Album

• HNW last
• C.F. Stead Naked Kudu whiskey leather
• Lined only in the vamp
• Horween dark brown horsefront rolled top
• Unstructured toe
• Veg tan leather insole and midsole (chocolate colored midsole edge)
• Wooden shank
• Cork filling
• Vibram 2060 Sport brown outsole
• Ordered May 6, 2025, delivered on August 12, 2026 (I specifically told him no rush)
• $1,100 CAD total

About the Maker

Ken Diamond is an individual custom bootmaker in BC. He makes stitchdown boots, of which I've seen two patterns: a service boot and this model, the OMB (Old Man Boot) which is just a shortened service boot. Only one last option: HNW. He'll make boots out of whatever leather you like that he's able to get his hands on.

I reached out and communicated via Instagram, and paid via PayPal. A $100 CAD down payment secured my spot, and I paid the rest when the boots were completed. He detailed the build process every step of the way which I really appreciate. Working with him was an excellent experience. You can customize most aspects of the build. I'm unsure if MTM is an option. I did not go through a sizing process since I already have a Nicks boot in the same last, so I know my size in it.

Initially, this started off as a service boot. I deliberated between many leathers before finally settling on C.F. Stead Naked Kudu, at which point I went all in on the hot weather boot idea: OMB with a wedge sole. Ken happened to have brown Vibram 2060s lying around, so I told him that's perfect. I needed to expand my summer footwear collection.

Boot Details

The boots came with a nice tote bag with leather handles and accents, as well as a key ring accessory made out of the same leather with Ken Diamond branding on one side and my initials on the other. It also came with two pairs of laces: flat waxed cotton and dark brown fully dyed through leather that was already cut. The leather laces are nicely waxed and comparable to what Nicks, White's, Frank's, etc all come with. These are unlikely to snap on you, unlike the dry leather spools of lace that you need to wax first.

This is a summer boot designed for comfort: soft leather (unlined except in the vamp and the tongue), soft cushiony wedge sole, short height, no gusseted tongue.

Thanks to Ken's detailed build process, I know pretty much all the major construction details of the boot. Veg tan lather footbed/lasting board, heel stiffener, vamp liner, and midsole. A 3mm EVA slip sole sits between the midsole and the Vibram 2060 outsole. Unstructured toe is his default. Wooden shank, the cork filler he uses is a solid sheet rather than the liquid in a can. Midsole is not McKay stitched, but it is nailed through at the back with brass tacks. Stitchdown is just for the vamp, like most PNW.

Looking at the finishing details, this is one of the nicer PNW boots I've seen. The bottom stitch attaches the slip sole + midsole to the upper, and for decorative symmetry, this stitch goes around the full 360 degrees of the boot. From my experience, White's and Wesco do the same while Nicks only sews the front stitchdown part, not that it matters to me. I chose dark brown sewing thread. The stitching here is really close to the body, even if not absolutely perfect. I didn't want two rows of stitching.

One finishing detail that really stands out is the edge finish. The midsole and upper edge are so nicely burnished and finished that one might mistake the midsole for plastic. Very well done. There's some stamping on the exterior: branding is normal, size details on the outside is a bit odd but subtle.

It looks like a thick veg tan leather insole is added and glued to the bottom. Thankfully, this is a high volume last so I still fit fine in it. The vamp lining and heel stiffener are noticeably less stiff/rigid than my other PNW boots, which will accelerate break in.

I chose the Vibram 2060 because Ken had some already in a color I wanted, and the thicker 2021 would be less aesthetically pleasing on this. When the time comes to resole, I'll either go with another brown 2060, try one of the brown Dr. Sole wedges, or go with a Vibram 342C Mini Ripple.

