Nicks
Builder Pro, MTO
Thurman55 Last
US Men's Brannock: 10.5E
Thurman55 Last: 10E
None
The Thurman 55 last is exactly what i was looking for. I have some serious duck feet. ( Narrow in the heel with a really wide toe spread. ) The high arch from the 55 is a real back saver, and the Thurman toe allows my toes to roam where they naturally want to be. This is my last of choice from here on out.
Nicks Handmade Boots
I am a Journeyman Lineman by trade. I wanted to see the evolution of a vegetable tan boot such as Natural Dublin over the course of the dome. The Thurman 55 last works extremely well for my duck feet. Cut top on a 10 inch height has great ankle support and comfort in my line of work. The leather shank feels good and distributes my weight evenly while ascending, working, and descending wood poles when strapped into my climbing gaffs. I am excited to have this pair of Natty Dub beauties go through the challenge of the 24'-25' Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome.
I measured a half size down from brannock and came out with a 10.5 bumped down to a 10 Length. For width i measured with a taylors tape and cross referenced Nicks width sheet. I landed pretty firmly on an E width. The classic heel height and arch of the 55 last combined with the frontal toe space of the Thurman last is a godsend, that keeps me coming back to Nicks. This last works well for my duck feet. ( Wide forefront, more narrow heel )
Nicks released 25 pairs of Natural Dublin over the summer in a MTO, Quickship. I ordered a pair when there were only 10 left. I recieved the pair about 2 months after ordering. The process was smooth as it could have been.
January was brutally cold not only here in the Mid Atlantic but the whole eastern half of the country. The Natural Dublin took almost daily abuse of snow, sleet, mud, and road salt. On one occasion we set poles next to a farmers horse farm runoff ditch, M mmm good...
The Natural Dublin has been on going through what I refer to as a " carmelization " process high friction areas are burnishing quite well. A fee slices were opened wounds when new but have since gone to a much more scar like tissue. I brush dirt and debris off as needed and wipe of mud and clay wipe a damp rag. A final horse hair brushing moves the waxes and oils around enough to get it to shine until the next day.
The Thurman 55 last is still my go to favorite last snug in my heel and waist. Lots of lateral toe wiggle room. The 55 high arch provides comfort throughout the day and is complimented well by the Honey Vibram Outsole. A Buffalo Wool Company 4mm insert was added to try and combat the cold from weeks on end of below freezing temperatures. They are comfortable and aid in the sweat wicking properties of my Paul Bunyan, Darn Tough Merino Wool Socks.
Nicks is definitely my go to company so I may be a little biased but design, construction and finishing was right on track for what I'd expect from one of the legendary PNW boot maker's like Nicks. One notable improvement has been an improvement in Nicks stitch lines, which are cleaner than they were just a couple of years ago.
The initial wear of the Honey Vibram heel caps was quite fast but it has since begun to wear more evenly. The softer compound seems to do a little better in the colder conditions adding slightly more grip in slick spots.
The Classic Dogger i have found to be the most natural walking heel for myself personally. YMMV figuratively and literally.
This boot I feel has entered a stage of metamorphosis. I am highly anticipating the final product. All of my Nicks have aged in their own very unique way. These are no exception.