Customer Reviews Clarks Desert Boots

My overall review is negative because the fit was just never right. Arch support is very poor. I returned the first pair that I received because I decided that I didn't like the color. These boots have very flimsy laces which look like they will not last long. However, the first pair came with additional leather laces, which I didn't receive with the subsequent pair. Regarding fit, I think the main problem is that the eyes for the laces are too low, resulting in a loose fit at the ankles. During the break in period, my ankles were continually chafed by the boots. Even after being broken in, I realized that they were never going to feel comfortable and gave the boots away.

I wore these for a few months until I couldn't take the pain anymore (the shoelace snapping in my hand was just the last straw). Great looking shoe, got a lot of compliments, but they obviously were't designed with human bones and flesh in mind.

Most uncomfortable shoe I have ever worn. I have stopped wearing them. My arch began to cramp. The heel is so wide I could never get the shoe to stop slipping. I tried several innersoles and nothing worked. You'd think for the price they'd add some support. It is a very flat shoe with no support. I'd return them but I've worn them out a couple of times to give them a chance, but I will end up donating them to Goodwill. They look great but feel horrible.

The shoe's look is not incredible. The material is really fine but do not expect extraordinary comfort or support from this shoe.

Just a word of warning: if you have foot problems, these shoes are not for you. They are absolutely the most uncomfortable shoes I've ever worn and have no support of any kind. None-the-less I own two pairs, because they look so darn good! I have resorted to only wearing them to house parties where I am likely to be standing on carpet or sitting down a lot. I have no idea how anyone could wear these around for any amount of time. Walking on concrete becomes very painful after a while. The Suede ones are far more comfortable than the Beeswax, which are the most uncomfortable shoes I've ever worn in my life. They are also tight vertically in the toe area, so any extra insole you use has to be very thin. Good luck!

Clark's Desert Boot Not As I Remember - I purchased the boots with the expectation that they would provide a comfortable casual shoe. Instead I found the quality and workmanship not as I remember, but rather of the quality usually reserved for mass-produced shoes in discount stores. Needless to say I will be returning the shoe.

Very low quality

DO NOT BUY! Clarks produces inferior products. Sole peeled off of this desert boot after only 10 wearings. Inferior materials used. Outsourced production poor quality control. Sole lightly glued on and will separate. Clarks corporate unresponsive to my communications. Buyer beware!!!

Do not buy these. Probably the most uncomfortable show I have ever owned. No cushion when you walk and blisters galore. I should have just fashioned a pair of shoes from the cardboard boxes they were shipped in. They likely would have been way more comfortable. I used to love Clarks but these are horrible. They won’t accept them as a return so they’ll be in the trash tomorrow.

NOT the Original The Orignial's didn't not have medal eyelids and the leather and soles were not stiff. This is the second time I bought these labeled as originals and sent them back. Horrible boots. They used to be good but that was over twenty years ago.

Returning these. The soles are very thin. Feels like they'd be uncomfortable and worn out in days/weeks.

Originally ordered my usual size 10, which were too small so returned for 10.5. These were a full size too big. I feel like both pairs were mismarked because Clark's are usually very true to size for me. Disappointed because I have been looking at these for a long time and now they no longer have this color.

There was a long thin heel cushion (1&3/4" by 3&1/2") under the inner liner. It felt like I was balancing on a piece of wood in the bottom of the shoe. It was worse on the left shoe. I peeled up the inner liners and removed both paddings. The right shoe felt much better. The left shoe still felt like the sole is uneven. These are the most uncomfortable Clarks shoes I have owned. I currently have at least five other pairs that fit better than these.

One of the shoes came to me with two scratches near the toes. They must have been mishandled or worn by someone else. The shoes are much lighter color than they appeared on the site.

