I ordered the non steel toe, they arrived yesterday, in fact I’m wearing them right now around the house to break them in.
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First impressions, out of the box, you’re right they feel heavy, but for a riding boot, I think that’s ok. They have a quality feel to them. The leather is thick and has a well oiled feel to to them. The soles are beefy and protective feeling. They have some minimal padding around the ankle but they are not real cushiony like hiking boots or high top sneakers. When I first put them on, I thought they felt loose on my foot, that’s not uncommon for me, I am flat footed and do not have a high arch at all. I slipped on some thick cotton socks and inserted the foam arch supports that I wear in all my shoes and the fit was much better. They were very stiff at first, but as I have been wearing them around the house, they are already breaking in. Despite the lack of a steel toe the toe box feels very stiff and roomy.
Early in my life , I had to wear steel toe boots for construction work and I was never very fond of them.
So….bottom line, I like them, I think they will be perfect for riding, and yet comfortable enough so that when I’m off my bike I can walk around in comfort. Mission accomplished!