I've worn this pair through everything life threw at me. A tour through the Horween Leather Factory, countless San Diego and Ciudad de México city walks, and several outdoor music events in the woods or desert. Boy, are they versatile.
I overall enjoy my Leder Ogawa Shell cordovan. I enjoy the richness in color it displays, especially after a condition and polish. It does dry out quite fast and requires more frequent conditioning than my Horween shell to keep them looking top notch. But, I don't really clean or condition my pairs that often, so they often live in the dried state. This shell was a bit more tough to break in comparing to Horween shell; it was akin to a stiff cardboard sheet, and I had some minor issues breaking in my pinky toe areas, due to the taper of the last. However, no game-breaking issues here. In the early days, I attempted to position the rolls as perfect as I possibly could, but there was no taming this beast, and I just let it do its thing. I probably won't get a second pair with Leder/Ogawa or Shinki shell due to the aforementioned dryness combined with my lack of TLC with my boots. However I must say, with Saphir Cordovan Cream combined with 2 years of wear, the shell achieves a glorious archival appearance. Finally, I believe Leder Ogawa cordovan uniquely belongs on a creation from Goto-San—making it a truly made in Japan pair.
Overall, these are the most comfortable boots I own. The length is perfect. Just the right amount of ball width—just nicely snug, and the heel area feels just great. My instep is properly accommodated with the facings perfectly spaced when laced up, all the way to the vamp. I wear this pair with Darn Tough midweight tactical socks (T4021). The Round Last had quite a dressy taper to it and this causes very minor hotspots on my pinky toes, which tend to spread when walking. I requested extra arch support on this pair because at the time I was really enjoying my Arch-Ease lasts from White's. While it is extremely comfortable for the most part, it does start to feel quite pronounced after long wear, and I'm unsure if the regular arch would have suited me better. Overall, I am very satisfied with the fit, and it serves me well in any situation.
The design... It's like a White's Semi-Dress refined to bespoke dress shoe levels. But it also gives me this otherworldly feeling and makes me wonder how characters in an animated film by Goto-San would be dressed like. The handwelted construction is one of my favorite parts of the boot. The dizzying precision of the "stair-welt" stitches that runs parallel to the comforting familiarity of the machine stitched outer row... It's stuff only legends can dream of, and I'm glad Goto-San brought it to us. The best part of Goto-San's work is that it challenges you to think of how to capture all the great things about a boot. I can't think of any negatives in this department. If you seek precision, White Kloud delivers.
Ol' reliables! I don't have much to say about these other than if I could have one sole on all my boots, this would probably be it. They hold like hell and provide the comfort and traction I need.
Whenever I have the chance to have another pair made from Goto-San, I will give his bespoke last service a go. There's not much else I can think of to say here. If you ever have the chance to have a pair made by Goto-San, you'll embark on an unforgettable chapter of your boot-wearing journey.