
Month Two: Dust and Dialogue The Nicks Cypress #8 Tankers never had a shine to lose, just that quiet matte that looks born for hard miles. A month in, they’ve stopped being strangers; the creases are settling in like the first lines of a story that’s starting to mean something. They’ve met cinder block and curbside, learned the world’s rough grammar. The brass flashes a little in the sun, but the leather stays calm, steady, unpretentious. Month one was the introduction. This is the handshake, firm, deliberate, and ready for whatever comes next.
Taken on November 2, 2025
Open Thunderdome 2025-2026, November submission
Nicks Handmade Boots
Heritage TankerPro
Nicks Handmade Boots
Cost: 665 USD
Availability: Custom
Lead Time: 6 months
Thurman 55 last, dogger heel, 10” height, every proportion chosen for balance and quiet authority. Cypress #8 leather flows from vamp to shaft, stitched plain so every crease will speak its own language. The “tanker” straps while rooted in history, today provide speed and ease to start the day’s journey, while the Vibram 269 sole waits patiently to imprint the first chapter of a journey yet unwritten.
Every measurement precise, every instruction followed, using Nicks’ charts as my Bible, resulting in a fit nothing short of perfect.
I ordered completely online at Nicks.com. When the ‘entering production’ notice appeared, I switched the leather to Cypress #8, guided by the sample swatches I had carefully reviewed. Every choice felt deliberate, setting the stage for boots whose story is waiting to begin.