By rsielaff • April 4, 2024"I love the way this leather patinas, forms to your foot limits creasing. I struggled a little bit with one of the toe caps on one boot looking a little different than the other in the beginning. But, I knew the patina would set in an I wouldn’t notice. That held to be true. I also struggled a little with the first few discolorations and scrapes. I found that I tend to catch my truck door with my right foot when I get out. Oh well just part of the patina story. Over time I really felt that the scrapes, discoloration and dings mellowed out and formed a nice blend of colors. The overall color of the leather changed a little in the beginning and then seemed to find its happy place. I primarily used Venetian Imperial Leather Balm because it was supposed to change the color very little while having a little more wax and shine than the shoe cream version. I tried both and didn’t see too much difference. I conditioned as needed and a little more often than some recommend, but I like to keep the leather looking good and not dried at all. I found the frequency depended heavily on how wet the leather got but usually was 1-2 months as I think this leather tends to be a little drier than others. The break-in was nearly negligible for this shoe. I think it was because it fit me so well...."Read the full review
