As these boots are for the 2024 Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome, I just started wearing them yesterday. So they’ve been worn around mostly at home. However, today I took them on their first hike to the Watkins Glen State Park!
Because of the nature of the veg tanned leather, they were pretty stiff. The boots still don’t feel too comfortable after walking a few miles, but that’s not unexpected. The leather sole was very slippery and I almost fell a few times. Again, not unexpected. However, they did get scuffed and eventually provided more traction even on the wet and slippery gravel/stone roads I traversed. I think the boots experienced a very minor color change and have started to patina slightly due to the weather and wear they’ve experienced. I’ll definitely give them a thorough wipe down and brushing after the mud that caked them.
The boots felt pretty comfortable out of the box. There is some slight pressure on my instep and pinky toe, but that’s usually where boots give me slight rubbing. The leather boots I’ve worn usually break in and accommodates those areas after some wear. I’m thinking these will be the same. The stiff veg tan insole will probably take some time to form to my foot and give me the support that I need. I’m definitely glad I decided to wear thick socks to break in the boots because the stiff uppers and insoles might hurt my leg and foot a bit.
The quality of these boots is really good for the price. There is some stitching that seems out of place, and one of the toe stitches of my ottawa boot is off center. These things slightly bug me, but they don’t interfere with the usability and durability (so far). Thus, I’ll not complain about them too much. The leather feels and looks fantastic. The lining leather makes it a breeze to slip the boots on and off. In addition, the boots took traveling over rocks, mud, gravel, and puddles like a champ. No wetness felt whatsoever despite the rain. Not even scuffs on the uppers. Very nice!
The leather sole was very slippery and I almost fell a few times. Again, not unexpected. However, they did get scuffed and eventually provided more traction even on the wet and slippery gravel/stone roads I traversed. The rubber on the heel portion is very much an appreciated design of the boot. It allowed for more traction and grip on slippery surfaces while the sole was still in the process of getting scuffed. I imagine it will be a very helpful bit in the coming winter months.
I wanted to wear these boots as my first impressions of a veg tanned boot and a leather sole. As I’ve just started my journey, I can’t give concrete impressions. However, I’m impressed with their durability, water resistance, and leather quality. QC could use some work it seems, but I’m happy with the boots overall. I got these boots on sale and I’d say they more than meet my expectations of a boot in that price range.