I just bought a pair of the 980's (same boot just a little taller) last weekend and was amazed at how great they felt. I was breaking them in around the house and went to climb a ladder to put something in storage and sheered off one of the lace eye's! I called Zamberlan and they said since they make them out of aluminum to save weight that have had problems with people on ladders and getting them caught and sheering them off. Of course they paid for them to be fixed, but made me a little nervous.