I got a pair of Wolverine Full-grain leather and 1000-denier Cordura nylon, Gore-tex waterproof 900-gram Thinsulate boots last January. (TM all that... HAHA) Though Wolverine was the brand, I can't recall the specific name of the boot. The Mamoth boots they sell now look close to what I have...

Anyway, I originally purchased them to set next to my BOB and to use while camping, but while I was breaking them in I found them so comfortable that I just kept wearing them as my everyday shoe. I hiked/walked between 2 and 5 miles a day up to 5 days a week in these, did regular everyday mileage in them, they went with me to Tracker School, they've been through snow and rain, and on rock, mud, sand, concrete and everything in between and they're still in excellent shape.

I'd estimate that they have another 4 or 5 years of heavy use in them easily if not more.

One lace looks like it's going to need to be replaced soon.

As far as I'm concerned, these boots must come with some kind of magical pitcrew of elves that work on them while I'm asleep, because about the only maintenance I've done on them is to hose them off after trudging through some deep mud.

They don't even stink like my tennis shoes, and that's a flippin' miracle. HAHA

Don't get me wrong, the toes are fairly scuffed up, but I'm no fashion junky, so that doesn't make any difference to me.

Best of all, I bought them in January of last year at an after Christmas Sale so got them for half price. On top of that discount I traded in some of the most awful colored Under Armour hoodies that I had gotten for Christmas from my mother.

I have a pair of Timberlands that I've worn off and on for over 10 years. Still look good and take a polish.

Chris Kavanaugh wrote -

Mors Kochanski www.customwoolenmills.com ( nice folks to deal with too) The boot suggestions are excellent, but for extreme cold this sock example demonstrates the need for extreme footwear in the form of Mucluks. I own Stegners from Minnesota, easilly folded up with socks, they are invaluable. Winter boots were a key item the Soviet authorities reminded people to keep for future retreats during WW2

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Could you expand on this? I went to the site, but didn't see anything about mucluks. In what way do they take the place of or supplement boots?

You mean you don't spin your own wool? There's nothing that beats handspun, handknit socks. Alpaca and angora make nice liners too.

hehe, Knock yourself out and spin and knit some socks for everyone on the forum. People just LOVE freebees. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />