Climbed trees & rode ATVs then brushed them up to wear to the office the next day. Pretty remarkable

I’ve worn them in all conditions. From rain and snow in the northeast to chopping down trees to office work and even to my wedding venue. They’ve done and seen it all.

The Chromexcel was soft and supple from the start but they’ve obviously darkened a bit over time. Aside from that they’ve held up remarkably well for what I’ve put them through.

As someone with wide (EE) feet the Elston last is incredibly comfortable.

The finishing of Oak Street Bootmakers is often critiqued online (such as in the Stitchdown discord). People like to cite exposed welt stitching which my pair did have when I received them. After wearing for a week or two you could no longer even see the stitching and perhaps as boot nerds we concentrate on irrelevant things that don’t affect how the boot performs in any material way. Personally I could care less that I could see some stitches when I first opened the box and 6 months later can confidently say that I’d be disappointed if I had returned these boots for just that reason.

The leather sole was soft and surprisingly flexible which made it very comfortable. It also comes treated which improves the traction over other leather soles that I’ve experienced.

I feel this has helped prolong the overall durability of the shoe which I feel was put through its paces. For a cheap and quick job at the cobblers I’d recommend it on other leather sole shoes.

I do not believe there was a single day over the past six months that I did not wear these shoes. They not only molded to my feet but became a part of my lifestyle. While often tempted to wear other shoes in my collection, I can easily say that the connection I have to this pair far outweighs any other. I love these shoes now more so than I did when I got them new. I think that’s the true mark of a well worn pair of shoes.