I wore my pair throughout my travels in Ciudad de México. They were worn at various coffee shops, record bars, and beer tasting rooms while I coded Patina Project. I walked to and from Spanish class three days a week and learned how to dance basic salsa in them.
Horween shell never ceases to leave me satisfied. The color has stayed rich and continues to show a great color depth in the sun. The footwear-pant interfacing has left a nice glaze on the quarters. The break-in for shell has never been an issue for me. It also breathes well, and I always wear Darn Tough merino wool tactical socks (T4021) with them. As of writing, they have been cleaned, conditioned with Saphir Renovateur, and brushed a grand total of once.
The third and final iteration of my custom last with Julian Boots is hit and miss. It fits my ball width quite well, and the instep fits perfectly with the facings perfectly spaced apart. The heel space is also ideal. However, the last is too voluminous, and is slightly too short, where my tips of my toes sometimes feel the ends of the boots. Jorge Guadarramar, a bespoke shoemaker and friend of mine in Ciudad de México, made me a pair of custom insoles to help remedy the volume issue. This made the pair fit more securely and allowed me to even dance salsa comfortably.
Julian Boots really knocked it out of the park on the design and finishing department. The welt and stitching are clean. They nailed the military-inspired look that teeters between rugged and refined, thanks to the Horween shell. I believe their pattern work is where Julian Boots really shines. Each of my pairs is sized specially for each foot, and there is a bit of a difference in the shape of the lasts. The left boot tapers in a bit more at the big toe area, but it causes no noticeable fit difference in that area. The depth of the toe structure on each boot is also slightly different, which has resulted in a difference in the position of where the shell has rolled. It's minor, but something I have to point out.
I absolutely love this sole. Not only does it have one of my favorite designs of a sole ever, but it holds up and feels great. If I ever get a resole, I definitely hope to obtain another set of these.
My Julian Boots experience has been wildly mixed! However I am enjoying my pair to the fullest, and the design and finishing hit high marks for me. In the future, I may consult Unsung House for a relast to resolve the volume and length issues, to achieve the perfect fit. In the meantime, they fit me well enough to enjoy my Ciudad de México travels.