Georgia Boot Eagle Light Work Boot, Russet Wildwood, Size 12(M)

I buy all my field techs their work boots. I use to go through footwear every other year, sometimes every year or more. I started buying Georgia Boot Renegades and managed to get an average of four years out of the boots before getting new ones. The Renegades aren't offered any longer so I went with the Eagle Lites. I've now got two years wear and tear on them so here's the review. The Lites compare to the Renegades in almost every way. We toss the laces instantly and install paracord. We treat the leather with bee's wax and olive oil about every two weeks. We wear the boots in rain, mud, tons of sand and in hot attics and brutal construction sites with sharp objects. We're an AC and maintenance company so the toes and sides take a beating (lots of squatting to wok on those ACs and the maintenance sees a lot of water abuse). With regular cleaning and leather care with the bee's wax, the uppers are holding up very well. The soles are a bit soft but I anticipate that the uppers will last long enough to justify a resole. The soft sole isn't a complaint, since we need the soft rubber to help grip the rafters in attics and steep pitches of roofs. We've had two pretty bad ankle sprains this year and the boots are able to be removed without having to cut them off our feet, which I can say for a fact is something the Red Wings can't do. After two years the leather is still in great shape and all the lacing eyelets and grommets are perfect. We wrap the laces around the top of the boot to add extra rigid support to the upper ankle and the constant friction around the tops of the boot hasn't worn into the leather at all. Again, we take care to clean and maintain our footwear but the Lites are holding up at least as good, if not a bit better than the old Renegades did. I expect to get another good two years out of them before replacements are necessary, even if we have to resole. We also keep charcoal inserts in the boots and change them out about weekly. Keeping the insides dry is critical on these boots. I've rotted out a couple pair of Renegades over the years. I have seven pairs of feet to shod and after using every brand out there numerous times, I've found the Georgia Boot to last the longest, be the most comfortable and most adaptable boot we've tried. I'm the boss so I don't go in the field anywhere near as often as my guys do. My boots have lasted six years with no signs of stopping (Renegades) but my guys are at the end of their second year and I'm confident they'll double that easily. The boots don't make our feet sweat, are pliable enough to allow us to maneuver in cramped spaces, hold up to the mud, water and sand of year round service work and are easy to get on/off, even during emergencies. I've got guys that weigh 160 lbs. and a couple who weigh over 220 lbs. They lift heavy loads (AC units are 200 lbs.) and they don't hesitate to get the job done no matter the weather or operating conditions. Georgia Boot is the only footwear I buy so far and the Lites are our go-to boots. The Lites have a bit more aggressive sole than the Renegades do, which makes cleaning them before going into the houses more tedious, but that's a minor inconvenience. I'm very happy with the Lites and we'll continue to shod our hooves with Georgia Boot. Hope this helps. Ken Denham KenCare Contracting, Inc. Kingsland, Ga.