The perfect everything boot for me. Supports me through the day while looking classy.

I have worn my boots rain or shine. Though being in California mostly sunshine. I'm a photographer so sometimes I'm just sitting at a desk and other times I'm working on my feet the whole day. I'm also a dad dropping off their kid to school or doing groceries. Other times I'm doing long drives to meet with clients and walking around different types of locations. These boots have been perfect in all situations. The ease of sliding them on and off is perfect for a busy dad. The construction of the arch and heel has given me support that my feet needed to stay comfortable all day no matter what I'm doing. The shell cordovan takes a beating and keeps looking classy. Feet stay warm when it's cold and breathe fairly well when it's hot. Mainly can control the temperature with the type of socks I'm wearing.

The look and durability of a black shell cordovan is going to be hard to beat for me going forward. I thought kudu leather was my favorite boot leather because of the flexibility and way it creased. However after wearing these I don't think I can go back from shell cordovan for any new purchases. Main things about the leather I love is the thickness and ability to hold form, rolling rather than creasing and the low maintenance because of the above two. These boots have been scratched up in my studio with c stand and other equipment that has legs at foot level. Some burnishing, conditioning and brushing and they look good as new. Other than when I need to repair a scratch or want to shine them up for a dressier outfit my care is minimal. Biggest changes have been in the form and feel of the leather rather than the color.

Pretty near perfect on the fit for me. Communication with briselblack to figure out the sizing and fit went well. I did a lot of back and forth with them giving as much information as I could and pictures. I gave them examples of previous boots I have and their fit, my bannock size, tape measure measurements and outline drawing of my foot. They modified the ankle opening to be narrower for me which worked out great. I would say my instep is on the higher side and I did not feel restricted by the fit. The best part of these boots for me is the heel and arch construction. Because of the support these are giving me I feel like they are my most comfortable shoes. The toe box narrows but never feels like it's pressing my toes together. My toes feel fine at the end of the day. Probably because my weight is properly distributed through my heel and arch.

The design of these reaches a perfect balance of casual and classy. It's easy to wear them with many different outfits and never feel out of place. Even non boot people compliment these boots unprompted. Everything about this boot feels solid. Even the pull strap feels over built with a thick piece of leather. The heel locks your foot in place really well. I'd say my only critique with the boots is that I went with a structured toe box. Because of that the rolls on each boot started to form differently. This is because of slight variations in the toe box structure between the boots and how the boots flex. So one has crazy rolls and the other has mild to little rolls. Outside of that boots looked symmetrical and felt balanced.

Very solid outsole. The flex of the leather in the middle of the boot because of the half sole made the breakin easy. The durability of these soles while being comfortable is very surprising. Grip on a variety of surfaces is also reliable. Even with daily wear the tread on these is nowhere near needing a resole. I would definitely go with a Dr sole outsole for my next pair of shoes again.

I'm very happy with the woodman shape and height. It provided a great look while being very supportive.

The whole process with these boots was great and I would definitely buy from them again. They were patient in helping me figure out the sizing. They made sure to get me the boots in time for the patina thunderdome. They were responsive when I sent an inquiry of status. I learned a lot about what is actually comfortable for my feet by wearing these boots. These are now my favorite pair of boots I own and will be my go to shoes.