I live in Boston. We are experiencing one of the worst winters on record in terms of snowfall and cold. These boots have been fabulous. I originally purchased them for snowshoeing and winter hiking with microspikes, but have found them so warm and comfy that I wear them to shovel, walk the dogs and around town. There is no break-in period. The only downside is that they are quite high and take some time to lace up, so it's not an easy pull on/pull off boot if that's what you're looking for.
This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.