Perfect for stable work
Just ordered my second pair, so what better time to review? These boots are amazing! I work at a racehorse stable, and these boots are perfect for the job.
A bit about my feet:
I have narrow feet which makes most shoes sit too wide and allow my feet to slide inside. This is especially true for stiff shoes like work boots. After breaking in, the leather became soft enough to tighten enough to fit my narrow feet, and they would definitely work for regular feet as well! I have high arches so most shoes (let alone boots) make the muscles along my arch feel stretched out by the end of a work day, to the point standing to shower after work is painful. Not with these! The sole is stiff enough to support my foot structure, while remaining flexible enough for me to walk comfortably. I can get a little bit of pain in the ball of my foot, but that’s rare and much more pleasant than arch pain.
Why I swear by these boots:
I have had multiple horses put their feet on mine and hold them there, while I can’t even feel the pressure. I only realise when I go to move my foot and it doesn’t budge lol. One horse even turned around while his foot was on mine which means more weight on my foot which I still did not feel! I’ve also had horses kick the back of my heel while walking with me, which also doesn’t hurt because the leather is structured so well. The leather does absorb water, but it hasn’t weakened at all, and my feet have never gotten wet in these boots. This is also more to do with how I treat the leather rather than the make of the boot. A benefit to leather in this industry is that the poo you are unfortunately going to step in comes right off, and even the stains are easy to wash off with leather cleaner. The first thing to go has been the soles which is understandable. I get a lot of steps in everyday on concrete, gravel and dirt, so a couple of chunks of sole coming off is to be expected. They still hold up shockingly well! The composite toe is greatly appreciated in winter, I imagine a steel toe would have my feet going numb.
What to expect:
The break-in process was very rough on me. Unfortunately, amazing quality structured soles and uppers mean less flexibility from the beginning, so you have to work harder to break them in. Once they are broken in, you’ll be glad you stuck it out! I have seen some say they didn’t even need to break them in, so this will be different for everybody. You will also need to buy a leather cleaner and conditioner if you don’t already have these. I opted for Fiebing’s Yellow Saddle Soap and Obenauf’s Heavy Duty LP Leather Conditioner, along with boot cleaning brushes off Amazon, which have worked just fine for me. For full timers, I would definitely recommend buying a second pair once your first is broken in and you know you love them, they will last so much longer if you alternate a pair each day! An extra tip, they sometimes do seconds sales for boots that have little scuff marks and scratches. If you want to try these boots but your current boots still have some life in them, it could be worth waiting to see if you can snag a deal by signing up to the newsletter.
Attached pics of them before, during and after a wash and reconditioning.
