Three or four years ago, when I first moved back to the east coast, I had to pick up a couple of good sets of boots. If you have a wide foot, let me tell you....comfortable boots are HARD to find. I can find some stuff at places like Eastern Mountain Sports, but they fall apart on me in 6 months. Extremely poor value IMHO.

Anyhow, I just needed some boots, and I needed them NOW. I hopped over to my friendly neighborhood Walmart, and found these cheap boots called Brahmas. So cheap, in fact, that I picked up two pair....one comfy pair, and one slightly less comfy but waterproof pair. I figured that if I get a few months out of them, that'll get me through the winter and I wouldn't have to go on a Decent Boot Safari until next year, the procrastinator that I am. Did I mention they were very comfortable?

And they still are, years later. They're in GREAT shape and show no signs of wearing out anytime soon. In fact, other than a couple of pairs of nice shoes I have, these are the only footwear in recent memory that have outlived a set of laces. Several times, in fact.

So every now and then Walmart and/or one of their suppliers gets it right. I planned on going in there to get a cheap set of throwaway boots and came out with what are easily the best value in boots I've ever seen, and quite possibly the best boots I've ever owned.

Just an FYI for anyone boot hunting for the winter.