In my experience, the difference between a merely good pair of leather boots and a truly great pair of leather boots can prove quite vast — yes, seriously. Lace up an exceptionally well-crafted pair of the best boots for men, and you can see and feel the difference right away, in matters of both style and functionality.

And the difference is more clear than ever as we step stylishly into spring, particularly if you go ahead and pull the trigger on a new pair of men’s boots from Frye.

The newly released Frye Barrett Lace-Up Boots are nearly everything you could ask for in a casually rugged pair of men’s boots, particularly in the anything-goes climate of spring.

They’re not a tried-and-true pair of all-out rain boots or work boots, for instance, but they walk a delicate line between rugged and refined — never a bad thing to have in your wardrobe, at least in my experience scouring the market for the best boots to wear with jeans (and stretch chinos, and corduroy pants and more).

These boots are billed by the legendary Northeast bootmaker as “a timeless footwear staple for the modern gentleman,” with premium vintage leather construction that only gets better with age. And in a versatile, richly crafted shade of Cognac leather, I can see them getting plenty of wear with everything from dark blue denim to the best light wash jeans, tobacco-hued chinos and even tastefully tapered olive five-pocket pants.

The Frye Barrett Lace-Up Boots boast a leather-lined interior that’ll develop its own patina over time, and the slightly burnished toe is a distinctive touch that’ll only get better with age. The Barrett features a textured rubber outsole for traction and durability, and for those who prefer minimal style, the Frye Barrett Lace-Up Boots also come in a crisp shade of Black leather.

Meanwhile, rawhide laces keep things squarely in casual territory, so feel free to wear this fresh set of leather lace-up boots with easygoing picks like dark blue jeans and a timeless chambray shirt — they just get the job done, and I think you’ll agree.

But let’s focus on what the Frye Barrett Lace-Up Boots can do for you this spring. They feature relatively sleek, classic plain toe construction — your new favorite leather boots are neither as bulky as work boots, nor as ornate as wingtip boots, and that’s not a bad thing for your next spring #OOTD. The Frye Barrett Lace-Up Boots