At my age I'm no stranger to buying outdoor kit so am wary of shop staff who obviously just want to 'sell' me something. I have to say, though, that the staff at my local Cotswold store were knowledgeable and helpful and on the strength of that I bought the Quadra 2 boot in June 2012. It didn't really require breaking in - but then I would have been disappointed if it had - and its first true outing was on the Yorkshire Fells in the apocalyptic rain of 22/23 June. My feet stayed warm, dry and comfortable when not everyone else's did! Since then I've done some lengthy road, footpath and hill climbing in Scotland and found the boots truly comfortable with superb grip on the rocky bits. Easy to get off and on at the front door, too, which can be important at some cafes and pubs...not always my experience with some boots I've had in the past!