I had Red Wing shoes exclusively years ago (25 - 30) and they did take a bit of time to break in.
While on vacation in Las Vegas about 8 years ago, the shoes I was wearing begin to hurt my feet and when you have size 15 feet, that is a big problem.
I found a shoe store and they only had one pair of shoes in my size. It looked like they were designed by that famous designer Bud Tugley. I bought them anyway. They were Merrils and so comfortable they are the only shoes I wear now; I have 6 pairs. It's nice to find a shoe in adult sizes!