Carhartt Men's CMW8200 8-Inch Steel Toe Work Boots - Durable Safety Shoes for Construction, Warehouse & Outdoor Work | Slip & Oil Resistant

Let me preface this review by saying this is a lengthy review but if you are considering this pair of boots please read the entire review as my experience using these boots spans 12 years, 3 pairs, and 5 different jobs (dairy manufacturer, 2 breweries, hardscape/landscape/construction, and a wastewater treatment plant). I really like these boots and I have never had a problem with a single Carhartt product I have ever owned. Included are pictures of the current pair I wear for work and the first and only issue I have ever encountered with this product. I urge you to please read the whole review even though it is quite long as there is a very detailed account of my experience with these boots.I have had 3 pairs of these boots in the past, counting the current pair I use for work. 1 pair of the composite toe and 2 steel toe. The first pair I purchased were the composite toe style and were used for work around the house, garage, and farm and eventually were used for work once I started working. That pair of boots survived a 3 year employment at a dairy company working in wet conditions, dirty conditions, food manufacturing areas, fridges/freezers, loading docs, and literally all other areas of the plant at which I worked. They also survived employment at 2 separate breweries (Thirsty Dog Brewing Company and The Brew Kettle for those interested) where they were put through hell yet again (A LOT of wet conditions and the entire day spent on my feet). This pair lasted me over 10 years until they were falling apart so bad they were no longer wearable.I decided to purchase another pair when my original pair were retired however this time around opted for the steel toe pair. I worked for a hardscaping/landscaping company where I installed paver patios, walkways, retaining walls, driveways, landscaped, and did a ton of concrete work as well. This job was MUCH harder on the boots than the environment of the previous pair. This pair survived 2 years of this before I left that job for my current one. They are no longer water tight due to the harsh conditions of the job. The toe material wore through from kicking bricks and the sole of the boot is missing pieces due to the massive amounts of hand digging done on the job. I still use this pair but only for work around the house and garage.My third and current pair were purchased in December 2017 for use in my current job as a Wastewater Operator for a local county wastewater plant. Again I purchased this boot because I love them. As of this past month (October) I encountered my first problem with these boots that was not due to wear and tear. The sole of the left boot split from side to side right where the balls of my foot sit and my toes bend. Due to this split the the boot was no longer water tight and allowed my foot to become soaked literally every night especially the days when I had to work out in the rain storms. I was disappointed because the boots were 172$ all said and done and were less than a year old.I really didn't want to spend that much on another pair but I don't trust many other boots for work. I looked into Carhartts warranty and they offer a 1 year against manufacturer defects. I called their customer service department and after speaking with their customer service rep and their boot department (total time on the phone of maybe 5-10 minutes over all and almost zero hold time) they sent me an email with directions for what information they needed from me and how to get it to them. They requested proof of purchase, a picture of the defect, my name, address, and phone number, as well as the specific boot information for the pair in question. After a short photo shoot I sent the email off to email address provided and within a few hours had a response stating they would be sending me a replacement pair as this is certainly not supposed to happen and is not due to normal use.Overall I give these boots a 5 star review, as well as, Carhartt themselves. These boots are a little on the pricey side but are absolutely worth it. They offer an exceptional amount of ankle support, comfort, warmth, and dryness. Overall I highly recommend these boots to anyone looking for a quality work boot for pretty much any scenario, with the exception of anything where water will be higher than ankle level for obvious reasons, as they are fantastic. It isn't a surprise that Carhartt makes good products but the surprise for me came with how great of an experience I had when dealing with their customer service department. I hope this helps and I hope you are happy with this product if you decide to purchase them.