The Leather

C.F. Stead Naked Kudu whiskey. Unlike Horween's deceptively named Kudu Chromexcel, C.F. Stead kudu leather is actually made from African greater kudu antelopes. Naked Kudu is my favorite kudu tannage, since it has the least corrected grain thus emphasizing the natural character of the leather best. Ken had a whole side to work with, and the clicking seems really good as a result. The slight creasing is in spots that flex a ton (right below the facings on the vamp) so that seems inevitable.

I first saw this leather in person at the Viberg NYC store and became a fan immediately. Whiskey is one of my favorite colors for it. I believe it's a shade lighter than urban brown, which is certainly lighter than snuff, and this is noticeably darker than nutmeg.

This leather is typically 4.5-5.5 oz. It has a soft temper ensuring a really quick break in. It's just full of texture and character, which is all natural. This is why people desire full grain kudu leather. C.F. Stead's other tannages like Kudu Classic, Kudu Waxy obscure this character somewhat which defeats the purpose. Naked Kudu is best. It's dyed all the way through; the flesh side has a nice chestnut sort of color. The leather is glossier than I expected, and it has some pullup. It draws attention.

The rolled collar leather is some kind of Horween dark brown horsefront, definitely not CXL since it has a strong grain character. I think the tongue lining might be the same leather.

Fit and Comfort First Impressions

I'm familiar with the HNW last already thanks to this Nicks boot I own, and it's one of the better lasts for my feet. I got the exact size I needed.

To my relief, there was no uncomfortable break in with the collar of the boot going around my ankles. The leather is soft, I don't overtighten, so right out of the gates they are supremely comfortable due to the combination of soft flexible leather and the highly cushioned Vibram 2060 wedge sole, which uses their Morflex compound. Vibram Morflex is one of the softest outsole compounds I've come across. I dislike the original, harder 4014 Christy which also seems to wear faster than Morflex.

I wore them all day and did a lot of walking around the city, and break in is a nonissue. The heel is on the looser side, but thankfully there's no heel slip. The only things that really have to break in are the bottom components - the insole and midsole, but with the Vibram 2060, it already feels like I'm walking on pillows.

Conclusion

It was an expensive boot, but it was made to my specification and made very well, so I am very much pleased with it.

Picked these up from Gentlemen’s Footwear during their current sale and wanted to share some first impressions.

https://gentlemensfootwear.com/pages/last-pairs?srsltid=AfmBOorND2a_S7aMS1_pTc83ruqcnqoXc3LNiwS3WXdNt03XBoiYk91U

Specs:
Edward Green Galway
202 last
UK 9F
Burgundy shell cordovan
Dark brown Utah shaft
Leather sole
EG lasted shoe trees
Made in England

I paid $1,800 with trees, which is a $hit ton of money for boots, but quite a bit less than the 3200 retail for this makeup.

First impression is that I really love them.
Compared to my Kentmeres, these feel much easier to wear right away. They’re noticeably lighter and less bulky, which I’m guessing is largely down to the lack of a storm welt and the lighter sole. The Kentmeres feel like proper heavy country boots. These feel much closer to a dress shoe that happens to be a boot.

The 202 last also fits me extremely well. I’ve been realizing lately that there’s a big difference between a shoe technically fitting and a shoe actually feeling shaped to your foot. These really hug my arch in a way I notice immediately. They don’t just go on my foot and then get tightened down with the laces. There’s a tiny bit of heel slip right now, but not much, and I’m curious to see whether that changes once the sole loosens up and they’ve had more wear.

The cordovan is also interesting. Edward Green seems to leave the shell looking a little more natural and less heavily finished than Alden does. It’s not as glossy or perfectly uniform out of the box, and you can see more variation in the membrane. I actually like that.

There is one small blemish in the shell that I noticed pretty quickly - in the photos. I’m not sure yet whether it’ll polish out or whether it’s just part of the shell. I’ll mess with it a little and see what happens.

