Rocky mens Alpha Force 8" Inch Side Zip-m industrial and construction boots, Black, 5.5 US

First and foremost, I wear boots 3/4 of the time. They're used for indoor work, trudging through the mud, walking through mid-calf high snow, driving, and just about any other normal activity that most folks wear shoes for. My old pair of these has lasted quite a while under heavy abuse. They're actually still usable, but the sole has started the crack in a few spots and on the concrete & tile floors at my job, I can no longer get a good grip and generally slip while trying to move a few hundred pounds. My insoles and the inner lining are also very worn, but it's mainly the fabric. Since getting a new pair they're still amazing as the first pair.Now to actually list what I love about this boot, and the reason I settled on this pair again.First thing, the insole is amazing. I glanced at the reviews and people are not lying when they say it feels like you're walking on a cloud. When I first tried them on, they not only fit right, they didn't need a break in period for them to feel great. I'm on my feet 8-10 and sometimes more hours a day, lifting, carrying, pulling, pushing, and driving an hour to work so cushioning/comfort is a key aspect I look for in my footwear. These fit that bill above any other boot or other footwear I've ever worn. Second, I love that they're waterproof, and in the years I've worn them, I've not had a problem with liquids getting into the boot (outside of removing them and snow falling from my pants into the boot). Plus, it makes them easy to clean after having to tromp through a ton of mud. Third, the ankle support is great. Next, they are durable, it wasn't until a few months ago that the sole had started to crack in my old pair and I couldn't get great traction, and that's after owning the pair for somewhere around 5 years or so. We'll se if this new pair stands up to the same abuse.This is the part where I tell you what I don't love about the boots. First thing is that they get hot. My feet sweat, but that's forgivable because they are waterproof and creating a very breathable mesh or something along those lines would compromise that wonderful feature. The second thing I used to hate out of three things I don't love about these boots were that there used to be a button snap where the leather flap covers the zipper. This has been changed to a small velcro piece across the zipper and it functions well and it is a major improvement. The real second thing I now hate is that sometimes zipping them up isn't without its problems due to the way the material that allows the boot to expand after unzipping gets in the way of the zipper. The third thing is that they don't seem to come in a steel or composite toe that I know of. The only two versions I've seen available is insulated or non-insulated (such as this one). The last thing is not having some lace hooks, and enough lace to really tie the boot well.Overall, my cons are very minor and I didn't have a size fitting issue with my toes the front portion of my feet, they fit perfectly. For comfort alone, I'd recommend these to everyone. Also, I didn't mention this above, but they also don't make a ton of sound like some boots do. I'm a pretty silent walker, but you'd image that I couldn't walk up to someone with these on stepping normally on a concrete or wooden floor without them hearing me, but the rubber soles definitely help keep the noise level of your footsteps to a minimum and I've definitely frightened a few of my co-workers on accident.

Started wearing these boots when I worked as a security director, a job that kept me on my feet all day, and could not believe how comfortable they were. It is like wearing a good pair of running shoes. Once broken in they feel like they are part of your feet. Wore them all day with zero foot, knee, hip or back pain. I loved them so much that i ordered 2 pairs a piece for each of my officers. I got nothing but compliments from the officers about them. Since then these are the only boots I wear. Now I am a truck driver in the northern part of the country and Canada and they still hold up as the best regular and winter boots ever. Here is a list of the good and bad about them...-Completely waterproof all the way to the top.-Truly slip-proof sole. (even while walking around in spilled diesel fuel at the truck stops)-Sole very rugged and does not fall apart. I put my boots thru H**L and have yet to destroy the sole.-Break in time was very minimal and when done, more comfortable than a pair of Nikes.-Awesome quality leather. Regular maintenance with mink oil or polish really extends the life.-High quality stitching lasts along time.-Even though not a "winter" insulated boot, they are still very warm.-Price, well worth the cost.The only downside is the interior. The interior cloth liner is always the first to go. As with any shoe its unavoidable. The area around the heel does fall apart but not for a long time.I hope they never discontinue these boots. I am on my 4th pair and absolutely love them. I would highly recommend them to anyone that wants dry warm boots for a long time.

I've bought several versions of the typical side-zip duty boots. I usually get them at one of the big-box stores (the one that begins with a Wal and ends with a Mart, if that matters). I usually get about a year out of them before they're too trashed to wear, though some have been a little better or worse.I don't work these boots very hard. I typically wear them to work, which involves walking on polished concrete floors and carpet. I don't sit all day but I'm not on my feet a ton either, so inexpensive boots tend to crack or come apart well before the soles wear out.After the last pair of inexpensive boots I bought gave up the ghost in 4 months, I decided I would buy a better quality pair. My requirements were pretty simple:-Side-zip so that I could slip them on/off easily-Water resistant enough to walk through puddles and snow. I don't need to be able to stand in a stream.-Lining-- I've worn unlined boots before and they're OK, but I prefer a little padding and insulation.I really wanted to try a pair of the Bates side-zip paratrooper boots, but they're not waterproof, are unlined, and cost almost $170 as of this writing. I wasn't in love with the giant lugs on the treads of the Rocky boots, but they checked all the requirements I had so I decided to try them.Right out of the box, the build quality and fit/finish of these boots is significantly better than the less expensive alternatives. One of the best features of this type of boot, in my experience, is that they are comfortable out of the box and break in easily. These are no exception. They felt comfortable from the moment I put them on and have gotten more comfortable as they wear in.The toe box area is a little tight, especially considering I bought a half-size larger than I needed, but not bad. I usually use an aftermarket insole with my boots but I cannot with these due to the tight toe box. Maybe they'll loosen up a bit, but even if they don't they are comfortable enough as-is.They're waterproof and insulated enough for my needs. My feet stay warm and dry when walking through puddles and on cold days, though I haven't hiked through snow with them yet (and probably never will). I did take them on a short hike through the woods and they have plenty of traction.I haven't polished them yet but it looks like the leather will take a nice shine.My only reservation about these boots is the appearance of the giant tread lugs that stick out of the sides of the soles. I have to wonder how much of that is an actual attempt at more traction and how much is a "look at me" tacti-cool design decision. But everything else about these boots has been pretty good and I consider them a very good value at the current price of $99. I'll update once they get a few more miles on them.