"This is the second pair of these boots that I've bought for my husband. They fit him perfectly right out of the box. No breaking in required. He's a little hard on his shoes so these only lasted him about a year, but he wears them almost everyday, so I feel we got our money's worth. The upper part is still perfect on his first pair, it's the sole that split after about a year. So if you're not hard on your shoes, these are a great buy that will last for quite some time."