Bought the brown ones in February ( as a present to myself for qualifying with my new Guide Dog) and have worn them every day so bought the black too, made sense to me! These boots are a generous size so I use insoles and thick socks, they are comfortable straight from the box, no rubbing, no need to "wear in" just pop on and go! If you are any shorter than me (5'3" ) then be careful as these boots come right up to my knee joint ( but they do drop slightly with wear) They are completely waterproof, this gets tested regularly but If they get saturated I let them dry naturally and then use a waterproofing spray. The wider calf makes it so easy to put on over jeans and still be comfortable. These boots are smart, comfortable and great for walking into town, sliding down river banks and negotiating flooded fields with my amazing Guide Dog. Love them.