I wore these boots almost all of October and rotated them every other day after November’s contest submission. These boots have been in all weather, rain, ice, snow, mud, brush, brambles, rocks, gravel, and pavement. I wore them walking dogs outside. They cleaned up nice to meet real estate clients and the public for open houses. They even got danced in a few times in the evenings.
The Navy Chromexcel is beautiful. I did get a heel blister about day three due to thin socks. After a couple days rest and better socks I didn’t have much of a problem. I use full insole arch supports which take up a lot of volume and the shoes felt tight on the top of my foot under the laces. I still have adequate toe room. After a couple months they relaxed from almost uncomfortably tight to perfectly snug. For care I regularly use a horse hair brush. If they get very wet I let them dry and then condition them. I also condition them before the monthly photo shoot. I use either the Venetian Leather Balm or the Saphir Renovateur. I can’t decide which cream I like better. There’s not a lot of color change in the leather, being a navy blue. There is some very dark tea core starting to show through. It’s subtle. The patina is showing up more in texture than color at this point. The leather is substantial and took some getting used to. The leather is slowly softening up and I expect these boots to keep getting better with time while also holding their shape.
This size accommodates full arch support insoles while still allowing for full toe spread. With the added insoles for arch support the instep felt almost uncomfortably tight for the first month or two but now feel perfectly snug and roomy in all the right places. The right socks are important to avoid blisters during break in.
I love almost everything about these boots! The leather is beautiful. The color makes me happy. The quality of the build makes my feet feel secure and supported in all terrain. And they look amazing.
I liked the traction on wet pavement and normal everyday situations. It’s not quite up to wet grass on steep slopes. I liked that it didn’t collect mud and dirt in the tread. It did start to separate and chip at the toe and I finally opted for a resole for aesthetic reasons. I’m pretty hard on soles and wear out the outer back corners so my cobbler tacked on plastic heel protectors 3-4 times.
Adequate
Grant Stone should be proud to have produced such a solid boot as these Diesels. I will be wearing these for years!