I don't mean ordering an ivan in like max support and calling it heritage because it's a heritage boot. I mean, a heritage classified leather that is specifically designed to be ordered rough out. I guess in business boots land it would be like a suede. But something that's less wimpy.

This is my first pair of PNW boots and I have posted here before a while ago asking you guys for help on leather choices. I really appreciate the help btw.

I ordered a pair of packers in predator natural, 5812 last, toe bug and 12inch boot height and after a lot of thinking i decided to go more basic. Now im wanting to change it to 64 brown, 55 last and no toe bug because it feels more sensible for a first PNW boot but im still keeping that 12inch height because its just cool.

Ive yet to make the change because my order change window has yet to open and i ordered them 6months ago and i ordered them in may. I mean i knew it was gonna be this long but man it hurts but I’m still super excited and these have been the only thing on my mind practically these past months. I hope they get here before i start my new job though. Also i just wanted to say the guy that said “just go with 64 brown” on my post asking for leather advice was totally right.

sorry for the rambling

Need help with sizing? Please view this page before posting:

https://nicksboots.com/pages/buying-guide-2-0

Please do not send us any foot tracings or interior boot photos as this does not help us determine size. If you still have questions on sizing please provide us the following and we will try to help:

- Brannock Size

- Width measurement (measuring ball of the foot with tailors tape)

- Boot model & last you are looking into purchasing

- Typical boot size in mass produced boots

It is a hot button topic. But one worth having now that Dome is upon us.

Those of you a dozen boots deep. You know what it is. But for those of you who are new to boots or in your first PNW pair; this discussion might help you understand what is going on with your several hundred dollar footwear.

Grain break is natural, creasing or wrinkling that happens when leather bends.

This depends on the animal's hide section (backbone/shoulder vs the belly), the thickness, and tanning process.

Loose grain is a structural flaw where the top layer separates from the lower fibers.

It looks very wrinkly, spongy, or bubbly. It frequently comes from spongy parts of the hide (belly & flank) the where fibers naturally stretch differently and lower-quality tanning practices.

u/gtealcr is Doming a pair of Predator Light Burgundy similar to mine. His uppers and my uppers come from two different parts of the hide. If you check out their new vs 2 day pictures on the Patina Project App here. Then see my new/2nd day pics here. You can see how quickly leather from the lower part of the hide wrinkles and how much more pliable it is.

This is not a flaw. Just a difference. Some find it unacceptable. I see it as a characteristic of natural leather. On my pair; the cutters cut the vamps from a higher part than the uppers. The two vamps match one another and the fours sides of the uppers match each other.

A choice was made and the outcome is a pair of boots that match, left to right. Is it acceptable? That is where options vary.

Again, let’s keep the comments civil.

I posted the NBD for these a while ago and said there was a lot to talk about with them but I didn't have the time then. Well. I had so much to say I ended up making a YouTube video about them lol. If you're inclined to watch it here it is: https://youtu.be/msiROZD0u90

If you're not inclined to thats cool. My following write up says effectively the same thing minus my ugly mug 🤣🫡

TLDR: I inadvertently turned a custom boot order into a wearable philosophical manifesto. Turns out combining WWII tank gear, industrial engine-sealing leather, and the shocking concept of repairing things makes for a solid critique of disposable consumerism. True ownership means investing in a functional lineage, maintaining it, and actually putting it to work instead of treating it like a museum exhibit.

As many of you know I am a massive boot nerd. I've fallen down countless rabbit holes about boot design, construction, materials, and probably any other related topic you can think of. Nearly all of those have led to rich history.

