These boots have been an extension of myself. Mud, dirt, sand, rain. I only need to get these through some snow. I have walked all day in the city, and all day on the trails and in the brush. Since I got these boots. I have, for the most part, not let these things leave my feet. One of my favorite hobbies is to go for long walks. The day is not complete unless I have gotten my 10000 steps in. I am very fortunate and blessed to live minutes away from trails and rolling hills. There are plenty of steep precipices I have gone up and down using these with no issues at all. Now I know I am supposed to rotate my boots for their longevity. The thing is, these boots are built different; I have found they can take it. Only after a taxing day of activity have I inspected the boots and given them their well-deserved rest. Aside from that, I do not leave home without them. They are so versatile, and, frankly, they still look great in a plethora of circumstances. It is sad however that my long use has inevitably and undoubtedly worn down the heel quite quickly (especially considering that I usually trek hills). I need to get a resole before I continue with these boots or I will be walking on leather heels in no time. I will be sure to ask for a cobbler recommendation on the discord.
This is a very durable leather. Considering how much I have walked in these boots, only a small amount of the underlying tan leather is peeking through. This particular leather has a sturdy black plastic/resin coating on top that holds up to a lot of abuse and wear. I am quite thrilled with this. I am always afraid that my boots will change colors completely in no time with how hard I wear my boots. Not the case with this leather. It shows how much you have worn them. It bends and creases wonderfully to your gait (the nature of a well-tanned horsebutt, no doubt), it patinas at wear points, and the teacore pops through, yet, it does not let these become overbearing. These boots are unbelievably still a shiny black. The original grain is still clearly visible along with some beautiful new creases. Now, as for break-in. Unfortunately, all things must have their weak points. This leather took a good 4 weeks of consistent walking to break in. The leather is soft and pliable, but it seems to take its time to develop creases. Be warned. The good side of this is that they are incredibly easy to maintain. Dust and mud can easily be kicked or wiped off. I only needed to brush these on rare occasions and only needed to saddle soap them after a couple of bouts with thick mud a couple of days before the end of the doam. I only conditioned these after saddle soaping. I would highly recommend Colourlock Elephant Leather Preserver as a conditioner. It seems to work very well with the top coat used in comparison to the other conditioners I tested (Venetian Leather Balm and Blackrock Leather 'n' Rich). Also, luckily, these are still quite breathable. The top coat is not impermeable rubber. I live in the South West U.S. and it can get hot. With some nice merino wool socks, these are beautifully still wearable on very hot days.
The break-in for these boots was real. At first, these boots felt somewhat loose and my feet would slip to the front of the boots rubbing my big toe. This was particularly noticeable while walking downhill. After some serious wear, however, the creases developed where they needed on the vamp and this problem went away. I also had some heel slip that seemed to result from my feet slipping forward. With time this has also completely gone away. As of right now, these boots have only become more and more comfortable. They are by far, some of the most comfortable boots I have worn. They are not overly tight, and with some force, I can pull them right off. They simply rest on my instep, the ball of my feet, and my heel. Toes are roomy. I have no problem wearing thin, padded, or thick socks, though, padded merino wool socks I have found to be the best overall. In particular, I wear Kuiu OTC socks. I wear these for days at a time with no problems with sweat or odor. I have tested Darn Tough, Farm to Feet, and Altera Alpaca socks, but have found these Kuiu socks to be the best for me by far. Awesome socks. I highly recommend.
When I first got these boots and gave them a look over, I couldn't help myself from saying "Damn, these are nice". And when I look at them today, I can't help myself from saying "Damn, these are nice". I think that succinctly describes how I feel about these boots. They beautifully curve to the shape of my thigh and swoop majestically down from the shaft, through the vamp, and slightly upward at the toe. The toes are round, but not bulbous. A perfect elliptical shape. The heel is pushed perfectly underneath the counter as far as it can go. There is no leather shelf precariously sticking out the end of the boot. It elegantly juts down at an angle that is characteristically steep but soft enough so that all of the Dr. Sole heel is intact. The stitching is immaculate. It is tight and evenly spaced with no mistakes. The stitching on the welt goes so close to the upper that it practically disappears underneath the arch. The vamp and counter are triple stitched and the backstay is double stitched. A repeating diamond motif is stitched on the base of both straps and repeated on the bottom of the backstay giving the boot oneness in all its stitched components. The straps have length so that they stand out but are short enough so that they do not flop around or look unbalanced. They are cut at a slant that lines up perfectly with the base of the heel. Like any classic engineer boot, the heel is nailed. The buckles are an unobtrusive and classic rounded bony square shape. The shaft and vamp are lax on grain so that the beautiful angled grain on the main strap pops.
They scream Americana. Whenever I put my feet up, I feel like Marlon Brando. I love their design with the stylish contrasting yellow plugs and the cork gives a beautiful texture to the deep black rubber. They are quite durable without being nearly as hard as a Vibram sole. I am unafraid to go anywhere with these (maybe except soft sand). Excellent traction without the need for serrations or pain. They are my go-to soles. I would go with Dr Sole before all else.
Honestly, everyone should try MTM. It is so fulfilling being able to design and customize your perfect boot and, though it may seem daunting, it is much quicker and easier than waiting for the stars to align and a perfect pair to show up on the market in your size. Especially if you have unusual or uncommon feet, this is a no-brainer. Prof Barnet and the amazing boot makers of Indonesia are doing this for the love of the craft. Do the math, and you will realize that these makers are doing this work for a very honest price. The materials alone make up a large chunk of what is paid for. Support these people who show they dearly care about what they make and what we love.