Let's start off with a quick thanks to Guidefitter and to Zamberlan. I bought these boots for the 2020 Elk hunting season. I started off with these in August and the took about 30 miles in the mountains to get good and broke in. Crossing creeks, streams, muskeg swamps and traversing rock/ scree hills. My feet never had any hotspots or sore spots. They gave more than adequate ankle support. I have a bad right ankle that was damaged while in the military and it kept is extremely well supported. While packing weight they felt as if the fatigue was reduced as well.