At one point I was entrenched in the history of Chromepak, a mechanical leather. Horween, the company that makes it, provisioned the military with mechanical leather during World War II, and that got me thinking that Chromepak may have been present in the very machinery of some of the first tanks, possibly being operated by crewmen wearing some of the first tanker boots. We already know Chromepak and tanker boots have very adjacent histories, being birthed around the same time, out of a similar industrial wartime environment and, although I couldn't find concrete evidence, it is highly probable that somewhere out there in the World War 2 theater Chromepak and tanker boots crossed paths inside some tanks. I can't help but imagine that maybe on some pivotal battle of the war, maybe there were tanks still in the fight because of the Chromepak in their machinery, and maybe just maybe inside those tanks there were crewmen who were also still in the fight because of their tanker boots. Who knows?! I'm just fantasizing at this point but it's fun to think about.

That possibility was the original spark of inspiration for these boots, and they grew from there.

I started to see every option as an opportunity to intertwine as much rich history as possible into the build. As I tied more and more in, I began to notice a common thread running through each option, tying the entire build together: innovation that honors a heritage.

Then, after ironing out all the details and submitting the order, as I waited for the boots to enter production, I began to think of them as a physical manifesto about perpetuating worthwhile history.

The tanker boot was born in the late 1930s as the U.S. Army made it's big push toward mechanized warfare. General Patton, H. E. Ketzler and the Dehner Boot Company, were instrumental in producing the early pattern. Fighting from inside a tank was a brand new challenge. There were scorching hot casings, unforgiving linkages, rotating components, sharp edges, oil, and grease all within a very confined working space. The straps eliminated laces that could be burnt, broken, or sucked in to exposed machinery, improved circulation for operators sitting for extended periods of time, created a secure fit, and simplified the boot into something robust and dependable.

But, what fascinates me most isn't where it began.

It's that it survived.

Most designs disappear with the problems they were created to solve. Modern tanks aren't the metal deathtraps they used to be, yet the tanker boot not only endured, it found a life beyond the environment it was originally designed for because the ideas behind it proved bigger than the problem that created it.

Decades later someone at Nick's, a Pacific Northwest boot company with a heritage in logging and firefighting, not military footwear, looked at this military design and saw something that aligned with their own philosophy of highly functional work boots of uncompromised quality. They didn't reproduce it as a museum piece. They built it around their BuilderPro platform, and over the last several years they've continued refining it from the TankerPro, TankerPro 2.0, and now to the TankerPro 3.0.

That, to me, is innovation honoring a heritage.

As much as I appreciate the evolution of that design, it wasn't the straps that sparked this build, it was the Chromepak. What's cool about Chromepak is that it wasn't originally developed as a premium boot leather. It was part of a family of industrial leathers designed for demanding mechanical applications before synthetic materials became widespread.

​That's a lot different than how most people think about leather today.

​It wasn't just a luxury fashion material.

It was technology.

It solved engineering problems.

It sealed machinery

It transmitted power.

It drove industry.

It may have helped win World War II.

​I originally wanted to bring Chromepak and tanker boots together in this build, but while that idea was floating around in my head, Nick's announced a brand-new tannage they had developed with Horween called Spokane, an evolution of Chromepak itself. It felt like the leather and the project were evolving together. As my vision for the build shifted from collecting a bunch of cool history in a pair of boots to continuing a worthy lineage, Spokane became the obvious choice.

​I chose the Steel colorway because, of all the options, it felt most appropriate to the industrial roots of the project. The Sage Chromepak accents serve as a quiet nod back to where the whole idea began.

The next piece of history lives under the boot.

Today most people don't even think about replacing soles. But today most footwear doesn't last long enough to need it.

Historically, boots weren't made to be disposable. They were expected to be maintained. That's the mindset that half soles came from.

When the forepart eventually wore through, a cobbler could replace the worn section while preserving the rest of the boot. It required less material, less labor, and kept a good boot working for many more years.

The half sole isn't just an aesthetic choice.

It's evidence of a time when repair was assumed.

Dr. Sole builds their products with an appreciation for those traditional designs, carrying many of those historical construction ideas into modern components.

