I knew someone would come on and say something like that!
I read quite a number of reviews saying they wear out very quickly, particularly the soles, in two years of nothing more than walking the dog, and a number complaining that the soles came apart from the uppers. More than a few found them too narrow, while it was commented that the brand has gone downhill since being taken over.
My present Meindls are generally wearing out after 9 years, they have plenty of wear left in the soles, but I must replace them because they let water in - literally. They become absolutely sodden after just one day of walking in wet hills, and when I hold them in a bowl of water to clean them they fill with water.
I have £200 put to one side in my pocket money account, and next year I'll be going to Cotswold for a fitting and forking out for something top of the range, possibly Scarpa. (When the time comes I'll be posting on here for suggestions.)