Best work boot ever. And just over $100! I work at a horse barn 6 hrs/day. I want waterproof, sturdy, snug at ankles so debris doesn't fall into, wide toe box, balanced to alleviate lower back pain, no high heel, laces that stayed tied. I have to have black color. I got it all in these boots. Comfortable, no foot stress and no lower back stress (I did put in my orthotics to make sure of that). I hope they last awhile, but if they don't, I'll buy another pair.

Update: 11/17/2014 - - Newest and final rating: 2 stars.
Returning them. They aren't comfortable, they don't have thinsulate, the leather is cheap, the soles are trash. Won't bother trying Timberland as a brand again for boots.

First Rating: 2 Stars.
Update: 11/13/2014 -New Rating: 3.5 Stars. (haven't worn outside in snow yet.)

Received the replacement pair of boots today. Immediately it was clear that these boots were of a totally different caliber.The leather (unlike the first pair) has a nice finish, no scuffs or dead spots. The sole (interior & exterior) are much better and the boots were comfortable as soon as I put them on. There is still the issue with the "No Thinsulate" but I'll update once I wear these out in the snow/ice.
End Update ---------

Received the boots today and right out of the box the leather is scuffed on both boots. It appeared that the uppers were mildly used condition or like they had been sliding around in a tool box for a weekend romp through the backwoods of TN.
I saw straight away these boots don't appear to have any actual "Thinsulate" in them. It is something called "Thermolite" which is a cheaper "knock-off" of "Thinsulate" with "Thinsulate" being much warmer, lighter, etc.
Next was the issue of boot making quality. The boots when set on a flat surface looked completely different. The sole of one was bent out of shape and the leather upper looked miscut?
I put them on, they fit perfectly, however the right foot sole of the boot was convex and within a minute or standing there was a lot of pain going on. Nothing felt right about the boots so I returned them.
I'm giving them another shot with a replacement pair of the same size and style. Hoping I had a lemon. Will update when the next ones get here.

My last 3 pairs of work boots were The Timberland Pro steel toe with the rubber toe guard, I really liked them and would get just shy of a year with heavy use. After the price of the steel toe went to $149, I decided to try the soft toe at $100, I paired them with a pair of timberland inserts,...the combination was pure heaven.
I can work a 12 hour day and not even want to take my shoes off when I get home. None of my timberlands have required a break in period,..They are comfortable right out of the box.

Before timberland, I would purchase red wings, after my first 2 pairs split at the bottoms after only a few months, At the suggestion of the manager of red wings, I spent nearly $300 for a pair of American made red wings as he said they would last longer.

After only 3 months the inside lining and padding was falling apart,...I thought, well at least there is a 1 year warranty. WRONG!, they wanted to charge me stating "wear and tear". When I told them I would never buy another pair of red wing boots, they just shrugged there shoulders, an email to their corporate office received no response.
I work for a company where work boots are required, and we have alot of employees,...red wings surely lost alot more than 1 customer.

Don't waste your money on Red Wings,...Go Timberland!

In the past 3 years, I have bought 4 styles of Asics running shoes and these are my favorite!

My sell points for determining that these are "good" sneakers:
1.) Toe Space - I have problems with my toes going numb if I don't have adequate room in the toe box. To accommodate, I usually order a size 10 and lace up tightly (when I wear a 9 or 9.5) in regular shoes. This causes my shoes to typically wear faster in the heels because they side around a little, but my toes don't go numb after my daily 4 mile trail hike.
2.) Comfort - This includes arch support and overall cushioning. I have bad knees, so I can tell when the cushioning starts to go in sneakers. Mine last almost 3 months exactly when worn for 4 miles daily.
3.) Cuteness - Sorry to be vain but I want sneakers to be cute and have pink on them. These are the only kind I buy. Judge me if you must ;)
4.) Easy to put on / take off - I hate untying my shoes, so I love that these have a loop in the back so I can slip them on with minimal unlacing (lazy).
5.) Doesn't cake-in dirt/mud - When on loose dirt trails, I often encounter dirt & mud that gets caked into my soles, so I favor the Asics styles over, say K-Swiss because the soles don't have a lot of "hiding places" for mud to get packed into.

I compared:
ASICS Women's Gel-Venture 5 - My all time favorite for toe space as well as cushion and arch support and wears well.
ASICS Women's Gel-contend 3 - Wider in the arch area but narrow in the toes and heels.
ASICS Women's Gel-scram 2 - Great toe space but not much arch support to speak of (super-cute though!)
ASICS Women's Gel Frequency 2 - Actually a walking shoe and built much less "tough" and more lightweight but has a flimsy feel to it and comes up short against the back of the heel, so it fit kinda weird.

When I say these shoes "wear well" I mean that they don't look like they are falling apart even after much use/wear. The only indicators of wear that they show are some wear on the inside of the heels but probably only because I wear a half size too big on purpose, and also some fraying where the inner fabric (pink) meets the lace holes. (See pics)

Overall, I love these shoes the best of all I've tried in Asics as well as Adidas, Saucony, Vibram and K-Swiss and won't be straying from the Gel-Venture 5 shoes again. I love them and don't think it gets any better than this :)

Love

I bought them for my 14 month-old son. He had 3 pair of shoes before I bought these but they got holes after he wore them a couple of times. These shoes fit my son's feet well, they are stable and last long.