Custom work boots
I've finally grown tired of the ever rising prices of my work boots, which 99% of the time are foreign made. When I was spending $120 every 14-18 months it wasn't too bad. Now those same shoes, in the period of 3 years, are $185-225 and last just over a year. Add to that the cost of a good insert for my arch and well......... it adds up quick.
So I decided to FINALLY step up to some custom boots. I have 2 pair on order atm. One is probably due around Christmas time (6+ month lead time), the other should be here around mid August (5-6 week lead time).
The pair coming first are a pair of JK Boots, O.T. Safety Toe model. Getting them almost exactly as pictured, but with a honey vibram soul to give me a bit more cushioning. 8oz oil tanned leather (yup, thick boots), 8" upper in Brown, lower part is the same leather turned around (roughout), leather insole, leather shank, composite safety toe. Overall a very solid boot.
The pair coming more towards Christmas are a pair of Nicks Boots, BuilderPro model (couldn't find a really good picture of them). I have them spec'd very similar to the JK, but they are a full logger heel, 7-8oz veg tanned leather, and are even more a bit more robust overall. Truly a tank of a boot, with a break in period to match (they recommend 100-200 hours for break in).
Neither of these come cheap at $525 and $585 respectively, but with a little bit of care and the occasional resole, they should last me well over a decade.
-
/|\ I hope they serve you well for many years.
I’ve high arches too & have inserts in all my foot wear ( sans flip flops)
I buy my boots ( not custom ) bigger so there is room for the inserts.
Did your custom boots take an impression of your foot for built in arch support?
0 -
No. They would do in house fittings if you can stop in, but all the really good boot makers are up in Spokane, WA and I'm over here in eastern PA. I think the closest store any of them has is 2400 miles from me.
One of the many reasons I'm going with the customs is most of them have great arch support built into them. They all use leather shanks, midsoles and insoles so they will mold to your foot over time making inserts totally unnecessary.
There is at least one of the makers, Franks Boots, that will still make a boot to an exact tracing of your foot. JK might still do that, but they usually can get you fit properly without going full 100% special made. They all offer various different lasts, each one providing a different level of arch support. Even their wedge souls have pretty decent support from everything I've read.
I expect to have these shoes pretty much until I die. Sure I'll have to get resoles done, but they can also fully rebuild these boots since they are generally handmade. For about 1/2 the price of new they'll reuse the upper of the boot and replace everything else, basically making it new again. With what I do for a living I expect to have to do that every 5 years maybe.1 -
/|\ Like to hear how you like them after a month break in time.
Look forward to your Labor Day up date. Thanks
0 -
Yeah shoot us some pictures after each pair arrives and then for sure update us after break in!
0 -
Take care of your feet.. works wonders for the rest of your body.
Can’t wait to see the pics!1 -
Just got my pair of Nicks Boots today. These are technically the try-on pair, but I have the option to keep them if I want. I'm a bit concerned about the length, but everything else on these fits great. Being a composite toe a little extra in the toe might not be a bad thing. Width is spot on, heel fit is nearly perfect. Just a hair long, but some of that will adjust out as they break in.
The build quality on these is insane. Most people think a heel like this would be very awkward, but they are so well made you don't even notice it. These feel as flat as my wedge sole boots to be honest.
Just waiting to talk to their fitters to see if I'm keeping them or sending them back to get a pair 1/2 size down. I'm leaning towards keeping them right now.
Attachments
1 -
Nice! I’m glad we got a chance to see them!
looks extremely well built.
Don’t forget to condition and protect them if u decide to keep those.0 -
/|\ Thanks for pics. They certainly look well made looking at the stitching & leather, & nothing I’ve ever seen off the shelf with the two toned leather combo.
That heel looks 3” high as you noted in your write up. I can’t recall ever seeing a work boot with a heel like that. It looks more like a heel on a pair of cowboy boots. But heck with the look, most importantly you said it’s comfortable & that’s the goal.
I like a little toe wiggle. Hate them squeezed or knocking against the front. With a protective toe cap the toe piece has no give with break-in. So if you come down a 1/2 size are your toes still going to have wiggle room & not be bumping into the rigid toe cap. Only you know you preference.
Lastly congrats, you got a winner!
0 -
The 2 tone is nothing more than the leather facing smooth side out on the uppers, and the backside of the leather facing out on the lowers (roughout). They will make them all smooth, all roughout, smooth & roughout like these. Those are all considered 'stock' options.
You can special order them (MTO, made to order) with different color leathers if you wish. I've seen pictures of black & tan, redwood & brown, basically anything you want as long as you pay for it and know that MTO's are not returnable.
The heel is actually 2" from the ground to the top. It's a typical logger heel. I will say that you don't even know it's there when walking though. The support is so well balanced. On my 'off the shelf' boots you KNOW you have a heel like that. On these the feel is so much better.
The toe cap is probably the most amazing thing on these boots, and that's saying something. I literally don't know it's there. There is no constriction, no rub, no squeezing. Unless you hit it from the outside, or raise your toes up inside the boot, you never even feel it. I did end up keeping these after consulting with the company for a while on the phone. The toes will curl up slightly as everything breaks in eliminating some of the extra room I have. Everything else on the boot is where it should be (heel, arch, ball of the foot, toe bend point) so they agreed that unless I *really* wanted it shorter that these would probably be a good fit.0 -
[@mention:589599268365929094] posted:
Nice! I’m glad we got a chance to see them!
looks extremely well built.
Don’t forget to condition and protect them if u decide to keep those.They are. Nicks recommends to NOT condition them right away. They advise to let them break in a little bit first since they leather has some natural oils already in it from processing. Other companies differ and say to lightly oil them to help with break in. I'll probably go with them as is for a little while and see how it goes.
0 -
Just took a look the picture of the sole, Did they cut the heel of the Vibram and sandwich with leather? They use screws to screw the sole into the leather instead of just glue? If it is safety boots then the screw heads are metal. If it is for HV.
That is a very unique way to do the sole.
0 -
[@mention:589599268366326498] posted:
Just took a look the picture of the sole, Did they cut the heel of the Vibram and sandwich with leather? They use screws to screw the sole into the leather instead of just glue? If it is safety boots then the screw heads are metal. If it is for HV.
That is a very unique way to do the sole.
The 100 lug soles are always 2 pieces. That way the heel can be replaced without having to resole the entire boot. Vibram does make one piece soles, also. Yes, they screw the sole on along with the glue. The heel piece is nailed on, also. The leather heel stack can be done to different heights, depending on layers of leather of course. These are their normal logger height.
This is a video of how they make the shoes if you're curious. This is the steel toe version, but composite is very similar.0 -
Very interesting, thanks
I think the money is well spend. I have to question my BKC knives now.
0 -
The only thing i collect like Benchmades are Danner boots, both located less than 10 miles away. Would love to see a collaboration
0 -
I live about 2 hours away from Spokane. Those guys are the best. Whites boots as well are really good.
0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
15 comments