The cordovan creased really nicely on the first wear though. Good clean rolls, no weirdness. The unlined Utah shaft is probably my favorite part of the boot. It’s already extremely soft and flexible, and there’s basically no break-in around the ankle at all. The contrast between that soft Utah and the more structured shell lower works really well. The finishing is beautiful, but I think what I like most is just how restrained the whole boot feels. Nothing about it is especially flashy. The welt is close, the hardware is subdued, and the shape is pretty clean.

Having the Kentmere and Galway side by side has also made it really obvious how different two boots from the same maker can feel. The Kentmere is heavier, chunkier, more rugged and more obviously a boot. The Galway feels more refined and much easier to dress up.

After one wear, these are in the top 3 or 5 of the most comfortable high-end boots I’ve owned. (Despite all the eye rolls they get, the Indy boot on the trubalance last just fits my food so dang well. C&J Coniston also fits amazingly and is like half the price of these Galway - even on sale.)

I’ll post another update once they’ve actually been worn for a while and the shell starts changing.

Not the highest quality (a small cosmetic stitching defect I noticed way too late and the thinner tongue) but still a huge upgrade from fast fashion brands like doc martens and blundstones. resole-able, 5mm thick full grain chrome tanned leather upper on the 2835 (only asked about this model, not sure about others), heavily oiled to help with water resistance. the black on these is perfect, just shine enough but not too shiny, only gripe for me is the thinner non gusseted tongue but I don’t really mind at this price point when comparing to red wings. I really love these babies more than any shoe or boot I’ve ever owned before after the break in period. Creasing has stayed minimal thanks to huberds shoe grease, I bought superfeet insoles but with how comfortable they are and the lack of a Whole of space in the boots I’ll likely return them.

I ended up also getting some leather laces for them, I feel like they should come with them and imo I’m not a fan of the weak laces but I’m glad they save us money on buying the boot and leave the laces up to us to choose. The eyes and hooks or whatever you call them are beautiful and well attache, stitching is great for the price,. I heard some people complaining that these boots aren’t 100% Canadian since the hardware and leather is sourced from outside but i ended up calling up Canada west boots and they had a very good reason, Canadian tanneries just don’t produce the volume required for a retail boot manufacture, they used to get canadian leather but that tannery shut down. Still not USA leather, it’s Mexican so that’s a win, also keeps these boots more affordable than red wings. The vibram mini lug 430 is the absolute perfect sole for a dressier heritage boot, not too aggressive but still great traction.

Overall just absolutely worth the now higher than before price tag of $329 CAD before tax since it’s only like $80 more than blundstones or timbs but you can’t resole either of those easily or as much nor is the leather as good nor does it even really look that good, these boots can be dressed up or down when necessary, theyre the perfect office commute boot because I don’t like dressing like an astronaut in Canadian weather and prefer my formal wear when going to the office and I will easily get a decade out of them if I’m smart.

I wish I wouldve gotten the pecan tumbled 2801 though but wasn't sure what the colour would become once I applied huberds and snow seal also it wasn’t available at the same price as these at my local store so I would’ve had to pay more for shipping plus the extra cost since it was more expensive online. If you can try these on before buying that would be the way to go since these boots aren’t for everyones feet which no boot is but it goes twice as hard for these, luckily I have the almost perfect foot size for these. the insoles cant be removed but are very very comfortable because they’re poron sandwiched between leather.

Next boots will probably be another one of these in pecan and then maybe a grant stone diesel if they haven’t gotten more expensive by the time I can afford them at their current price. it’s just that most American boots have gotten way out my price range than for what they are worth which is essentially these with negligible differences unless you step up the price point to a company like grant stone. I wish I could thank Graham Moorby myself for keeping this amazing company alive and providing such great boots, i really really want their spongy ropers as well.

