Spyros Report post Posted March 5, 2022 I always struggled to find quality footwear, nothing lasts very long on my feet. Probably because I'm tall and heavy and I walk a lot, I don't know. One day last year I was visiting a friend in a small town and my eye caught a sign "chromexcel". That was enough to get me through the door, and from there I was sold. One man operation housed in an old shop, beautiful smell of leather, old boot making machines. I had no idea how boots are made but the guy walked me through everything, I picked chromexcel exterior, kangaroo interior, layers and layers of veg tan for the soles, Daynite outsoles, and a custom design based on an old Czech army boot with goodyear welts. Then he took a bunch of measurements and found a hardwood last that roughly matched my foot, and started gluing strips of thin leather on it until he was confident he had the shape and size just right. Days later I went by for a fitting and he had made one boot out of cheaper leather, with soles, laces and everything, just for me to try it on and then he was gonna throw it away. I was blown away that this is what he had to do to make a pair of boots, I actually kept it as a souvenir. Then I wasted a lot of his time talking about leather and leatherworking. Of course I had to. And then finally my boots were ready: Was it cheap? God no. I still struggle a bit thinking how much I paid but I'm not regretting it. I know how chromexcel ages and I absolutely love it, and I know how these boots are made and I have no doubt they will last a lifetime, just change soles and laces every few years. Some companies make boots like that, Nicks Boots comes to mind, but man, it's a different experience wearing something that is exactly cut to your foot... easily the most comfortable footwear I've ever owned. If you can swing it I highly recommend finding a local boot maker in your area and having a pair made, do it once in your lifetime. Great experience, great product, keep the craft alive. Shout out to James Roberts of Reboot Supply in Kyneton, Victoria, Australia. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJole Report post Posted March 5, 2022 Good stuff. My father did boot repair work after retiring from his United States Forest Service career. Most of what he did were work boots, worn by people working out in the forests. Thus, after he died, I ended up with 5 pairs of White's boots (another Spokane boot company) in my size (US 7-- I have smallish feet, apparently, like my father.) I'll probably never need to buy boots again. The boots in the picture below were ones that he repurposed for me -- they had been delivered to the purchaser's porch, but a dog had smelled the rawhide heel counter and tore open the package and chewed on the rawhide bits. In the shop, my father cleaned them up and changed the sole for me. These boots were one of the last things we talked about before the sudden heart attack he had at the boot repair shop. New, these are about 400 dollar boots. I don't get to wear them often, but each time I do, I am reminded of him, and that he worked on these boots with his hands. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites