Lowa Men's Tempest Mid

I've used Lowa Tempests (Lows and Mids) for years and would give the old models 5 stars. I used the Mids for lightweight backpacking, on and off trail. They were light, cool, and water resistant (I hate Gore-tex boots because they are too hot), though cross-country backpacking beat them up. So I would just buy another pair, which I did several times.

BUT LOWA CHANGED THE DESIGN AND MATERIALS! I bought the same size and model, but the upper material is much cheaper and stiffer (not in a good way). Now the place where the boot breaks digs into the tops of my toes (ouch). Breaking them in doesn't seem to help. I just wasted my money.