Leather boots aren’t just footwear: they’re faithful companions, protectors of your feet, and… they’re expensive. You want them to last. When you’re buying a pair of boots you want to keep for years, you might already know it’s good to get them with resoleable construction like a Goodyear welt. But the uppers matter as well. … Read more
Red Wing Heritage boots are a popular choice for work and casual wear due to their durability and timeless style. They’re handmade here in the United States and their resoleable construction, combined with the very hardy leather uppers, makes them able to last for years, even decades. But like any other leather boot, they can … Read more
Cleaning the stitching on your cowboy boots goes together like rodeos and steers. The one thing you can count on with cowboy boots is the stitches; they are everywhere. Indeed, there’s stitching on the shaft, vamp, and welt. Cowboy boots are a work of art made of leather and white stitching. The good news Assuming … Read more
I don’t care for leather creases on my boots. I know they’re a sign of well-worn pair of boots, but with a nice pair of calfskin dress boots, I just want a perfectly smooth, uniform boot. How do you stop leather boots from creasing? I went to Virginia to ask Steve Doudaklian, the award-winning cobbler … Read more
A good friend and mentor of mine once told me that “if you take good care of your tools, then your tools will take good care of you”. This article is about how to get salt stains out of boots, but that happened when I was working as a camp guide, and I know this … Read more
It’s fair to say that Venetian Shoe Cream is the go-to product for conditioning boots. Whether you’re talking about boots that are outdoorsy or dressy, practically every company from so-so Thorogood to top-tier Viberg recommend you pair your purchase with a bottle of VSC. For this piece I interviewed Philip Collias, the CEO of the company that … Read more
Don’t make the same mistake I did. Don’t lose your Red Wings to the wrong conditioner. Take a look at these Red Wing Iron Rangers, perhaps the most beloved American heritage boot on the market. This is what they looked like when they arrived on my doorstep versus how they looked after applying a conditioner … Read more
If you’re an American who likes boots there’s a very good chance you own some Chromexcel. These days, it seems like every other boot on the market is made from this leather. It’s on everything from $200 boots like Thursday to mid-range boots like the Wolverine 1000 Mile and the Allen Edmonds Higgins Mill to … Read more