In addition to these factors, some combat boots have inner zippers ... Built with durable faux leather, they're rugged enough to withstand heavy wear, yet they aren't overly clunky.

“Generally speaking, you want to start with as soft a leather as possible,” Teague says. For Ariat, they go with a heavy weight for work boots for the durability, but opt for a lighter weight ...

Instead of stomping around the job site in a pair of heavy leather boots, you should opt for a pair of breathable work boots in the warm seasons (or year-round, if you suffer from sweaty feet on ...

Any pair of shoes by the Swedish designer feels low-key luxe. This style has a pure leather upper, solid rubber 32mm outsoles and inside zippers for easy access. They come up a little big ...

The Scarpa Rio ($240; www.scarpa-us.com) is one such. An utterly classic boot all-leather uppers, stitch-down sole, steel shank. A slightly lighter but similar boot is the L.L. Bean North Col ...