Wanted A Clown Shoe, Got The Clown Shoe

I use them everywhere. Took them camping, worked around the apartment complex, gardening, helped a friend move, I tried to beat them up with my every day wear.

Definitely softened and got shinier over time. I only oiled with Red Wing Neatsfoot twice: immediately after buying, and after cleaning from camping. Mostly just brushed and rotated with the other Dome pair. The break-in really hurt, the Iron Ranger is known for not being cushy, so my feet had to adjust. BootSpy put it well, this boot breaks your feet in, not the other way around.

Now that my feet are broken in, they feel great. They're perfectly molded around my foot, I can work, walk, and move easily. Wearing for 8 hours doesn't destroy my feet, they're not soft but I'm comfortable. I also almost exclusively use Red Wing wool socks with them now. Added cushion and surprising temperature/moisture regulation. I wanna try more brands.

I feel like the quality is better than my Thursdays but still have a couple mistakes that I've found out of the box. Skipped stitches on the backstrap and a (slightly) sloppy finish on the welt. They don't bother me, from a distance the boots look perfect, and the patina is more noticeable than any mistake. I wish there was a leather midsole to add a little more cushion/height to the bottom construction, but I'll add a midsole when I'm ready to resole.

These are really hard and slippery (compared to vans lol). Still, I'm happy to have some lugs but they're low profile so they're slick for the office.

These are currently my favorite boots. Great value for price and when I'm ready to add a midsole, that will take care of my only complaint. I love the leather and how it has crinkled and rolled over time. Looking forward to many more miles in these!