If you’re as old as I am, you know that slimming silhouettes have a way of coming and going in fashion. After witnessing last weeks collective pearl clutching in the heritage boot community over Viberg‘s latest engineer boot release at Withered Fig (see 6th pic) I got to thinking about trends, specifically the flat toe engineer boot trend. People were aghast at the short shaft and bulbous toe silhouette of the new Viberg but if you think about it, the industry is due for a shake up. Christophe Loiron introduced the Mister Freedom Road Champ in 2009 which ushered in the whole Flat Toe Engineer Boot Movement. What makes the Road Champ historically important is that it arrived before all of today's famous (and expensive) heritage engineer boots:

2009 - Mister Freedom Road Champ
2012 - Clinch Engineer
2014 - Role Club Engineer

In late 2019 – Wesco responds with the Mister Lou, bringing the flat-toe, slim-shaft engineer into a major American production line. Personally, I think the Mister Lou marks the moment the “flat toe movement” crossed from being a niche Japanese-inspired trend into the mainstream heritage boot market. After its release, it became much more common to see engineer boots designed around slimmer lasts rather than the traditional bulbous toe boxes. I also think it’s interesting that the timeline now tells a coherent story: Road Champ → Clinch → Role Club → Mister Lou, with each one broadening the audience for that vintage flat-toe aesthetic. It’s a nice historical arc.

That said, I suspect the flat toe engineer boot may go the way of the Hedi Slimane “Razor Lapel” blazer of 2001. (Yeah, I don’t expect you guys to know what that is so see the last pic) Historically, the problem with slim silhouette fashion is when it goes out of fashion, it goes way, way out of fashion. Thats why it’s so entertaining to watch guys with significant Clinch and Role Club collections attack the new Viberg. The way I see it, when you’ve invested the kind of cash those guys have, it can’t be fun to see trends change and your currency suddenly being devalued. Keep in mind to a certain extent I’m in the same boat with those guys but i know you can’t fight evolution so when the time comes I’ll go quietly. In the meantime though, I thought it might be cool to give some credit to Christophe Loiron and the Mister Freedom Road Champ. Here in the pics are my 2017 Road Champs followed by my Role Clubs and Clinch. I like the new Viberg. I think it’s a ballsy move by Viberg. To me it looks like an old school Wesco Boss from 1991. It might not be popular but i think I’m going to buy a pair anyway..

The Pics: 1) Mister Freedom Road Champ, 2) Role Club, 3) Clinch, 4) Role Club 5)The New Viberg Engineers, 6)God Awful Slimane Razor Lapel Jacket

Long time browser first time poster. I came home from vacation with a package from Depop. The listing originally described these loafers as having wooden soles but from the 60s according to google lens. I was assuming they had mistaken stacked leather for wood and didn’t really trust google lens. Originally listed as a size 9 in men’s. I asked how they knew considering there’s 0 indication of size anywhere on the shoe. The seller had told me “I tried on i think they're closer to a 10. 5 actually. I'm a Women's 9 which is men's 10.5 and they fit me well with a little extra room not too tight”. A women’s 9 is close to a men’s 7.5 so I thought it was a no go. They ended up suggesting they would measure the shoe to get a better idea. The outside measured 11 inches and the interior measured 10.25 inches. $29.75 on a random pair of loafers. I have been burned on Depop before finding random niche things only to be disappointed. I did like the details so I was content if they were wearable. Anyway they fit when I got them lol. In my excitement I didn’t notice the heels were as weak as they were and split one of them.

I originally was going to come in here and ask what the hell these shoes were because I couldn’t find them after near 3 hours of searching online. I started taking photos after cleaning them up to post hoping anyone would have information and then in the last photo I took I noticed the word casuals on the insole. In very specific lighting angles I made out Gold Bond Casuals. After searching “vintage gold bond shoes”and scrolling about 100 images down I finally came across a random catalog advertisement for a Sears Days Shoe Sale. This is as at almost the very end of the search from a random ass scanning of a catalog on Pinterest. These bad boys were originally $5. I believe the fine print reads out the loafers being a storm welt construction specifically. Turns out google lens was right, not for any trustable reason though lol.

Anyway I had fun finding this out. I’ve decided it was worth the $29.75 to occupy my mind for 3 hours at least. The wear on them is super interesting to me though as the interior shoes so little sign of wear or discoloration but the outsole is fairly worn through. Pretty sure I’m going to try to get them repaired (heel splitting) to wear them if possible. The silhouette is perfect to me. Nice width, low profile beefrolls, toe box doesn’t go too high, sawtooth vamp, and the split toe. Chef’s kiss.

If anyone has more information on them or leads on another pair I’d much appreciate it.

Apologies if my writing is poor. English is my first language but the American school system is in shambles and the internet has rotted my brain.

