I wore these boots every other day during the dome, but I could comfortably wear them every day. These are my current favorite office boot. I also wear them on short hikes during my lunch break and sometimes after work. I have avoided getting them soaked, but wearing them in the rain is not a problem.
This inferno rambler has been amazing. The red color has continued to develop and it has continued to roll beautifully across the vamp and shaft. I could talk for hours about the color, it's just fascinating, and gets compliments frequently. The texture is another thing altogether. Parts of it have gotten more nap, other parts have begun to mat down, but those slowly change over time. It's like the leather is constantly shifting. Like any roughout, it shrugs off scuffs and scrapes and just becomes more interesting for it. If you buy rambler leather you have to just let it live. It cannot be contained. The leather was soft from the beginning and hasn't gotten too much softer, it's been very consistent in that regard. It is soft, but still has enough body to be supportive. Even with thin socks it's very compliant. I was surprised that it did not stretch as much as I thought it would, but it did stretch some. I wear them in hot and cold with no worries. They seem to breathe quite well. I don't do anything other than brush it every week or so.
I am an 8.5 E/EE on the brannock. I wear an 8E in Nicks I bought the 9 in parkhurst 618 last on advice from Andrew Svisco. We were teetering a little between the 9 and the 8.5. I went with 9 because I was scared of getting them too narrow. I don't necessarily regret that, but I think my next pair will be an 8.5. my worries about lacking in width were mostly unfounded. After break in there is enough room. Sometimes it feels like they are slightly too long. Sometimes I can feel my forefoot slipping backwards as I walk, especially with thinner socks. I think going a half size down would snug everything up. The snugness in the waist and heel are my favorite part. They just feel so good all day long. That also accentuates the almond toe which pairs nicely with slacks. I really like how these feel with thinner socks, and my next pair will likely be worn exclusively in casual dress situations with thinner socks. There is very little arch support, I did put a pair of Dr scholls orthotics in and they work very well.
The craftsmanship is great, there is only one spot of delamination on the heel, but it can be glued down easily. Inside, the boots are very smooth, no stitching clumps, no weird bunching of the lining. The lining is nice and soft in the vamp. They're so smooth inside that I can wear thin dress socks with no problem. All of the stitching has held up perfectly well, I haven't found any issues with the leather selection, sole stitching, finishing, or anything else. These are surely going to last for many years. The hooks are a unique, two piece, design that I haven't seen before. Instead of a regular splash set on the back, they have a flat washer with dimples to lock into the leather. There aren't any sharp edges on the back of the hooks. Oakhurst punches above its weight class in quality.
The Parkhurst mini lug sole is a little softer than the vibram mini lug, and I appreciate that. It gives a little bit softer feel underfoot. However, it's not wearing much faster than a vibram 430 would. It's the best of both worlds there. It provides competent traction in the dry and wet, I never slipped on wet stairs like I did with the vibram 430.
Parkhurst continues to impress me with their simple, beautiful designs. Their quality and attention to detail is very impressive, especially at their price point. The sanding and finishing on the midsole is a very nice touch. I appreciate the level of care they take to ensure it's sanded smooth and finished with a semi-gloss acrylic-like sealer. That really helps keep the midsole looking good for a long time. The 618 is a terrific last for people with somewhat wide feet, but narrower heels. 9/10 would absolutely buy more parkhurst boots.