My boots have hiked in various terrain from the rolling hills of Kentucky to the desert and mountains of New Mexico. They’ve been my everyday pair working from home and my weekend pair doing chores around the yard. Blkbrd’s site says these are made to be worn rough, and I believe it. I wanted a pair of boots that could transition from the woods to casual dining with ease, and these have more than accomplished that goal.
The overall break-in wasn’t bad, and the boots were comfortable to wear all day after a few days. I did have some heel slipping that lasted about a week until the heel cup conformed to my foot. The Chromexcel leather recovers from scuffs in a magical way. I am really impressed how easy it is to shine with a quick brush, and I did that every few days. After 4 months and getting the boots quite wet a few times, I used leather conditioner once. The color has developed nicely from a light peanut butter to a rich caramel that I look forward to watching through the years.
The sizing seems slightly narrower in overall volume than other 7D boots I have, which is good for me. The maker questioned me about the size based on my measurements, but all other men’s 7 are very roomy for me, so I stuck with that. A half size larger might have been a better choice for slightly more width and toe room. That said, the arch support and general feel of this last matches my foot very well. I tend to wear thinner socks with these, but they’ve stretched enough now, I’ve no issues if I forget. I like the cushioned insole, and it still has a lot of spring to it after near-daily wear 6-10 hours/day for 6 months.
I love these boots. The design is clean and classy, and the materials are high quality. The stitching is even, and there haven’t been any loose threads. I’m amazed that the light-colored stitching hasn’t absorbed dirt and grime, and the outsole edges haven’t needed anything but a damp cloth to remove dirt. The lining is a gorgeous dark brown color that’s extremely soft. I expect these to last many years.
The soles have exceeded my expectations. They have good grip on all surfaces I’ve tried and have hardly worn down after 6 months of steady use.
Highly recommend Blkbrd for excellent customer service, and a quality, affordable product.