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Photos couldn’t do em justice!

Price: $474 USD with shipping included (From the Philippines) which is roughly $676 AUD - They use PayPal as payment method.

Specs:

SB Foot Mohave Roughout
S4 Last Size 12.5 (I’m US 12.5 brannock, 13 in sneakers)
White threadings for uppers and welt
Unstructured toe
Brown waxed laces, 8 lace holes
270° goodyear welt, flat welt
Single leather midsole with a natural finish
Dr Sole raw corded full soles and heels

It’s winter in Australia so it’s just appropriate to whip these out and take them for a spin in Melbourne. Wore it for a week in there and my first impressions are - what a fantastic pair for the price! It truly is a privilege to be able to wear something of this quality and beauty.

This is my 2nd pair from Willie’s which is a Philippine manufacturer and turnaround time is pretty good, ordered October 2025 and received it February 2026. Ordering from him is relatively straightforward, you tell him what you want and he’ll show you the options for materials and lasts, I went with S4 because that’s their version of standard boondockers, with S5 being a bubbled up version like a Viberg 2045 last.

I didn’t touch the pair for a couple months because Australian summer is tough and I wanted to make sure my judgement won’t be clouded by discomfort, hence trying them out for the first time around March just to see how it feels. I knew it’ll be worth it just from the first try-on alone so I held out once more and went ballistic.

I understand that breaking it in is brutal but what helped me is that sizing wise it’s 1:1 so I can wear medium thickness socks and just go around the city, only feeling a little discomfort around my heels and the ball of my feet after hours of walking. Of course, my only gripe which is the same as my colour #8 boondocker pair from Willie’s as well is that the toe box is pretty flat but that’s standard with these types of boots in general. Surely in the upcoming weeks and months of wearing these they’ll break in nicely!

The leather is a nice sand coloured roughout and the thickness is pretty even, judging by eye I’d say it’s 3mm throughout and you get your standard ruggedness we all love. Construction is pretty robust with quality stitching - I trust Willie’s handmade construction (they still stitch by hand like Indonesian makers) as my previous boots with them, a colour #8 boondocker pair is damn near indestructible and I don’t see this one being different.

For my first impressions, I’m really happy that it turned out the way I wanted, with fit being good and the quality is top notch as usual for the price!

Thanks for reading!

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Got this Imperial Regal for $70. I tried to find people talking about this, but rarely found anything.

This shoe is slightly worn, as you can see from the sole. It's not broken in yet. The leather is still stiff.

A bit disappointed. I thought it was a double leather sole, but it's actually a rubber midsole and leather outsole. Which is weird for me. What's the purpose of having a rubber midsole and leather outsole? It gets rid of the benefit of a leather sole. Now it just becomes cosmetic.

I did some research on this vintage Imperial Regal. What I found is that Korean and Japanese Imperial Regal are different.

The Japanese stitching looks cleaner and more detailed.

This longwing is inspired by the gunboat style of Imperial Florsheim, but it's slightly different.

The sizing runs big. I see a lot of sellers selling these because of the sizing. This is a Japan size 26 EE, which should be around a US 8. But it runs big. My Brannock is 9.5 E US. This Imperial Regal fits my feet like a glove, but only with thin socks. And this is before it's even broken in.

The shell cordovan is also very soft to the touch. Weird for me too, since I have an Alden shell cordovan monk strap. The shell on this Imperial Regal feels different.

I did some research and found that this Imperial Regal uses Shinki shell cordovan with water dye. I don't have much experience with it yet.

The lining looks like calfskin or cowhide, but it has a thick coating. Water or leather conditioner can't penetrate it.

What I noticed when I tried to condition the footbed is that it instantly drank it up like a dry sponge. I only put one layer of leather conditioner. It became slightly darker, and I noticed some dark spots around the pores or follicles. I don't know what that means. It looks different from the vegetable-tanned leather I've seen so far. Those usually don't show pores like this.

So I went crazy researching Imperial Regal, the company, and the factory that made them.

Old Regal shoes made in Niigata were made by Chiyoda Shoe Factory. You can search for it on YouTube.

What makes me interested in this region is the brutal winter. It has a reputation for locals having crazy endurance and patience. The workers are also famous for their loyalty and seriousness toward their craft.

So I went crazy researching the materials used inside, especially the toe puff and heel stiffener.

The toe puff is fabric hardened with starch. The toe is slightly firm but still soft. I can push it down and it bounces back.

The heel stiffener is leather board. From what I found from reviews, Japanese forums, and websites, it gets high praise for being a high-quality and durable leather board made with dense leather and resin. Of course, I don't think it can beat a real solid vegetable-tanned leather stiffener.

