When I first opened the box I wasn't sure I got the right boots.
I was expecting more "inferno". I was a little disappointed but, what I didn't realize was that these boots would be a chameleon. I was in a hotel room when I received them, a room with real terrible lighting.
I knew I was going to be wearing them for the dome, so I put them away and didn't think too much about it other than wondering if I made a poor choice. Thankfully, I just hadn't given them a real look.
The day before the dome I was back in a hotel room, looked at them again and was again disappointed but hopeful.
But when I wore them to work the next day I couldn't stop looking down. I was fascinated by the complexity of the color. In the sun they are a subtle blood red, but still brown-ish, but also slightly oxblood purple, but still brick red, but not quite. The color is literally amazing, interesting, hard to describe, and that's why it's such a winner in my book.
This was my first rambler leather boot and that's another thing I do not regret in the slightest bit. In fact, rambler leather has driven me to investigate other C. F. Stead suedes. I'm looking forward to waxy commander and other rambler colors in the future.
They leather is supple, like you'd expect from a suede, but also thick and with nice body. You can tell it's not wimpy. This is a resilient leather that I would not worry about using in a hiking boot.
You could do real work in them, but they aren't quite as tough as your classic 3mm thick work leathers.
The footbed is wider than it looks. I wear an 8EE-8.5E in PNW boots. Andrew from parkhurst recommended a size 9 for me and he was right.
I might try an 8.5 on my next pair as I feel I could maybe go down one notch in width. I was concerned about making sure I had the necessary width, but it turned out I had nothing to worry about.
They are really quite comfortable with no extra insole. I do a lot of standing and walking, and they perform just fine for me. They are definitely more comfortable than my old red wings. I am thinking about trying a thin 2mm Eva foam insole just to see how that feels, but I'm in no hurry.
I do wish they had more arch support. I used a Dr Scholls orthotic insert to give me a little more arch and that was awesome, but I do crave more. This just isn't that style of boot though.
The outsoles are softer than vibram mini lugs and for that I'm grateful. I always found vibram mini lugs to be too hard under foot. The parkhurst sole is a nice balance of soft and hardy.
I haven't find anything to really complain about on these boots. I'm trying, and I just come up short on reasons to not love these boots.
Customer service at parkhurst is nearly ideal. When you email them you get a response from Andrew himself. It's a one-person operation. He's responsive and easy to talk to. Honestly, I wish I knew more businesses like this to throw my support behind.
Parkhurst has solidified their position in my top three practical boot makers. I can't wait to try it their next truly unique article.