Inspired work boots to daily drivers

OldSchool_Mijoover 1 year ago
Monroe 19917 LTTTochigi Oil Vachetta #1 Light Brown
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Why I own this

Custom
Style
Outdoor Activities

Honestly chose this makeup based on a similar workboot style. For work I wear the Whites 10” Smokejumper Lace to Toes during fire season. I like everything about those boots especially the aesthetics. I like them so much that I wanted to have a daily driver boot for more of my lifestyle that had the same look. I went with a 6” boot and a less aggressive sole.

How I sized

Foot Tracing
Recommendation for Foot Shape

Was pretty straightforward with the foot tracing and measurements. I used the metric system for measurement (CM). I went with the boot makers recommendation on sizing, which turned out to be perfect.

Ordering process

Purchased from MonroeTotal cost: 440 USD Lead time: 4 months
Direct Message

If you wanna order from Monroe, it is all through direct message on Instagram. He was pretty quick at responding to my messages and he has a short order form for you to fill out. Very straight forward and he was very helpful when it came to choosing leathers

Use & wear

Physical Work
Outdoor Activities
Leisure
Travel
Wet Conditions
Snow

I wore these boots rain or shine, even experienced some snow! These were my day to day lifestyle boots. I did not baby them whatsoever. If I had a project going on at home I had these on my feet. I built a 70’ fence in these. I cut firewood in these. I took these to the grocery store. I went to birthday parties in these. I hiked. I traveled out of state with them. They essentially became apart of me.

Leather

Tochigi Oil Vachetta #1 Light Brown
Patina Process
Care Routine
Break-In
Color Change

The tochigi leather was a little stiff at first, but had a very familiar break in which was a breeze. One of my favorite leathers is the Oro legacy leather from the classic Red Wing 875. I did plenty of research on how a leather would age and patina and that was the color I was hoping for at the end. They started off natural and yellow of course and now they’ve morphed between an orange and brown color which I love. My care routine was very simple. I brushed them daily if not every other day. Spot conditioned in those thirsty areas. If there was any major dirt or grime I would take a damp rag to them and simply wipe them off. Overall I love the quality leather I chose.

Fit

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

At first, these boots felt a little roomy in the toe box. I had an extra leather footbed from Red Wing that I added to take up some room. However, after breaking them in they molded to my feet perfectly. They have an unstructured toe which helped with that. They’re one of my best fitting and comfortable boots I own. Though they are a similar build to whites Lace to toe, they do not offer a high arch. I am a big fan of the high arch, but I could also wear these boots all day without that arch support.

Craftsmanship

Monroe 19917 LTT
Design
Construction
Stitching

These are up there with one of my favorite boots based on the aesthetic and the way the patina developed. The leather is still holding up great and it’s only getting better. One of the small details that I appreciate is the small grove that the stitching sits in on the bottom of the sole. It's a small detail but that stitch is still in great condition. The unstructured toe gives it a timeless look in my opinion.

Sole & heel

Durability
Traction
Comfort
Design

I only seen the Dr. Sole soles online from other boot enthusiasts so I decided to give them a try since I was going with a MTO custom boot. I wanted to go for a minimal/timeless look that wasn’t rugged but something I could still beat up if I needed to. These soles did not disappoint at all. In fact, I will be resoling some of my other boots with these soles some day. They were lightweight, very “sticky” when it came to slick surfaces. I think the cork also helped a lot with my “bounce” while walking. Definitely recommend these soles.

Final thoughts

Would Recommend
Good Value

I am very pleased overall with my boots. I fell in love with the brand. I was a little skeptical at first ordering boots from the other side of the world, but those Indonesian boot makers know their stuff. At least this Brand delivered. I will be a returning customer in the very near future.

Written by OldSchool_Mijo
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