By sigben59 • April 7, 2024"The last six months have be fun for me. This pair of boots was a foray back into boot wearing. It was a long road to decide on this pair of boots and to actually pull the trigger. I have never been without hiking boots since my days in Scouting. My Urban Loggers are my third pair heritage/work boots.
My last pair of boots, not counting hiking boots, was a pair of Timberlands. They were a black pair I got in college to supplement a pair of old service style boots I’d had since freshman year in high school. I had them for probably 7 or 8 years when the sole started to separate from the upper. They carried me through winter from college all the way to Chicago; including the Chiberia of 2014.
The boots I had since high school were a pair of black 6in service style boots. I wore that pair to death they were practically my everyday wear junior and senior year of high school. Sadly where I was living when they were in desperate need of repair I couldn’t find anyone to resole.
When those boots when back to the great cobbler in the sky I started looking for a new pair. I knew what I wanted: black leather and rugged. I came upon the Iron Rangers and I don’t remember how. I had hesitations, mostly about the price I was a broke college student at the time and couldn’t justify the expense or have the money.
After college my shoe needs tended towards dress shoes for work/going out and and a single pair sneakers for not work. At the time I started to hear to Timberlands less and less. I got rubbers for winter for my dress shoes. Yes I was a 60 year man in my twenties.
5 years ago, I decided I wanted a pair of casual all purpose boots. So I start l looking for what I wanted: resoleably and a Goodyear welt we’re top of the list. At this time I was still leaning towards black. All signs were pointing toward Red Wing Iron Rangers. I had intended to buy them but when I went to they were out of my size. It gave me pause and I started looking at other heritage boots. To make a long story short: covid happened and I ended up working from home… and I had begun minimizing my wardrobe. I didn’t need to wear business clothes and more so my personal uniform became blue jeans and a blue or gray Henley. I started to phase black out of my wardrobe… I’m so glad I didn’t buy the black boots before all that.
At this point I am still intending to get Iron Rangers. They ticked all the right boxes. The more out of stock issues and I found PNW boots. I fell unloved either them. Handmade, lots of lesther, and options galore.
I decided on Nicks; now I just needed to select my options. I went through multi leathers and features and options. I finally pulled the trigger on December 26th back in ‘22.
The best part of this experience was getting to see all of the different boot in different leathers… I’m starting to plan my next pair.
Regardless of the outcome I have already won...."Read the full review
