Riedell 265 Boots

I don't want to give too low of a rating because these are some high quality boots that reportedly are very comfortable and perform well once they're broken in. That being said, I just recently purchased a pair of these and can tell you first hand that breaking them in can be a painful experience. This new version of the original 265 has an inside tongue strap on both sides of the skate to keep the tongue in place, which is redundant since there is a slot provided for lacing through the tongue. These straps serve no purpose other than causing discomfort and they do that quite well. The rolled collar is also not a plus in that regard. I'm sure I'll like them just fine once they're broken in, but for now I'll be doing some serious leather conditioning to try to speed the process. Nice boots, but be aware that you will be uncomfortable during the break in period.