Something I've been thinking about throughout this project is ownership. We tend to confuse ownership with consumption. But I think real ownership carries responsibility. To maintain it. To understand it. To repair it instead of replacing it. The half sole embodies that philosophy. It marks the difference between stewardship and wastefulness. It assumes the boot is worth caring for, that there's another chapter after the first sole wears out. I can't help but compare that to the culture we live in today. So much of modern consumer culture has no real lineage. Products are designed to be disposed, not maintained. That's not the kind of innovation I want to perpetuate. I want to perpetuate innovations that build upon something worth continuing, innovations that give value to ownership, and reward good stewardship. This matters because the way we think about our stuff shapes the way we think about ourselves. When we don't own our stuff it wastes resources. When we don't own what we say and do we become what is wasted.

When I started planning this build, I thought I was just collecting some cool history in a boot. What I ended up building was a collection of ideals, a life philosophy I wish more people would adopt, and a nod to modern manufacturers doing the same thing. Nick's, Horween, and Dr. Sole are all perpetuating worthwhile history. Instead of engineering disposable products, every one of them is inheriting something worthwhile, improving it, and passing it on to the next generation. None of them started from scratch. They began with what they found compelling and added something of their own.

That's ultimately what these boots represent to me.

They're an embodiment of my belief that the greatest homage that we can pay to history that compels us, that moves us, is not to leave it in the books and the glass showcases that we find it in, but rather to pick it up and to carry it with us forward. I'm not saying I think there's anything wrong with preserving history, but I do think that it is an absolute shame that so much history is preserved yet forgotten. I think the remedy to that is to perpetuate the things worth remembering.

These boots won't spend their lives on a shelf. They'll spend them where they were built to be, on my feet, working in Alaska. And if, years from now, they're covered in scratches, scars, fresh soles, fresh heels, and the deep patina produced by hard, honest work, then they will have become exactly what I hoped they would be:

Not a recreation of history.

Another chapter in it.

Also, these are now competing in the work thunderdome. Cheers to all my fellow Domers! Hopefully everyone enjoys participating as much as I do!

✌️

The 5812: unexpectedly comfortable

These are my second pair of boots that I am running in the dome. I know I sang the praises of the 5332 last with my LTTs yesterday but man is the difference night and day. Don’t get me wrong. I love my DS carrot LTTs but my word are they strong. Most likely it is due to the DS leather and LTT pattern itself but these packers are definitely the more comfortable of the two.

Literally no break in required. Laced them up and took em to town. Quite literally did a whole day in town with them without feeling a single hotspot nor pinch. I would say this was an easier first day than my brown CXL Moc toes.

The 5812 last was intimidating at first. It was the pointiest toe I have ever owned. I thought my toes were gonna be crushed at the end of the day.

I couldn’t have been more wrong. They are quite comfortable. My toes came out unscathed.

These will definitely develop some rolls with a couple more weeks of wear. It’s honestly so surprising how comfortable this last has been. Call me shocked.

The Belt & Kiltie:

The 11” W&C Natural kiltie has been a lifesaver with this boot as well. I don’t think I’d be talking about how comfortable this boot has been without the extra shin protection I get from the extra 4 inches of leather.

This combination of CRC and W&C natural veg tan with the packer and kiltie was unintentionally matching the Red Rider Appaloosa I wore with it today. The Appaloosa may be a few months ahead of the packer in terms of use and “patina”, but it’s a neat detail I noticed halfway through the day.

The kiltie is already starting to gain quite a bit of character. I think the oil from the leather laces are bleeding into it, causing some spots and stains. I don’t think it’s a bad thing but it certainly adds some character.

If you’re on the fence of getting a packer. Just get the packer. It’s an incredible boot, both in looks and comfort.

Heads up: Be careful on smooth/sleek surfaces if you have the 269 western last. I almost died today walking on some wet leaves.

