Well, update: I tried these four and none of them really are making the grade, with the exception of the Fryes.
The Grey City were downright painful -- I didn't even bother putting on both boots. My feet are not wide, and they pinched across the forefoot so badly I can't imagine who could wear these unless they have very narrow feet.
The Jeffrey Campbells are cool, but the comfort level was not quite there. The high shaft rubbed on the back of my ankle on one of the boots. Plus with all that shiny metal they just seemed a little *much*. But I loved how open they were (good for summer). It would be nice to find a simpler variation on this kind of style, but I'm not seeing it in any of my usual online retailers, much less in stores.
The Matisse boots are cute when I first put them on, but the lacing does some weird things when you actually wear them. It bunches and creates a lumpy look around the ankle, and they also squeak. It's a shame because they were comfortable.
The Fryes I actually really like, but they are the least streamlined looking of the bunch. They're also not particularly suited to summer wear, but they would be great all the rest of the year. The vibe is closer to that of my moto boots than to my old woven Jeffrey Campbells. I would actually consider keeping these because my moto boots get a LOT of wear, and these are a more sophisticated answer to the clunky moto boot.
I'm not in a hurry to make a purchase, but I did realize the other day when I went to wear the old Jeffrey Campbell woven boots that they are not as comfortable as they used to be for summer wear without socks. I will soon have a wardrobe hole for good summer rock'n'roll style footwear that isn't sandals or sneakers.