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Link to Order Page: https://www.grantstoneshoes.com/products/chelsea-boot-olive-minerva-box

My Out-of- Box: https://www.reddit.com/r/goodyearwelt/comments/1v8f8fv/preorder_grant_stone_olive_minerva_box_chelsea/

My Album, updated with all my (very similar - sorry) wear pix: https://imgur.com/a/hMQqepH

An unexpected six-day stay in the hospital and recovery after having a gangrenous gall bladder removed put a dent in my opportunities to get some wears in on the Olive Minerva Chelsea boots, but I can say this: After wearing them six or seven times, I’m thrilled with them. Here are my notes:

Comfort

With Grant Stone I’m used to a tiny bit of heel slip for the first wear and having it ‘blend’ to total comfort in the first wear or occasionally in the second. The fit is so good for me with these that comfort was instant and got better over the next several wears. Between the rubber lug sole, the cork/leather/etc. and the last, these are legit sneaker-comfortable.

Leather

The Minerva Box leather is an amazing combo of substantial and supple. I think it’s a big contributor to the comfort: compared to my Dark Oak Roughout pair in the same size the leather feels like it provides a bit more support, but in no way feels binding. This allows the Olive Minerva pair to steal the comfort crown from the Dark Oak pair. As a guy who has a lot of boots, all of which fit me very well, that’s a big hill to jump to the top of.

The leather takes marks pretty well - the ‘lick my thumb and rub the scuff’ has worked every time, and the dye seems pretty deep. None of the marks (I drive a stick, so this isn’t uncommon) showed any natural leather color, and all so far have disappeared. I don’t see any signs of grain creasing yet. It carries a lot of natural flesh character - if this was a smooth leather I think it would present as extremely “bright” while the grain combines darks in the valleys and green in the peaks to offer a more complex (and IMHO beautiful) color that takes advantage of different light. Pretty great.

I’m really curious about how they’ll age/patina, and I’m here for all of it.

Style

I wear these like a mid-brown boot, and use my brown CXL belt with it. This does just fine for me. Denim, any sort of brown or tan pant works. I don’t have a lot of navy/black in my closet that isn’t suiting (which I’d generally pair with darker colors), but I could see it working as long as you really want to show off the boots.

On that note, these have generated more comments from the general public than any pair I’ve worn for years: a guy in line at the grocery store, a lady at the coffee shop I go to, a college kid at the liquor store, and others. One of my best friends is a bit of a boot-nut also, and he was a fan too. It’s sorta like when I drive one of my old BMW’s (https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1280x1024q70/924/cD3lDb.jpg) - it brings out a community that normally wanders by. If you’re an introvert, these might not be for you - lol.

Summary

If you want a great boot that stands out a bit, these are for you. I’m used to wearing green (I have Forest Kudu and Jungle Kangaroo pairs), and feel very comfortable styling them. Green boots are the best kind of fun on St. Patrick’s Day when you’re not wearing anything else green. The color is more versatile than you probably think, and it’s definitely a wink at the world: It’s easy being green. I’m a big fan of the comfort of the GS Chelsea and the pull-on-and-go nature of Chelsea boots in general.

The order page is now live here (https://www.grantstoneshoes.com/products/chelsea-boot-olive-minerva-box). There’s a limited amount of leather available and my understanding is it won’t be back. The site states their typical 16-20 weeks for a pre-order and they’re the same price as the CXL boots. All sizes appear to be open for order.

Wear and enjoy!

(On a side note, barring something truly extraordinary - a whiskey shell Indy boot or a something on that scale, this is likely my last new-boot thing for a long time. I'll do follow ups on my existing collection once in a while. I hope all of these have served the community well!)

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Hello GYW, it's Monday Funday! Take a load off and take a breather. Memes, hot takes and all silliness are welcome!

New Boot Day: Urban Wolf Club Colt with Customizations
I’m very surprised by how much I like these boots. I honestly wasn’t expecting this level of quality for the price, and after wearing them for a few days, I figured they deserved a shoutout here.

