AAnthony: that quote from bonka. he has no clue what he's talking about.
here's a photo of my 1k's which i've owned for 2 yrs now. the right one was just cleaned up. i only wear them during the fall/winter. that means i'm walking in water and snow (random fact: i didnt have any waterproof boots for snow shoeing so i actually wore these. looked like a fool but my feet were dry and warm.. lol). they've since fallen out of rotation and now are used 90% of the time to walk my dog at mcdonald beach. that means i'm walking in wet sand, and water.
and what's replaced them are Alden Indys. Also with a leather sole. Which I've worn in the rain, and snow.
Oh and as another "you have no clue what you're talking about bonka": i was wearing my red wing 3141s and got stuck in a snow storm last yr in philly. i had to help push cars stuck in snow. wearing my red wings. sure it has a crepe sole, but rain/water/whatever does not ruin leather.
If you know how to take care of your shit, they'll last forever. save manufacturer defects. LOL.