Here's that North Face said about then: Elevate your hiking experience with The North Face Men's Cryos Boot. These boots are designed with a sleek black and white color combination that adds a touch of style to your outdoor adventures. These are 12 in a US shoe size, featuring a round toe shape with a lace-up closure for a secure fit.The outsole is made of durable Vibram material, providing excellent traction on different terrains. The upper material is made of a combination of wool and leather, while the insole is a molded-latex sockliner with a felted-wool top sheet for added comfort. These boots are perfect for hiking and other outdoor activities.What do I say: These were a whim buy a couple years ago because my wife loved them, but I can't stand them and they get no use, they've only been worn twice which you can clearly see in the tread. They called them hiking boots, but these are really more for looking good into town as I wouldn't want to grind these they way I do most of my hiking boots. These were a special Italian variant according to the sales person and it does say made in Italy and the quality is solid. You can find two pairs on eBay currently, one quite work for $180, the other in similar condition to these are at $250, I paid $350 on sale, though they were listed at $450.I'll include $4.99 shipping if you pay full asking price.