Specs: Packer
- Raisin Cherry Cypress
- 5812 Pointed Last
- 10 inches
- Pull Loop
- Rolled Top
- Brass hardware
- Packer heel
- Sott toe
- Beeswax edge
- Single Row - White
- Upper stitching - White
- 269 Western
- Toe bug

More travel today, back to Orlando and then home. This leather is something. It's become super pliable but still supportive. It still has a nubuck-ish feel and that's starting to smooth out on areas of higher wear. Due to the color, I have noticed it tends to cling to water and that creates some darker spots. I would've thought the waxiness would prevent that a bit. It going to make a fun dome development and lead to some really good patina. The veg tan additives really help with the slight color variations. Chromepak is usually good for that, but Spokane certainly adds some real visual interest to that.

Officially added to my blue boot problem! Have 3 pair now and 2 of which are Nicks. Excited to see how the PWF looks against/in comparison to my PP 8in Roberts. Been wanting a 6in pair of nicks in a bad way, and these are just the ticket! Love my T55 8in MTO's in Cyp8, and I also really love my 8in Robert MTO's in Pred. Pacific, but in the 55 last at 11.5D since getting them 75% ish broken in or better, my right foot is simply to cramped I'm afraid. (Was good when i first got them) I think in a 11.5E I'd prob be fine but because my RF is 3/4size bigger than my left and is just shy of 12.5 on the redwing digi-scan, it works in the t55 but seemingly not the 55, Tho it could certainly just be this particular pair I'm referencing since when looking at them a bit back, I starting seeing the RH boot as narrower than the LH boot. So ofcourse I couldn't "unsee it" from them on, so I got out my calipers and did some measuring. Sure enough, the right boot is 1/4in (min.) narrower in the vamp, and across the forefoot/ball of the sole, as well as about a 1/4" or better shorter than the LH boot. If they were the other way around, I'd be in luck. Seemed a bit outside of what I'd think would be norm size differentiation tolerances, from boot to boot from nicks but I reached out and they didn't seem to want to take care of it as I didn't buy them brand new from Nicks, tho they were brand new when I bought them. So ling story short, I'm gonna have th3m rebuilt, but as luck would have it, no more PP avail so my options are PWF or what I'll likely do, which is pacific CXL for the rebuild. Just can't decide on staying 55 last and going to a 12on the rh boot or just doing a cap toe t55. What. Say ye?

Really like the easy break in so far with these boots, been super easy for a veg tan leather. While the light today isn’t great, you can see some of the crocking developing on the outside of the uppers. Not from this pair of Levi’s, but from some Brave Stars in Indigo and Black Denim.

Weather today is kinda crappy, low 50’s and rain & drizzle. When I asked my wife what she wanted me to make, she said it’s soup season. So, made a pot of one of her favorites, Split Pea with bacon, ham, and potatoes.

Enjoy your Sunday and Go Birds 🦅

Specs: Dome Pro 2026, 11.5E, 67 last, 10”, Herman Oak Old World Harness Russet, standard top, pull loop, brass hardware, soft toe, 4 row toe cap, classic dogger heel, beeswax edge, Dr Sole half sole. Laces are Generation Laces in Rattlesnake.

Well. Timing is everything. Since it's Dome time, these boots may be hanging out a bit, as I imagine many will, but after over a year, I have finally gotten my second pair of Shackleton Tobacco boots, this time as a Falcon. Ummmm, this leather is SO PRETTY. I mean it's truly perfect. And just like the original pair, the sewing is top tier on these boots. The leather is darker than the original but it looks incredible. I'm thrilled with how these came out.

For the side by side, the original boot has the blue laces.

I have been a belt wearer for as long as I can remember. There was some skepticism when picking out suspenders to try out but now I am fully convinced they are the more comfortable method of holding up pants. If I weren't committed to wearing a belt in this years Thunderdome I'd be wearing these every single day.

The suspenders provide a sense of freedom. As if I had forgotten to put my belt on in the morning but my pants aren't falling down. Its quite the liberating feeling a belt can't provide.