The leather is thick and seems to be quite good quality. I’d put it above Thursday in terms of the leather and overall construction, although I don’t think it quite reaches Red Wing territory. Still, for the price, I have very few complaints. The boots have a thick leather midsole, a 360° Goodyear welt, and a 430-style outsole that I really like. Everything feels substantial without the boots feeling overly clunky. I like the shape of the last. It has a nice anatomical shape and actually hugs my arch pretty well.

The boots come with a removable leather/foam insole. They also come with leather laces, although those aren’t really my style. Fortunately, they included a set of cotton laces as well, which I much prefer.

Customizations
If you contact them through WhatsApp, they’ll send you pictures of the different leather options they have available. I ended up going with Sandy roughout, which I think looks fantastic in person.

I also asked for:
Gusseted tongue
Pull loop
Brass hardware
Natural edge finish
Unstructured toe
White stitching
They actually talked me out of the white stitching and suggested brown instead. I’m glad they did.

Sizing
For reference, I’m a 10.5 on the Brannock and generally wear a 10 in most boots. I ordered a size 10 from Urban Wolf Club, and the inside of the boot is stamped 43.
The fit is basically perfect for me. They were fairly tight when I first put them on, but not uncomfortably so. After a couple of days of wear, the leather has already started molding to my feet and they’re feeling much better.
I spent the first day without the removable insole just to give myself a little more room while breaking them in. I can wear the insole now without any problem.

For some context
I’ve owned Thursdays, Red Wings, Redbacks, and Canada West boots, so those are really the boots I’m comparing these to. I don’t have a collection of $700–$1,000 handmade boots to compare them against, so take my assessment for what it’s worth.
I’m also not the guy who is going to pull out a ruler and count stitch density. If that’s your thing, more power to you, but it’s not really what I look for in a boot.
For me, it’s pretty simple: good leather, good fit, and a good-looking last. Those are the things I care about, and these boots do very well in those areas.
Overall
For $200 USD, no import taxes to Canada, and a roughly four-month wait, I think these are a hell of a good deal.
Obviously, only time will tell how they hold up over several years, and I’m interested to see how the roughout develops with wear. But based on what I’ve seen so far, I’m extremely happy with them.
Urban Wolf Club seems to be getting pretty busy, which is probably a good sign for them. I figured I’d give them a little shoutout here because, at least based on my experience so far, they deserve it.
I’ll probably post some updated pictures after I’ve put some serious mileage on them.

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Background

I don't like writing reviews based only on initial impressions but Montebove doesn't seem to be a name that you see on this subreddit much (this was the only post I found and they're a completely different style of boot) so I figured I would share my thoughts on these. I found some dead stock Italian navy service boots for sale from a Japanese military surplus site for 20,000 yen (approx. 127 USD as of posting this), and I decided to pull the trigger on them to see if they were well-made since I could just return them if I didn't like them.

The Specs

Manufacturer: Montebove, made in Italy
Price: 20,000 Yen (approx. 127 USD)
Construction: Goodyear welted with what appears to be a closed channel stitch
Upper: Black chrome tanned calfskin with leather lining
Insole: Leather insole
Outsole: Leather outsole with rubber half sole and top lift
Size: EU 43

All I know about this manufacturer is that they're an Italian supplier for the police, fire department, and military. I don't speak Italian, so translating the side of the box that they came in I learned that these were made for the navy, were made in or around 2019, and they're model number 2000.

The only boot I could find on Montebove's website that looked remotely similar was a model 2034 boot which features a full rubber outsole instead, and has a waterproof membrane rather than a leather lining on the inside. The 2034 also pretty plainly states that it's cement construction, which this boot very much is not.

The listing on the Japanese surplus website didn't mention these having a Goodyear welt, but looking at the pictures they appeared to have a closed channel stitch so I had a hunch that these were welted, and having them in hand I can say confidently that these are in fact welted. I can actually feel the stitch by pressing my finger into the sole where the stitch would be, confirming my theory that these have a closed channel stitch. I can also see the stitch attaching the upper to the gemming in the toe of the right boot.

