Good boots for a great price
For this money, this is an excellent pair of boots. No elastic in sight! They're a bit flatter in the front than a classic Beatle boot, but otherwise have the Beatle boot form, with the added strap and buckle.The listing is a bit misleading, as it states these are made of "high quality leather," but also says it's synthetic leather, which I believe is the case. For me, this is actually a plus, but I could imagine some hipsters looking down someone for wearing faux-leather boots (Jon Spencer has a song called Beetle Boots that's about this. I can feel him judging me). No, I don't think these look like the most expensive boots, but whatever. I wear them at night and I think they look good.In terms of comfort, they feel very nice. As with most dressy boots, there's no real arch support, but there's just the right amount of plushness and the soles are grippy. I have joint issues and I did experience a bit of pain due to the slightly narrower front of the boot, but this went away. Also, I'm an outlier, so I expect them to be perfectly comfortable for the average person. I'd say these are less comfortable than my Doc Martens, but they're are about the same as or better than other dress shoes that I own.Sizing is perfect, too. Sometimes dressier shoes run small, but I ordered the size that I wear in athletic or casual shoes (Adidas, Vans, Reebok), and they're exactly right.I do have two complaints, however. The big one is that the boots came packaged in a sack, which was shipped inside a padded envelope. They really belong in a box. Mine were creased and deformed in a way that kind of ruined them, so I had to request a replacement pair. This is the manufacturer's fault, but also Amazon should have sent them out in a box, at least. They were far too vulnerable being shipped in soft packaging.Also, there's a bit of a petroleum smell, which can be a sign of something being cheaply made. I think it might be the rubber soles, but I'm not sure. The smell does seem to be dissipating, however.So in short, if you're looking for a cool pair of boots on a budget and aren't too worried about crossing paths with Jon Spencer, I'd recommend these. I do hope the manufacturer starts packaging them in boxes, however.