I was so looking forward to these shoes but alas, they are going back. I have been wearing Clarks for years, decades actually, but these disappointed. I currently own a pair of suede desert boots and wear them constantly. I ordered the beeswax desert boots in the same size and they are unwearable, VERY narrow and the leather is VERY stiff. I thought that I might wear them awhile and break them in but no way...my feet do not need that kind of punishment. I might try a larger size but maybe just move on to another brand since they were so narrow.

Shoe looks good, but sized way too big. I wear a 12 in everything else, read the reviews to size down a full size. I was skeptical, and only sized down a half size due to my huge big toe. I'm swimming in this boot. I think a full size down would still be too big. And now that I've worn it a couple times, it's even looser, but now it's too late to return. Unhappy about spending 140$ on a shoe that doesn't fit right

I've got to be honest. These boots are amazingly comfortable after you break them in a bit and very stylish. The issue I've had with them is the leather (beeswax leather) is not very durable in it's appearance. After I wore them the first time, they got scratches in them from me simply sitting at the lunch table and rubbing my heals across the chair. I didn't recognize I even did this but saw the marks after. This has never happened with my leather dress shoes which I wear to lunch daily. Each time I wear them I get more of these. But what really bugged me about them though is that I wore them when it was raining (a rare occasion in San Diego) and now they have these ugly black blotches on them that will not come out. I've tried all sorts of leather cleaners and home remedies but nothing works. They will still be fine "beater" boots as they are extremely comfortable but I won't be getting too many compliments from them any more. For the price, these need to be a bit more durable. I'm actually wondering if mine were made with a bad batch of leather or weren't properly treated since everyone else has nothing but great things to say.

I am very frustrated with all of the positive views of these boots. These are decent boots, a) once you get them worn in, and b) are made aware of all the hidden costs (and there are several). So, first of all, these are the most uncomfortable things you will ever put on your feet - for the first 2-3 weeks. I read many reviews discussing this, so I knew what I was in for. I decided to push through, and yes, after about two weeks the excruciating pain began to subside, and after about three weeks they began to feel "good" (good is not really the word - these have never been "comfortable" shoes - they are neutral once you get through the pain). But my feet were literally bruised for the majority of that time, and I could not bear to keep them on for more than 20 minutes the first couple of days and slowly but surely I was able to keep them one for more and more time. But, I really cannot tell you how horrible the pain on the top of my feet was for a solid two weeks. It was unbearable at times. That leads to the first hidden cost - shoe inserts. I am going on my third now (I am still trying to figure out what feels best in these boots). Do not kind yourself, the cost of the boots does not reflect quality. The inside soles have no support - or anything for that matter. They are just thrown together. The best way I can describe the inside? Bowling shoes. The ones that you rent. The inside of the desert boot is akin to rented bowling shoes. So, if you really like the look, go ahead and add a pair of inserts - you will thank me later! Now, the big annoying cost. The shoe laces. If you have read anything on here, you will have seen many people talking about how the laces break. Honestly, they just disintegrate in your hands after a couple of months of use. The awesomely poor quality of these laces is honestly absurd. It is unfortunate as they do look decent. On their own website it says that they provide replacement laces free (obviously aware of the problem - but seemingly not important enough to fix at the root for some reason). So, I decided to contact the company. I was very polite in my email, and I assumed would be provided a pair of replacement laces. I even offered to buy several additional pairs (to have as a back-up). Their response to me (a week later) was to go and buy replacement laces from a third party company. So in essence, it felt like "you were already duped and bought the boots, are probably not going to buy them again because, honestly, who would want to go through that torture a second time, so we could honestly care less." Assuming the laces are similar to those provided by Clarks, and given that my laces completely fell apart within two months of use, I can assume an additional cost to keep these boots in useable (i.e. with laces!). So, please be aware that these boots come with a subscription plan. I mean, it should be telling that Clarks themselves sent me the links to three independent companies that have laces specifically designed for the desert boot. The first link led to a page where the number one seller (and consequently the very first item listed) was replacement laces for the Desert Boot! Instead of being embarrassed by the quality, Clarks takes the mentality of "how great...someone else is taking care of that so we do not have to." For such an expensive pair of boots that is shameful. So, I am now left in a conundrum. I have got these insanely expensive, albeit nice looking, boots that finally do not feel like a medieval torture device. And no decent laces to tie them up. I will be honest, the laces that come with the boots, albeit the lowest quality you could possible imagine, actually look good with the boots. And that is a feat as I have tried everything I can find, and nothing looks good with these boots except for the original lace! Clarks is clearly is not providing me with replacements (they tell me they are on "back order" if that tells you anything) and it would not matter anyway as I would need a new pair every few months. So I am left to order the replacement pairs like a chump, if I want to keep them going. What an awful little company. I will not be buying from them again. If anyone's interested, I have got a pair of used Clarks Desert Boots for sale, size Men's 11½ (laces sold separately).