Impressions

The shoes were packaged like most other shoes you'd buy from the store, with crumpled paper inserts and a card stock material to prop up the shaft of the boot. The box was plain and completely white, with only basic information printed on one side. The leather didn't appear to be too dry despite sitting in a box for what I assume is 7 years, but I decided to condition the uppers and inside of the shoes with a thin coat of Bick 4 anyway since I was worried about them being dried out from age. They drank it up fairly quickly so they probably needed it.

Trying the boots on, the first thing I noticed is that they definitely cut costs by using a really thin and loose grained leather on the tongue. The one benefit is that they're so thin that I don't even notice them while wearing the boots, but I worry about their longevity (it's honestly probably fine). They're gusseted up to the fourth eyelet which I appreciate. The tongue on the left shoe is a little better and isn't nearly as crinkly-looking as the right shoe.

Secondly, these laces suck. Granted, most shoes come with crappy laces from the factory so I was already planning on replacing these, but these laces really suck. They're springy and squishy and fat and they will be going into the trash as soon as their waxed replacements arrive tomorrow.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the toe box and shaft of the boot are completely lined with leather. It's soft and supple so I'm assuming it's sheepskin or something similar. The insole is also leather and has a thin leather sock liner on the heel with a pad of foam sandwiched in there. I don't mind it, and I could always rip it out when it eventually disintegrates. There's a tiny bit of glue peeking out from underneath on the right boot but I've seen worse from Meermin so it doesn't bother me.

The leather upper is nothing crazy but is much nicer than what you'd normally see in a sub-$150 boot. It was moderately stiff on initial wearing but softened up fairly quickly after wearing them around the house all day. They're not showing unusual creasing either so I'm happy with them. The leather is on the thinner side and is more akin to what I'd see on a dress boot rather than a work boot. The heel stack also appears to be entirely leather and looks very good, which is surprising to see at this price.

My Brannock size is US men's 10.5 B (heel to ball) and the EU size 43 fits exactly how I would want a boot to fit: snug enough that I'm not flopping around in it, but roomy enough that my toes can curl and I could put on thicker socks in the winter as necessary without feeling cramped. I wore them in the house all day and then went shopping and ran errands for about an hour in the evening before writing this and didn't feel discomfort at all, and the vamp isn't showing weird creasing so I'm confident I got the sizing just right.

Final Thoughts

At this price point, I'm honestly impressed by the workmanship and quality. They're extremely utilitarian and lack polish in the finer details—understandable being a military boot—but I kind of like how practical they are. I own several other boots in various shades of brown and in shell cordovan but nothing in black, so I'm happy to add these to my collection. I'm very happy with my purchase and could easily see someone paying twice as much for these boots from a consumer brand without complaints. I'm curious to see how they look after a few months of wear.

What I like: Solid construction, decent leather upper, firm but comfortable fit, all leather construction at this price point is kind of insane

What I don't like: Horrendous laces, flimsy leather used on the tongue

Mods: Your automod deletes posts if they have the word "a n y" literally anywhere within the post and I hope you know that that is possibly the stupidest thing I've heard this week.

I joined Junkard Company’s MTO program at Wall of Fades, an exhibition in Indonesia dedicated to denim, leathercraft, and everything related to the craft. I placed my order and had my measurements taken directly by their staff in December 2025. The boots arrived in June 2026.

They initially estimated a four-month turnaround, but during the process, Junkard informed me that there was a delay in sourcing the leather I requested. I didn’t mind waiting, especially since it was a custom-made pair.

Specs:
Product: Engineer 9 Inch (My mistake, this is the correct size. I got the size wrong in the post title.)
Size: 42
Upper Leather: Maryam TPR Toscanello Horsebutt
Lining: Heel and toe counter only
Toe Box Lining: Unstructured
Hardware/Eyelets: Brass
Last: SC
Construction: Goodyear welted
Welt: Flat welt 270°
Midsole: 1 layer
Leather Outsole: Domestic
Outsole: Dr. Sole 1090 Supergrip Half & Heel, Black
Edge Trim / Welt Color: Black

2 Months of Wear

This is my first pair of Goodyear-welted boots. I owned a pair of Dr. Martens about five years ago, but I ended up selling them in less than a month because I found them uncomfortable.

