I took them out of the box, laced them up, strapped them on and they were instantly comfortable!! I wore them around the house for the rest of the day and they felt great. I am a veteran and I love Army boots; these boots are just basically Army boots made of a slightly stiffer leather. My wife loved how they looked on me and they look wicked with a kilt. The only complaint I have is that the stickers on the inside of each boot left behind a slimy residue that is now stuck to my socks. James