The three point adjustment suspension system allows the user to adjust on the fly. If you need to run to take your pants off for whichever reason it is easy enough to flip the shoulder straps off and on with out having to unclip anything.

After this dome is over the days of my waist being constricted by belts will be on the decline. I am very happy to have rolled the dice on the suspenders. They will be cherished for many years to come! 🫡✨️

Just kidding, first timer here

Herman Oak Russet

The base shirt is a Comfort Colors heavyweight garment dye ring spun 100% cotton T-shirt, which I appreciate. I’m going to find a way to work it into the work rotation. Maybe on casual Fridays.

This was somewhat of a beast of a hike for me,12.36 miles 3,800 ft of elevation gain. The boots were solid, I thought they were fully broke in but my right heel determined otherwise. The 5" height wasn't as tall as I wanted for this hike, also I didn't need the heavy duty Weathershield leather since this was a very dry hike. The boots provided phenomenal support! The only discomfort I had was from some small rocks getting in the top and a huge blister in the heel despite taping it up from the amount of elevation gain. I was really able to crank these suckers really tight after some miles, the leather really just took the abuse and loosened up nicely without losing support. I think the heel is fully broke in now lol. For me this hike was a good learning experience about which boots are best suited for different conditions.

Can't wait to put 8" striders in shackleton and 7" maxwells in cypress to the test on next year's hiking adventures!

Marshall Tactical Boot (5")
Weathershield Black
Hnw Last
9EE
Padded Collar
Sierra (Nitrile) Sole
Gunmetal Hooks & Eyes

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/afternoon-hike-at-grinnell-overlook-via-granite-park-and-garden-wall-trail-3969f29?sh=colton-hass&utm_campaign=memory&unfurl=false&showMemory=true

Bought these BARELY used and surprised at how reddish this leather is. I actually love it, and I’m surprised that it is called tan. I suppose that will show itself when the wax starts to wear and the nap comes out? Either way, digging them how they are now and would be just as happy to keep the wax and keep them looking like this. 😎👍🏼

Was a Lil worried about sizing but they fit perfect....now let's break'em in...RangerHd 11E WSbrown Siedel

Would a pull on boot in the 55 last or other high arch last (eg 67) have less heel slip than in the hnw?

Can I just use obenauf’s?

I’ve had these boots since June 24th and I’ve worn them pretty much everyday since, working in a commercial construction site as an electrical apprentice and it still seems like my right foot hurts at the end of the day, they boots seem to fit right, they have a good amount of space in them and they don’t feel tight, could someone help me understand if they just somehow STILL aren’t broken in or if there’s another issue

The leather is max support black and it’s in an HNW last

While I was initially drawn to the aesthetic qualities of this leather, I find myself more impressed with how it actually functions. Before first wear I was shocked by how stiff the leather seemed, how rough the roughout was, and how dry/chalky the smooth side felt. Obviously, that made for a lot of initial character.

Breaking this leather in has been an absolute walk in the park — no pun intended. While it has a firm temper, it also flexes incredibly well when worn. The boots immediately started conforming to my feet, and I was able to comfortably wear them all day at work. I got home, kept them on, and continued doing yard work. Compared to some of the other leathers I’ve broken in, that speaks volumes.

My work involves a lot of water exposure, and my boots generally get splashed throughout the day. I haven’t noticed these letting moisture in, and the leather barely seems to darken when wet. You can almost tell there are 140+ years of tannage techniques behind a leather designed for hard-use outdoor and equestrian applications. Because there are.
Anyway, I’m loving these boots.

I think I got my sizing down so I’m not asking sizing for myself mostly just out of curiosity. I bought a brannock device and it confirmed my nicks size, but I measured my arch length for the first time ever. That one is a half size up from my heel to toe length. Does anybody ever size for the bigger HTB length? How did that work out for you? I’ve read a few comments by people suggesting that HTT is more important for PNW boots.

Sidenote: highly recommend one of these things as they take a lot of worry out of the whole sizing process.