The most important aspect of any boot is without a doubt comfort. Â If the boots hurt to wear or end up giving you blisters, who cares who made it or how long they've been around?
That said, perhaps Frye has existed this long because the boots are comfortable – a joy to wear, right out of the box, no real wearing in required. They felt true to size, and the cushy foam in the bottom of the heel was a pleasant surprise lacking in many of the Dakota's competitors.
But if you're looking to invest in a great pair of boots, they've got to be versatile too.  While you probably can't get away with matching Frye's Dakota Mid Lace to your favorite suit, you can wear them just about anyway you want. You can button-up a dress shirt and rock the workplace or slap on a t-shirt and your Fryes for a weekend in the yard.
It's not very often you feel both dressed up and rugged, but the Dakota Mid Lace pulls it off with ease.
When the first pair of Frye boots were made back in 1863, they were specially hand-crafted from full grain leather uppers and premium rubber soles. About 150 years later, every time you order a pair of boots from Frye, they still come complete with beautiful leather assembled through more than 190 steps.  So as you can see, not much has changed since the company started.  What's that saying about not fixing what isn't broken?
The Dakota Midlace, retails for $178, a small price to pay for a pair of boots that will last the rest of your life.
Review pair provided by Frye.
