Overall, these have been served me well for their intended purpose aside from the last and my feet

ImaGoatover 1 year ago
Nicks MTOHorween Orange Predator
Timeline photo 1
Worn 6 months
Timeline photo 2
Worn 5 months
Timeline photo 3
Worn 4 months
Timeline photo 4
Worn 3 months
Timeline photo 5
Worn 2 months
Timeline photo 6
Worn about 1 month
Timeline photo 7
Worn less than a day
Timeline photo 8
Not yet worn

Maker

Nicks Handmade Boots

Model

MTO

Leather

Last

HNW Last

US Men's Brannock: 11E

HNW Last: 10.5E

I have wide, lower volume feet, so my feet are over the stitches. It is too tight for me long-term. I will be considering rebuilding to a different width if possible

Sole

Purchased from

Nicks Handmade Boots

Order info

Availability: Custom

More about this item

The leather was great! It really took a beating and is still kicking. It really took a shine from just brushing it daily. Conditioned the entire boot once and a few touch ups after that so far.

Why did you choose this item?

Availability: Custom
Workplace Needs
Style

I needed(/wanted) another, lighter weight, pair for work. I felt the predator orange would be a unique leather in my use case and I saw some other patinas that looked really good!

How did you determine your size?

Online Guide
Circumferential Measurements
Compared to Other Lasts

I went with the same size nicks I had on the 55 last due to their recommendations. Didn't know my size before nicks, so I initially paid extra for a try on boot. Due to inexperience and my foot health improving during the wait for nicks, I had to go through a size exchange when got my first boots in.

What was the ordering process?

Purchased from Nicks Handmade Boots
Direct Message

Talked to the owner of Nicks boots through Reddit about ordering this new pair and making some special changes. It all went pretty smooth and Nicks took care of me very well.

Use & wear

Physical Work
Wet Conditions
Snow

Almost exclusively used during my work in a refinery 5 days a week. I let them rest on weekends. Lots of climbing around in the pipe racks, going up and down ladders and stairs, etc.

Leather

Horween Orange Predator
Patina Process
Care Routine
Break-In
Durability
Color Change

The leather darkened up and took a shine simply from brushing. I brushed every day after work with a nylon brush followed by a horsehair brush. I conditioned them entirely once with Smith's leather balm and a couple touch ups and some conditioning on the inside with Smith's and or obenaufs grease. The biggest issue with the break in was around the top edge around my ankle. That caused some pain for quite a while but finally subsided around a couple months or so. Otherwise, it wasn't too difficult although the footbed did take a while to mould.

Fit

Arch
Added Insoles
Instep
Comfort
Length Feels Right
Ball Feels Right
Too Little Volume
Not Satisfied with the Fit

Not wide enough in the toe box for me, and I don't even feel the arch in this last personally. I purchased the delta arch half insoles from Nicks, and it has majorly improved the fit for me. I seem to have high arches and low volume feet that are wide at the toes. The delta arch insoles helped me to fill out the boots so the lacing wasn't as close together and actually gave me some comfort for my arches. My main issue then is that my toes hang over the stitching and are still quite squished.

Craftsmanship

Nicks MTO
Design
Construction
Durability
Clicking
Stitching

I love their one piece backstay for it's sleekness. I thought it would be a unique feature on work oriented boot from Nicks. The stitching left some to be desired but I can't imagine working with a steel toe is easy so no major complaints there. The clicking is good as far as I can tell. Construction is of course top tier coming from Nicks. They have been very durable and held up to a lot.

Sole & heel

Comfort
Traction
Durability
Design

I don't personally like the look of wedge soles (on me) but I wanted something softer than a normal rubber sole. This was a happy medium. The traction has been mostly good in my experience and it's held up well for me. I have noticed a slight difference in softness/comfort at points throughout the day switching back to a v100 sole on my other boot I have but I don't notice a big difference in how my feet feel at the end of the day.

Final thoughts

Would Recommend

Nothing much to add that hasn't been covered in the other sections. Just a big thanks to the Nicks team for their product and taking care of me and many others!

Written by ImaGoat
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