I work mainly in an office with outdoors work and play on weekends.
The break-in was easy the boots were comfortable from the first time I put them on. The double stuffed leather is not a good choice for a patina contest the leather is indestructible. I don’t have a chance of placing the leather is just to forgiving and very little patina is showing yet.
The 55 last is the perfect fit for my high arch feet. For sizing I just followed the recommendations on the website I don’t know if luck or just being diligent about measuring my feet but they fit great.
These boots are a great all around boot. The leather is soft with firm body it molded to your feet very quickly and flexes easy as you walk. The crimson color was a bit to much at first so I tried a white ghost wax on them first but they turned out pink and that just didn’t work for me sot that was removed and I applied two coats of black polish, this toned they down to a mellow burgundy color (I love it). The construction is perfect no issues with stitching or soles.
These boots are working great for me and I know they will keep getting better as time goes by. I don’t think I will place but that not the reason I enter the Thunderdome, I don’t go out to destroy a pair of boots to win a contest I like the fact that wearing a pair of boots for 6 months every day gives them a nice start and I know that I will be wearing these boots for years.