These boots are awesome. If you want high quality American-made products, you have to pay for it. If you're used to buying imported boots at Walmart, then the price of these boots will seem outlandish, but you've got to consider what an investment a good pair of boots was back in the day, before you could walk into any big box store and buy something that looks like a boot for a few hours' wages. I have no doubt these boots will last 15 years before needing to be re-soled, then last another 15 years. The construction reminds me of a pair of Addison flight boots I was issued in Pensacola and then wore for over a decade, every day, as a Naval Aviator. As everyone says, these boots have to be broken in before you you can enjoy them. After three days, I'd say they're finally loosening up a bit. Having been home from work for four hours now, I'm still wearing them in my living room. They're not combat boots. They're just a really sturdy medium-height shoe, which probably won't keep your feet warm in the snow (with no insulation), but they'll at least keep your feet dry and you'll have traction walking around in typical northern slush. And in the absence of a lined insole, you can wear them year-round.

I've gotten multiple compliments on these boots from people who never comment on such things (including my wife).

I highly recommend going to a Redwing store and trying on these boots before you buy them on Amazon. They do run small. I usually wear an 11D and I ended up buying a 10.5.

UPDATE:

They've broken in quite well. I can literally wear them all day long, and have worn them on numerous day trips around D.C. with extensive walking and have no issues. My only complaint is that the rough inside leather makes it difficult to get them on or off without unlacing them quite a bit. A smooth lining would have helped this, but then that's something which would probably wear out eventually, whereas with this design, the leather inside will never wear a hole through it. Hopefully it will smoothen after putting them on and off a few hundred times.