This year, I stepped out of my comfort zone and picked up a pair of shearling Chelsea boots from Meermin. Seriously. I used to wear sneakers and now it’s mostly service boots. They fit perfectly and were adaptable to custom orthotics once the extreme cold subsided. As Chelsea boots made of shell cordovan, they handled jobsites extremely well. I used them for various tasks, including cutting concrete, installing drains, painting, sanding walls, sanding my car, hammering, installing soffit lights, installing receptacles and lights, walking my dogs, shoveling snow, and more. I did my best to coat these boots in Sno-Seal right before the first snowfall, and I think they held up rather well. Salt stains are inevitable, and I have come to embrace them. Initially, they look very ugly, but they blend over time. The Meermin shell cordovan was quite rough once the factory finish came off. After cleaning it with saddle soap, there is a nice subtle shine to the leather. It still has plenty of structure to it; if you squeeze it from the sides, it springs back to shape like rubber. I will definitely keep on wearing these boots until the next Thunderdome. They’re simply too convenient to put on and run out the door.