I got a pair of these back in '03 and was totally stoked on them for about a year. Fit my foot great and really comfy for hikes with a pair of socks. Pretty good in water although the webbing takes a while to dry out. Problems all hit me in one day... Rafting trip on the White river in Utah. Got a thin layer of slippery clay-like mud between feet and sandal and while scrambling up an embankment, nearly all my weight (205) was only being held by the heelstrap. The stitches sounded like popcorn when they went, first one sandal, then the other. Basically ruined the functionality. Other models have a single piece of leather for heelstrap with no stitching. Webbing should be stitched to other webbing straps, not to thin piece of suede.

Had these for a few weeks now and probably have 10 solid days on them. Performance and weight are great... A few considerations... The buckle bail holders on the upper 2 buckles are nice and I haven't had problems with icing up or sticking, but it sure would be nice if the third buckle down had them, too. That's always the buckle that's dangling off to the side after a hard ride. Super easy to get my feet in and out, and the liner slides in and out easily, too. Lots of people I know have said these boots are a no-no if your forefoot or toes are wider than average. Indeed, my little toe is the most cramped spot on either foot.

I purchased some 190's this fall, slapped some dukes on them and have been totally digging them (I'm 6'2" 205). Usually a tele skier, so AT seems like cheating with these. Very predictable in a wide variety of backcountry conditions. A couple things... I guess I'm used to a bit more sidecut because the first time on a groomer I tried to lay into these like a ski racer to see how they carve. Fell right on my side! Had to carve more conservatively to feel stable. They like to point downhill and prefer smeary/skiddy turns in the steeps. Excellent dampness, did not feel too noodly. Also, the wood core and bases seem bomber, but watch out with those cap skis! Had 2 friends compress edges and the ski was basically toast.