I wore them every other day for the first three months, then almost every day after I realized that double doming was not the way to go. I wore them to work, to the train, on a few hikes, on a trip to Scotland, and in all kinds of weather - from dry and sunny to snow and a lot of rain.
The Natural Buttero developed exactly the way I wanted it to. It was quite stiff and still has a firm hand after six months. It started out bright and clean and darkened a lot with wear. I had some color transfer from my jeans and some discoloration from walking in the muddy rain. The break-in took some time, but the lining from Tannery Kobel in Germany was always very soft and comfortable. Overall, I'm more than happy with the patina that has developed and the way the uppers have evolved over time. I have conditioned the boots 4 times and have settled on a German natural beeswax conditioner.
The fit was quite good, but it took some time for the boots to adjust to my foot. The very thick and quite stiff insole I used really needed some wear to get softer and more flexible. The arch support was medium and the heel height with a slight angle made them perfect for everyday wear. Toe room was perfect, especially without a toe stiffener.
Overall, I'm really happy with the way I built the boots, but I think there are some improvements that could be made. They are hand-welded 270 degrees, so I think I could have done it without the extra two rows of wooden pegs in the waist area for a little more flexibility. Next time I will probably go back to a half sole, but something with a softer compound. I'm still pretty happy with the design and pattern, the upper height is perfect for my use and the clicking was pretty good too - the vamps even formed some nice rolls and not a lot of heavy creasing. Like I said, the insole was probably not the perfect choice as it was quite stiff to begin with, but I didn't have another option at the time I made the boots.
The half sole I used held Up perfectly and still has a lot of live in it, but it was also quite stiff. For the next resole I'll probably go with a softer compound. The traction was good for most of my use cases, but maybe not the best for hicking, especially in wet terrain.
I've used this heel before, so I already knew it was pretty durable and would easily hold up for the duration of the Thunderdome. It's very hard wearing and works perfectly with the outsole I used. I would definitely use it again.
The boots have been with me on almost every occasion over the last 6 months - from work meetings to hikes in the Scottish rain. They were reliable, comfortable and it was great to see them go from the light natural leather to the beautiful honey color they are now. I would do it again 100% and I'll be wearing them all the time after the Thunderdome.