We got record snowfall this year up here in Anchorage, Alaska. A couple weeks ago I was going to get my winter tires put on and my wife got stuck on a snow burm that the state plows had left at the main intersection leading our of our neighborhood. She called me as I was half way down to the tire place and I turned around to help her. Many people stopped to help us, but she was high centered and it was no use, we needed a tow truck. So we got her towed out, only so that early the next week the snow would melt and refreeze. The resulting ruts in the road were so bad that she could not get home from work. We had to go stay at her parent's place, where the roads were better, for a couple days. It has already been a rough winter, but these boots have supported me through it all.
Taken on December 1, 2023
Open Thunderdome 2023-2024, December submission
Grant Stone
Brass Boot
US Men's Brannock: 11D
Floyd Last: 10.5D
Fits well with thin socks or just snug with thick socks. Generally prefer 10.5 E for my 11D brannock foot. But, for the B grade price the fit is acceptable.
Grant Stone
Cost: 250 USD
Availability: Stock Model
Lead Time: 4 days
I've been wanting this pair for a while. I really love the look of the dark kudu. I love a boot with a chunky toe and didn't have a Brass boot yet. It's very sturdy boot that will hold up to Alaskan winters. The roomy Floyd last allows for thick socks for those cold days. The lug sole does very well on hikes and trudging through snow. The leather is tough and scratches just blend right in. But, I wasn't really sure if I wanted to enter the thunderdome again, I wasn't planning on buying another pair of boots at the time. I saw this pair on Grant Stone's B grade page a couple months before the start of the dome, and I just thought it was a sign. I thought, this may not be the most competetive leather, but it's a pair that I am really excited to wear and I want to see how it ages. There really weren't a lot of pictures of this leather properly broken in. So I was excited to contribute that to the Patina app, at the end of the day that repository of patina is the best part of this competition for me personally.
I have a few other pairs of Grant Stone footwear. Josh at GS has given me sizing advice in the past, but it's still been trial and error as I learned to properly use a brannock, and how I prefer my footwear to fit. My preferred size is actually 10.5E, but 10.5D fits just fine and the Floyd last has some extra volume. They were B grades and I just couldn't pass up the deal.
Grant Stone's ordering process is easy and they ship faster than any other shop I know. Their customer service is always fantastic.