I use these shoes with business-casual work clothes (khaki
pants, dress shirt). This is actually my second pair of this model. These are nearly perfect shoes for this purpose. Previously I used Doc Martin oxfords, so I will compare the two a lot. Points to be aware of (good and bad): The leather is robust and pliable. Double-stitching everywhere. Looks good but also is scuff-resistant. Can be touched up with mink oil if required. No ugly bright stitching, like Doc Martins have. The sole lasts pretty well and also grips well. Not as good as Doc Martins in either way, but pretty good. It is also not too heavy and it's pretty flexible. In those ways it is better than Doc Martins. It cushions about the same amount. It is more comfortable than a typical dress shoe by a large margin, but it is no running shoe. It has better arch support than many shoes of this type. Doc Martins have essentially none. The interior bottom is leather from heel to midfoot and some kind of cloth after that. The insole is pretty firmly glued down so I would be hesitant to pull it out and replace or supplement it. It is pretty good, though. The interior sides are cloth-lined, which is a negative because that tends to wear out more quickly than plain leather. It was not actually a problem with my last pair, thankfully, but I still do not like it. Interior heel is a rough leather. Suede or something. It grips your sock. This is definitely a minus in my book. The interior heel is the location my last pair wore out and the cause was this surface. It causes unnecessary friction. It is better to have smooth leather on the interior heel so you can move a little without causing friction and wear internally. Having said that, your foot does not slip out easily, which some people probably like. I wish the back of the shoe came up a little higher and was solid, smooth leather. The laces on this pair are a little better than my last, but still have a tendency to untie a little easily. I am probably going to replace them with some waxier ones. I normally wear a 9½ in shoes that do not break in, like running shoes. In this shoe I buy an 8½. I can only wear it a few hours the first day. Any more would give me a blister. But a few days in it conforms perfectly to my foot. Leather shoes can grow over time so it is much better to buy small. Few things are worse than a shoe that starts fitting poorly over time. I am pretty sure my past pair was marketed as being waterproof but this one is not. The two pair of shoes look identical, so I am not sure what changed. Maybe I am misremembering? The picture is fairly accurate. The color is just a hair less red and more brown. And once they get creases across the top they look much better. These are truly a timeless style. When I am an old man shoes will still look like this and be nice. No weird euro-cuts and distracting patterns or colors for me. Simple, nondescript, attractive. The price on these shoes is excellent for the quality. Basically all their peers cost more I really do not understand what drives the cost difference, but I am happy to take advantage of them. I wore my last pair every day for several years during a time I commuted on foot and walked basically everywhere. I put a lot of miles on these and was pretty happy with them. They did well in snow, ice, rain, and summer heat. They were weakest in the summer heat because they do not breathe all that well and I have sweaty feet. I blame the cloth and padding on the inside. In an unpadded leather shoe air comes in and out as you walk a little more than it does when there is padding around, even a little. I walk far less now, so they will last much longer than my last pair did. Anyway I feel like I could give the designers a few tips, but overall they look better than Doc Martins and they feel better for the most part. They last well enough and are very cost effective. Good basic shoe for someone not looking to make some kind of statement with their shoe.
