I generally avoid "vegan leather" because it's just plastic but was assured by reviews that this would be tougher and more durable. Maybe it is in practice, but it felt very cheap to me.
Additionally, and this may just be a problem with minimalist/barefoot-style boots in general: these really do look like clown shoes. I had a friend drop by the day I got them and she took a look and confirmed the same without me even saying anything. I've only ever bought sneaker-ish barefoot shoes in the past and they look relatively normal, but it's much worse in boot form for some reason. Bummer.
Pros: They were comfy and did feel relatively warm; plastic does trap heat well. The zip makes them easy to put on while the laces allow you to adjust fit (though the insole scrunches up super easily; I'd have replaced these for sure). But I'd ultimately much prefer my wool Wildling shoes for casual wear.