Danner Men's Kinetic 8" Side Zip GTX Hiking Boots - Waterproof & Breathable for Outdoor Adventures, Trail Running, and Camping

I have owned Danner Boots exclusively for 4 years now. I won't trust my feet to any other boot.I wear the non zipper version of this boot at work in a tree nursery, and most store bought boots are chewed up and destroyed in under a month. These last almost 2 years at a clip, and remain waterproof pretty much the entire time. For the physical kind of work I do, that is very impressive!Typically, I own two at any one time. One that I keep clean and polished etc that I wear out on the town/hiking camping etc. And one pair for work that I beat the crap out of. Typically, this works perfectly, because by the time my work boots wear out, my other pair is broken in enough to be super comfy, but just getting scuffed up enough to need a new pair anyway.I don't usually buy the zippered version, they last very well, but I find the non zippered version seems to hold up a little better over time.The waterproofing on these boots is incredible, and goes almost all the way to the top of the boot. That is, you can put your foot in about 6 inches deep of water, and while some dampness will seep in through the goretex, your feet will stay nice and dry and if any water does get in, the gore tex will help dry them out nice and fast.The soles are really good for most surfaces, and if you go hunting a lot, or just like to stay quiet on a nature walk, these boots soles aren't like hard rubber combat boots, they are softer (yet still very strong) and make little noise.The boots are ultra light weight, and feel more like a hightop sneaker, but are as rugged as much heavier old school military style boots. Meaning you can hike more miles before getting fired.The cushy inside lends itself to long hours on your feet (once they break in that is) So if you are on your feet all day like I am, your feet won't get so tired if you buy the right size.This zippered version is nice if you ever need to sleep with your boots nearby, or on, because you can either take them off and put them on in seconds, or leave them on, but unzipped (so your feet can rest a bit), and zip them if you need them.IMHO I wouldn't buy any other boot... these are perfect.