The past few years have been good for Timberland. This year marked the 50-year anniversary of their iconic 6-inch boot and at the same time, the boot has seen a massive increase in popularity, with social press influencers styling them instead of their sneakers. Perhaps some of this is authentic, but it takes a cynic to see a big marketing spend for what it is.

Regardless, I have always been a big fan of the 6-inch boot, and the last few years have been a better time to buy them than ever before. When you go for the general release pairs, you can buy the classic “butters,” or go for their various soft-feel shades, from a nice matcha green to a chic charcoal. On the other hand, when you want to go more high-fashion, there are a range of pairs you can go for, and I still hope to one day pick up a pair of the orange Off-White pair, and the black American flag Comme des Garcons x Supreme release.

However, when a brand has pivoted so heavily toward social press, they will often release products that they know lack merit, but are intended to draw attention. Earlier this year, you saw this with the Louis Vuitton Timberland; stylish boots that looked similar to the classic boots, but were about $2,000; or about $60,000 when you wanted the limited, gold-plated, monogram version. They were priced like that to generate headlines, and nothing else; and it worked.

And now, they have done a similar trick with their classic boots, creating a new shape which ostensibly is for practicality, but actually is for clicks. They have taken the collar of the boot and dramatically inflated it, stuffed with PrimaLoft 400g insulation. Paired with the all-leather construction, it should mean that the boots will be warmer than the classic pair, keeping your feet insulated from the cold winter air; but they will not, because nobody is buying these for practical use.

This is a fashion-first boot, meant to get attention on social press, and it might work, but it is such a lazy effort. The classic boot is weather resistant — it became a streetwear fashion staple because of this, taking off in popularity because drug dealers would wear them selling their goods in the cold — so this is unnecessary. And even though those did not keep your feet warm enough, Timberland sells more practical, warming winter boots that do not look silly, and they have done so for years.

The most frustrating part is that these are inspired by the best pair of Timberland’s released in recent years; their collaborative pair from British brand A-Cold-Wall. Those also were in a soft buttery leather, also pulled the collar further in, to reduce the emphasis on the laces; and those were also inspired by cold weather, albeit in London. But those were a classy, luxurious reinterpretation on the classic 6-inch Boot, whereas the inflated collar on these makes them look like a normal pair with a tumor.

These will go on sale in the coming months and I implore you not to buy them. Please buy a classic pair of butters; or try to find a pair of the Cold Wall ones. I bought two pairs of them at a discount, and I regret but that I did not buy more of them.