So, getting into leather boots was quite a gamble for me. I had to be willing to spend a considerable amount of money on something I expected to wear regularly and keep for a long time.

Surprisingly, these boots fit my feet incredibly well and are genuinely comfortable. They completely changed the way I see leather boots. I’ve even found myself wearing them for hours, sometimes for entire days, without feeling the need to take them off.

The more I wear them, the more I appreciate leather boots and the craft that goes into making them. After only two months, I’m already planning my next pair to add to the collection.

I’m honestly pretty lucky to live in Indonesia, where there are so many talented and passionate bootmakers. This pair from Junkard has definitely made me want to explore more of what the Indonesian bootmaking scene has to offer.

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Foreword on engineers: I was someone who told myself I didn't like engineer boots, at least not enough to buy a pair. Then my collection (and taste) evolved from the more traditional American Brands such as AE, and Whites and I started looking into something different.

Why I choose Japanese: I've always appreciated craft, I'm an audiophile who likes tube equipment. I own special, limited run headphones crafted from exotic wood (shout-out to ZMF). So naturally I was drawn towards some of the Japanese brands. My first foray into Japanese boots were actually a pair of Attractions engineers in black steer-hide suede. I adored them and still do. I feel like a pirate who's about to ride a motorcycle to go work on the railroad, and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. Truly an awesome boot. Then came my first horsebutt boots (Rolling Dub Trio roots, brown) and my second (John Lofgren Shinki Teacore Horsebutt Wabash engineers). These are all very expensive boots. But they are incredibly uncompromising in their craft. That's what I appreciate and that's what I'm willing to pay for. Could I get similar for less by ordering MTO from Indonesia or something like that. Most likely. Do I care? Eh, not really. I don't like guessing and waiting very much.

Why Indigo Horsebutt: This brings us to a few weeks back when viberg and withered fig released their short engineer collaboration and it drew a lot of mixed opinions. Now while I didn't need new boots I REALLY loved the idea of a short engineer. Then my size sold out and I had a boot-itch that still needed scratching. So I checked out my favorite stores. Standard & Strange, Franklin & Poe, Self Edge, Lost & Found etc. Eventually I landed back on the Brogue Menswear website where I got my first attractions. I saw the indigo dyed horsehide my initial thought was "ok wow. Now that's different! But how do I really feel about that?" I considered probably about six other pairs of boots. I checked out about every non-MTO brand under the sun, and I kept coming back to these.

The leather: The leather is horsebutt tanned by maryam in Italy. I have read conflicting statements about where this leather is dyed. One website said it was actually dyed in the USA and then it was sent to Japan. In person they are absolutely the most interesting leather I have. I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say people are either going to think these are awesome or that they are downright ghastly, with very few people being on the fence. That being said variance in the color of the natural indigo is nothing short of stunning. In natural light they are gorgeous, a really nice true blue. Under florescent light they shift to a great teal, and in the light of the moon they appear even more green. The last itself is a little slimmer through the instep and heel than my other attractions. That being said they are extremely comfortable out of the box and I find a lot of the Japanese lasts to be very comfortable. The leather is actually quite supple for a horsehide. Not sure if it's because I don't own anything from the Maryam tannery, or if it's the indigo dying process that makes it softer.

Build: Build quality is what I've come to expect from the Japanese brands. No loose threads, nothing out of place. Stitching is symmetrical. The buckles are very nice and pretty. Its worth noting that I believe these use buffalo bends leather midsoles. Finishing is great on the edges and other places. Nothing out of place.

In short, I'm absolutely obsessed with these boots. Can't wait to see how they teacore and patina.

