Protecting my purchase has nothing to do with it. To ask a cobblers opinion (or any other ‘experts’ opinion), of whether these boots are of a less sturdy or durable construction is purely subjective. No question of the synthetic nature of some of the material. The wrong assumption is that it’s necessarily lower quality or less durable because of this fact. They simply can’t say at this point. I’d guess the crepe TT outsoles may need replacing before the insoles give way (if ever), and I’ll worry about it then. We don’t have to beat a dead horse here. I can continue to blindly enjoy these boots, and you like some others can continue to believe that RW has lost its way or, is just cheapening there new products but selling them at a premium nonetheless.