Custom T-1's: A Favorable Review

demoover 1 year ago
Frank's Boots Type 1 CommanderSeidel Brown Domain
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Use & wear

Office Work
Outdoor Activities

I work from home full time, at a desk. However, I have multiple hobbies and a dog to entertain, so they still saw some intermittent abuse. Barely made a dent, with how solid these are.

Leather

Seidel Brown Domain
Patina Process
Breathability
Color Change
Care Routine
Break-In

This is an uber teacore leather, packed with oily goodness. I haven't needed to hydrate them at all, just a biweekly brushing brings them back. The high/lows of the leather are great, which is why I chose this leather. Break in was easy and was completely molded to my foot within a week. The leather had similar breathability to CXL.

Fit

Comfort
Arch
Toe Box
Length Feels Right
Volume Feels Right
Ball Feels Right
Satisfied with the Fit

Fit is perfect, similar to my pair of Smokejumpers. The toe box was a little narrow at first, being celastic, but stepping on them a bit flattened them out and felt great after that. Great arch support, hasn't collapsed at all.

Craftsmanship

Frank's Boots Type 1 Commander
Design
Construction
Finishing
Durability
Stitching
Clicking

They aren't the most aesthetically pleasing pair I have, but they're beautiful in their own right. They have a classic work boot look once on foot. The finishing is top notch, being Frank's; perfect stitching and clicking. One slight issue that was subjective was the heel profile, coming with a crescent curve. I sanded them down and redyed them myself, to more closely resemble a White's pair.

Sole & heel

Durability
Comfort
Traction
Design
Other

Vbar is the GOAT for a reason. Overall, no complaints; comfortable all day with adequate traction. Weird separation of the thin outer layer on the bottom, but it isn't structural.

Final thoughts

Other
Would Recommend
Good Value

These weren't exactly what I had pictured in my head when ordering the custom, but I came to love them. They served me well and look pretty good at the end, though not as drastic as others in the comp. Frank's is one of my favorite makers, will be getting many more pairs.

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