This is the second pair of Clark's desert boots I have owned in beeswax leather and it is the second pair that has fallen apart within three months of very light wear. The first I attributed (possibly) to the luck of the draw - just got a bad pair - but I am seeing a trend. Both pairs separated and tore apart on the outer toe box within three months. Thankfully Zappos customer service is wonderful. I contacted them and explained the situation and they graciously offered an exchange or return (I exchanged for a pair of SeaVees 12/67 chukkas). It's worth noting that I have had a suede pair of Clark's DBs for four years and they are holding up fine. Perhaps it's something with the leather.

These shoes may be a classic, but they are a big disappointment right out of the box. I don't really understand the reviewers who say they run large. I usually wear a 9.5, but ordered a 9 on the basis of what people had said about the sizing. My main complaint in fact is not with the length and width of the shoe, it's with the height of the upper. I can only describe it as far too flat. I have distinctly average sized feet, and have never had so much trouble getting them into a shoe. The suede is so inflexible that I don't even see being able to break them in to the point where they are comfortable. I really wanted to like these, but I can't!

Pretty rough at the beginning but the do break in after a while (or more accurately, your foot breaks into them). Once they break in they actually feel really nice, but just as long as it takes to get them comfy they start to fall apart. I had a hole clear through the soul in less than 3 months. Clark claims they can be resoled and last forever but I couldn't find a cobbler who would touch them and when I did the new sole fell off after a few weeks. I wish these were sturdier or had the option for a decent sole. The crepe sole just can't stand up to much.

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills here! I read all these reviews saying how comfortable these are: they are the most uncomfortable shoe I have ever worn in my life. Except for a little 1mm thick cushion at the heel, the crepe sole is actually used as the insole/foot-bed which is absurd! I couldn't even walk around the mall when I got these, had to stop and buy insoles. There is absolutely no arch support and you feel like you are walking on wood. Plan on buying insoles if you want to continue to wear them. Do order a half size down.

I always wore these boots in High School and remember how cool they looked; however, forgot how bad they hurt my feet. No arch support and stiff around the ankles.

One of the most overrated and hyped-up shoes! No doubt it has great style and character to it. Other than that, functionally it is zilch! First of all, the plantation crepe sole looks great and feels great out of the box. After that it starts to attract dirt, muck, paper, hair and everything else like a dirt magnet. It gets so dirty in no time that you'd wonder for how long you've had the shoes or whether you walked in dirt field wearing them. It also starts to peel at the edges and small balls of dirty crepe show up where you keep your feet every day, like under your work desk. Secondly, the shoe tongue is all neat and pretty off the box again, but shifts to the side from the very first wear like a cheaply made department store shoes and stays like that for the life of the shoes. It s an embarrassing feeling whenever the pants shift up and your shoes are shown. Thirdly, the laces are flimsy and cheap looking. They will last you hardly couple of months even if you wear the shoes just 2-3 days a week. Lastly, these are most uncomfortable shoes for the price. There is absolutely no arch support what so ever and these should be sold only at the edge of a desert! Apart from that these are great looking shoes from the top and functionally the sole is good on wet and smooth floors. Had to give single star for Overall and Comfort as there is no option for No Star.