I've had these boots for 6 months and they're in just as good a shape as when I bought them. They'll probably last me for the rest of my Air Force career. There are definitely more expensive, lightweight boots on the market (such as Danners, Bates, etc). I tried several but went with the Belleville 690 based on recommendations from friends. If you're looking for a tough boot that can handle cold and wet environments such as Alaska, this is the boot for you. My only complaint is they did run a little large and the insole flimsy but I upgraded it anyways