Club Obi Wan

Hi everyone,
I'm so excited, this is my first post on the site. I've been visiting, reading, and learning for almost ten years. But haven't posted till now.
I've been looking for a pair of boots, and had narrowed it down to the Frye arkansas, and the Chippewa cap toe after reading about them here on the forum. I was going to go with the Chippewas, but the two places other than LL Bean did not have size 10's(I wear a 10.5 but heard they run big?). And I didn't exactly want to shell out close to $160 for the LL Beans. I like the Fryes too, and they were on Piperlime.com for $95. So I ordered them. Now I guess I'm second guessing myself.
I plan on using these boots for mostly casual wear, some light off road work. I would like some opinions as the durability and comfort of these two different boots. Are the Frye's as durable as the chippewas? I take care of my shoes, but I don't want to baby them. I want something that I can wear and will get better with age? Are the Frye's resoleable? I know the Chips are. I guess I'm wanting to decide if I should return the Frye's and get the Chips. I would even be willing to pay more for the LL Beans if it meant getting a better boot. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Welcome, CaliforniaJones.

Unfortunately, I cannot comment on your choice of shoes, since I only have a pair of Aldens. I used to have a pair of Knapp steel-toed work boots which I wore regularly for many years. They held up fine, and I only had them resoled once.

The chippewas are probably an actual work boot. I've got a pair of Arkansas boots, they're pretty nice, and I like the style, but they're definitly a fashion boot. A bit sturdier than most, and high quality, but they are not something I'd want to go out in the woods with.

Thanks for the replies guys. Well I got the Frye's, and they were too small. They were a very nice boot, but definitely a casual boot. So I sent them back, and right now I'm wearing a pair of the Chippewas at work. The Chips are a very tough boot that I think will last along time. They are very comfortable, though they feel like they will take a little time to break in. I got them from the Sportsman's Guide for $99.97. I got the 10.5 (my usual size) and they fit well. They are a little roomy as stated, but not enough to order a smaller size. These are factory seconds, and have the LL Bean label inside the tounge. I did not find any flaws at all. There were some very light rub marks, but I don't know if these were why they were deemed seconds, or if it is just from shipping. I put three different coats of Fiebing's on them over the weekend, and they darkened up nicely and dont seem to show rub marks as easily as when I first got them. So the long of the short, I think the Fryes are very nice, and I would have kept them if I was just gonna use them for casual wear. But the Chips are just as nice, and of a tougher, more serious construction. I can't wait to put some off road miles on them. I can only imagine them getting better with age.