Update 3/11/19: these boots have really held up! I’ve worn them in some rough areas including thick cactus without a single poke. They are scratched up but still clean up decent. My calves are not as big so it is true about wearing thicker pants and the ability to tuck them in. On the coldest days I’ve worn long socks, thermal underwear leggings and jeans that I could tuck in. The boots have not stretched out over time, I just lost weight and my calves are a little over 13inches now. No cracking or splitting has occurred and I do believe I have gotten my monies worth, as this was a concern for purchasing rubber boots this expensive. During the longest of hikes, they were comfortable, this was around a total of 5 miles over deep mud, shallow creeks, rocky steep hillsides, and across pastures without any trouble.I really like these boots however my calves are 15 inches exactly and they are bit snug right below the buckle at the back of the boot. With the buckle all the way open, it's only snug around my calves right below the it. The top of the boot circumference is fine and does come right below my knee. They are well made and will hopefully hold up during hikes and hunting. I have worn them around town and had no problems so far. My toes and foot have plenty of wiggle room while the ankle area feels secure.Absolutely in love with these boots! They look better in person than in the pictures. I got the black ones with purple trim and a love that little bit of flare. The soles and tread are super sturdy. I actually feel more stable and grounded in these boots than any pair of shoes I’ve ever owned. Honestly, I’ll probably use these boots for hiking in muddy or wet conditions even though that’s not what I originally purchased them for! I usually wear between a 7 1/2 or 8 in most shoes. Ariat’s usually run large on me so I ordered the 7 1/2 and it fits like a glove! Comfortable with thin or thick socks. My calf is exactly 14in around at the widest spot. There is not much room for thick pants but I can wear them with leggings, breeches, or skinny jeans. So if you have a larger calf, these may not be for you. I’m a dog groomer and will be using these as my winter work boots as well. I’ll come back and update when I get some good use of them! I usually work 10hrs a day on my feet and constantly in water. I feel like these boots are going to be perfect for my job!I have painful feet. I’ve had surgery on the left foot and I am back in physical therapy for both feet. Comfortable construction with great support is imperative or I am in awful pain. When I put these on, not only did it cradle my arch the way ATS construction is designed to do, but each step seemed to help propel me forward due to the overall construction of the boot. In other words, it’s easier to walk in these boots than it is to walk barefooted. I have a nice pair of rain boots but I bought the Ariat Fernlee because normal rain boots without ATS make my feet really hurt. Now I don’t dread rainy days. Also I used the instructions to make sure the boots would fit my calves. They are adjustable in the back. So I can wear these over my skinny jeans with room to spare.Really nice boot. Deep treads for traction. Looks like good construction. Excellent interior sole cushioning. Cons: diameter of boot opening is too narrow to tuck in jeans or even wear straight-leg/skinny jeans. You will have to wear boot-cut jeans to fit over the boot. For this reason I may return the boot. I own straight leg and skinny jeans. Only boot cut jean I have is a dressy jean that I would never wear with this boot. I could probably not even wear regular leggings with this boot. I have average/normal calves, wear a 9.5 shoe, ordered size 10 Ariat boot.My new boots arrived today and they are even better than expected. Just beautiful and fit so well. I have been wearing Ariat shoes and boots for years and find they just keep improving on an excellent product each year. Normally I wear rubber boots every day in winter. These are perfect. The fit and support are amazing as with all Ariat footwear in my experience have been. My feet are narrow with a high arch. The best thing about Ariat boots (and I have 4 pairs) are you can step into them and kick them off with no hands! My last pair of these lasted 2 years and I wear them every day. I still wear the old ones with holes in them to mow the lawn. Highly recommended.These are an excellent boot. However, based on reviews I read, they said the sizes ran big. So I ordered an 8, when I'd normally wear an 8 1/2. In my case, even though I could get my foot into the boot, it was much too snug to be comfortable. So I returned and am ordering a larger size. But the boot itself is very nice. I have an old pair of Ariat rubber boots that I have worn out and have duck taped over the cracks because I don't want to give them up. I can wear them all day. I can tell the Fernlee boot will provide me with the same level of performance and comfort once I get the right size. I would recommend them.WOW, I LOVE Ariat, but these boots are just incredible! I've suffered through LaCross boots for so many years etc, but I have fallen in love with my leather Ariat's over the years, and decided to pull the trigger on this boot, and WOW, it's GREAT!!!! the box it came in I keep it in to keep them perfect for when I need them. Their AWESOME! Know you're shoe size and your ARIAT size, I went in between & it was just right!!!! I wear a 91/2 in MERRELL's and an 81/2 in Ariat leather boots, I went with a size 9 and it's PERFECT!!!after having true Wellies (from England, not the 'fashion boot' sold in the US) last for 15 years, was very happy to find these functional performing boot. while it's only been a few months since purchase, I'm very happy w/ these boots. well done Ariat!