These carried me across the US, from the stage to the ski slopes. Journey’s just begun.

Wore these across almost every condition in the past 6 months. Snow and ice across the east coast, gardening in the fall, the desert for a wedding, and so on. Didn’t do much serious labor in them or any major hiking, but I otherwise wore them across the range of conditions I experience.

Break-in was tougher than expected due to the multi-layer calf, but they molded very well to my feet after the first couple weeks of wears. The calfskin maintained a really rich luster and shine with regular brushing, and they ultimately stayed much dressier than I expected. Despite being calfskin, they held up super well to scuffs and scratches. Even deeper ones seemed to disappear with just brushing and the occasional dab of conditioner. A couple instances of cleaning for salt, light conditioning, and a bit of clear polish on the toe, but otherwise just lots of brushing. Showing these off in the sun and the shade. I expected to scuff my toes more, but instead they just developed into a rich, dark brown with variation across the high and low wear points.

As someone with a narrow, low volume foot, the clinch lasts are excellent. Very considerable arch support, which relaxed some over time to fit my low-medium arches. A tad extra volume and width around my forefoot, but nothing bothersome, especially with thicker socks. These fit great and provide excellent support.

Absolutely beautiful craftsmanship. I love Clinch’s aesthetic and these are no exception. They manage to exist across so many eras. With a polish, they can dress up, but they look equally at home across heritage styles. No issues with build. It’s clear that Brass considers aging in the design, as they roll and bend in a beautiful way. The calfskin creases are really lovely, and the calfskin has a surprising amount of character.

These really surprised me. The soles have very solid grip in every condition except ice and they’re extremely durable for such a low profile sole. I expected way more wear with 500+ miles on them.

The block heel is sturdy and stiff with surprising grip. In the snow and ice, these cut well and maintained good grip. Similar to the soles, the rubber proved much harder and more durable than I expected. Decent bit of wear, but I feel like these are still far from needing a resole. Wouldn’t mind a slightly softer rubber for comfort considering the heel is relatively high.

My first Brass Tokyo Clinch pair but hopefully not my last. They fit my feet great and have so much character. I’ve never found a boot wearable across so many occasions and decades. My dome boots even made their operatic debut. With them, I’ve stepped foot in 12 states, 2 weddings, 1 proposal, and 1 opera! I wore these almost every single day of the dome, usually at least a few miles every day. They challenged my personal style, as I tend to mix it up and wear less black. Learned a lot about my own tastes, so I’d call it a successful dome! So much more room to keep evolving despite wearing these 150+ days.