell in love with non-metallic toes several years ago, but my recent transition into more of a management role means I can afford to have footwear less... beefy. I chose this brand based on the recommendations of several other field office folks, and I was a little bothered by the fact that the selection of non-metallic toes is zero. I know last year they offered a couple styles with them, but even on their website I can't find any current offerings. Every time I clicked on anything other than a steel toe in the option box, I got the "Ooops, your search returned no results" message. Anyway, these boots came through Prime quickly and well-packed. Keen's packaging is pretty attractive and also kept the boots from scuffing. The uppers on the boots seem very stiff and I made sure to only wear them for a few hours each of the first couple days to break the shoes (and my feet) in properly. One thing that I didn't see listed anywhere was that they come laced with the multi-color ones shown in the pics, but also have a solid black spare pair. Nice touch for when these break. The reflective striping on the nylon bands and eyelets is very reflective... I'll be curious to see how it holds up. The "gargoyle" color palette is pretty cool for me, since for some reason brown boots seem to bug me. The soles are noisier than most boots, probably due to a harder sole compound. I noticed this trying to walk quietly out of the house on wood floors this AM without waking my wife at 5 AM. There's some definite clunking which (at least in the early stages) translates into a stiffer overall sole. As far as the weight goes, they are fairly light but the toes are clearly the heavy end. Composite toes would help this out immensely, while also giving better thermal insulation on cold days (and possibly easier grasp of electrical hazard ratings). Comfort wise, after a little break-in these boots seem very nice. They are a snug fit while allowing my toes to have a little wiggle room but still have ankle support. I think my only concern is with the laces. They seem a little thin and there is a lot of friction between the nylon webbing eyelets and the lace. The last pair of shoes I had with this style lace/eyelet ate laces about every 9 months. By contrast, my Matterhorn boots with metal speed lace eyelets never needed replacement over the 30 months I had them. If the laces snap or the eyelets show wear, I'll update but I would definitely recommend these boots.UPDATE 15-Sep-12 - Clean and condition the leather regularly!!! After a few months the leather is already distressing near where the toe bend is, from the lowest eyelet to the sole. A friend also has Keens and his got holes in both boots in the same place after just over a year. He and I are both field office guys, so we aren't abusing the boots like a lot of general construction workers would. The laces themselves are holding up, so the eyelet concern I mentioned earlier might be a moot point. For $150 I expected something more durable, but I will see how it goes. Monthly conditioning will help but I never had to do this so often with any other boots in the 23 years I've been in construction.