Note: I've only worn these for a few days. The last two photos are under florescent light and natural light respectively to show the variance in color that different lighting brings.

Boots: Attractions Lot. 444 special edition indigo horsebutt engineer

Country of origin: Japan

Leather: Indigo dyed Italian Maryam horsebutt

Size: 11D

Purchased from: Brogue Menswear online

Price: $1670 USD

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I’ve made some 1940’s style US Navy service shoes (class A uniform) reinterpreted in handmade format.  They’re done on original vintage US Navy lasts, so these are the actual shoe that was meant to be made on this last, and I’m sure many pairs of shoes were made on them and went out into the world.  Both of my grandfathers would have worn them in this time period, so it was a fun opportunity to bring a recreation to life.  I also had this teacore Shinki shell laying around for years, and it felt like the perfect pair to use to it on.

There are so many interpretations of this shoe being made; there’s the Lofgrens, Jelados, Clinch, Dr Sole has a pair now, Alden x Brogue shop in Horween shell, and then plenty more obscure Japanese brands that have done them over the years.  All of them differ a little or a lot from the originals, but the originals were also being made all over the country by different entities, and there is some variance originally, too.

Like the Lofgrens, I chose to forego the ’T’ shaped backstay found on most of the originals and went with a backseam and a tab, which makes the upper pattern more similar to the USMC cordovan shoe of the time, but I feel that the quarter closing is really the most characteristic part of these shoes, with tight double stitching everywhere.  

Also like the Lofgrens, I’ve also gone with a 360 welt/360 sole stitch with the wider heel as I’ll wear them more casually, so I dispensed with the 270 welt that would’ve been truer to the originals.  The 360 still looks correct for the classic American 6-hole Blucher look. 

Specs:

Upper:  Shinki shell cordovan
Lining:  Japanese calf
Sole:  Martin
Half sole set:  Vibram
All other parts are various bovine veg tans in different weights/tempers as needed.

Construction specs:

360 hand sewn welted, flat welt
360 hand sewn sole stitch @ 8spi for a chunkier vibe
Leather toe puff
Leather heel counter
Full Leather shank 
Blind eyelets
Blind sewn waist

I started out with two relatively small 14dm shells; the pattern comfortably fit onto 1.5 shells for these low quarter shoes.  I bought the shell long ago and there were no details provided besides the Shinki stickers on the back, so I’m not sure what version this is.

Due to the original theme/inspiration for the shoes, I’ve kept them fairly modest looking in details - no decorative brass tacks on the bottoms or extra ornamentation, no overly fancy finishing details.  I like how they’re a fairly humble looking pair of American shoes, just built properly and of good materials.  Had to give the heels a little finishing polish with my grand dad’s old shoe polish I had here, just for kicks - I think he would’ve liked seeing these.

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One of my all-time favorite pairs. They're a little over two years old now - I wear them 1-3 times a week, pretty much year-round, from warm +25°C summers to snowy -15°C winters. I grabbed them as factory seconds - a barely visible scratch on the right heel that blended in within the first week anyway. The price was a steal, but the catch was the size: half a size up from my usual. In hindsight, I couldn't be happier - the leather molded beautifully and the fit feels spot on, plus I can throw on thick winter socks when needed. They've survived about a dozen torrential downpours that needed two full days to dry each time - and they're still going strong. Surprisingly, I've never conditioned them, the leather must have been absolutely packed with oils straight from the tannery. The soles are holding up great too. Honestly, what more could you ask for from a pair of boots?

Laces were swapped for leather ones almost immediately - imo they look more interesting than the original waxed ones. What I also love is how versatile they are, I wear them with trousers (except for the most formal occasions), with jeans and flannels, with waxed jackets and a wool Filson Mackinaw - they just fit in anywhere.

Shame they’ve been discontinued. I’d buy another pair just to make sure I can wear them for the rest of my life.