Ham I think you will find those boots to be pretty rugged.
i have only owned the old fashion lace style Korkers so not sure about your lace system, although I have a fishing buddy who has owned that same boot for a while and really likes them with no problems with that lace system.
I am on my 2nd pair of Korkers,purchased my first pair in 2010 for a trip to Montana, size 12 out grew them!! I'm 58 years old and my feet are still growing, no seriously they are. I use to wear a 10 my newest Korkers I bought last fall are size 13....for some room to grow. First pair had years of fishing left in them, I wear the studded soles and have never been more confident wading on slippery rock surfaces They were great in Montana we fished Rock Creek which is aptly named,very slick cantaloupe size rocks, a couple of the Guys who had felt soles modified them with hex head screws. They own Korkers now. I have wore them numerous times on the White and Norfork Rivers. There are a lot of good boot brands out there, but I will never wade again without studded soles.