I think I will wear these for a long time. After the sole wears out, I want to resole them with a real double leather sole, or just use a one-piece sole like Lenz Vibram or GumLite.

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Hello GYW, it's Monday Funday! Take a load off and take a breather. Memes, hot takes and all silliness are welcome!

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Hello everyone! Continuing with my series of sharing my personal boot collection one by one, today I am focusing on a pair that completely stands out for its incredible aesthetics. I want to dive deep into my experience with the Thursday Boot Company Logger in the Waxed Cacao leather option.

SPECS
Brand: Thursday Boot Company
Model: Logger
Leather: Waxed Cacao (Horween Waxed Flesh)
Construction: Goodyear Welt
Heel: Stacked Leather Cuban Heel

AESTHETICS AND VERSATILITY
What strikes me the most about this boot is just how beautiful it is. It has a stunning, rugged aesthetic that makes a massive statement every time I wear it out. One of its greatest strengths is definitely its versatility. It looks absolutely fantastic when styled casually with dark denim jeans for a weekend look, but it also cleans up remarkably well to be paired with dress pants for a more polished, business-casual office environment. On top of that visual appeal, it is a very comfortable boot to walk in. The stacked leather cuban heel profile is excellent, providing substantial arch support and stability that feels completely natural and adequate for long days on my feet.

LEATHER AND CHARACTERISTICS
The Waxed Cacao leather from the Horween tannery deserves a special mention in this review. It is essentially a waxed flesh roughout leather, meaning the flesh side of the hide is placed on the outside and heavily treated with a mixture of waxes. As I wear the boots and they pick up daily scuffs or flex creases, the dark top wax slowly wears away, revealing the lighter, nappy texture underneath. This creates an incredibly dynamic and unique patina that looks better and better with age. The leather hide is quite thick and robust, which gives the entire boot a very solid and premium structure.

SIZING AND FIT
In terms of sizing, I went with my usual size, and while they are mostly comfortable, I have run into a minor characteristic regarding the width. The last used for the Logger runs slightly narrow across the front ball of the foot. This structural design creates a bit of snug lateral pressure on the sides of my feet. Specifically, it pinches my pinky toe a little bit during long walks. It is not an unbearable pain or a dealbreaker, but it definitely squeezes the smaller toe after a few hours of extended wear. Aside from that slight narrowness in the toe box, the overall footbed comfort is highly impressive and the heel lockdown is perfectly secure with zero slippage.

CONCLUSION
Overall, the Thursday Logger in Waxed Cacao is an exceptional pair of boots that successfully bridges the gap between heritage workwear and modern style. The silhouette strikes a perfect balance, and despite the snug toe box, it has easily earned a permanent spot in my weekly footwear rotation.

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Hello GYW, it's Monday Funday! Take a load off and take a breather. Memes, hot takes and all silliness are welcome!

Found an amazing deal on a pair of shoes but they aren't your size? Share them here so other members can take advantage of the great deals!

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Crockett & Jones Islay in Dark Brown Scotch Grain

6-Month Review

Background

The Crockett & Jones Islay is one of the brand's best-known country boots, built on the 365 last with Scotch grain leather, a storm welt, and a Dainite sole. It also made an appearance in Skyfall, where James Bond wore a pair in the Scottish Highlands.

I've owned this pair for around six months and have worn them primarily as casual boots for office days, weekends, and plenty of city walking. They also tend to be my first choice whenever there's rain in the forecast. Unfortunately I'm a 9-to-5 office drone, so they haven't seen much actual countryside yet.

One aspect that makes this pair a little unique is that I wear a prosthetic on my right side. Because each boot flexes differently, they've developed noticeably different crease patterns and patina over time. It's actually one of the reasons I started documenting my footwear.

Specs

Brand: Crockett & Jones
Model: Islay
Leather: Dark Brown Scotch Grain
Last: 365
Sole: Dainite
Construction: Goodyear Welted
Size: UK 8.5E

Reference Sizing

• Brannock: US 10D (slightly on the wider side of standard)
• Red Wing Iron Ranger: US 9.5D
• Paraboot Michael: EU 42.5 / UK 9.5
• Alden Aberdeen Last: US 10E
• Loake 205b (3625 last): UK 9F
• R.M. Williams Craftsman: UK 9–9.5
• Carmina Simpson Last: UK 9.5
• Sneakers (Tigers, NBs, Spezials): US 10

Sizing & Fit

The 365 last is generous without feeling sloppy.

I went down half a size from my Brannock measurement (US 10D to UK 8.5E), which also happens to be the same size I wear in my Iron Rangers.

The forefoot has plenty of room for my toes while the heel remains secure. I'd describe it as accommodating rather than wide. I wear medium-weight Dickies athletic socks most of the time and wouldn't want much more room, although thicker wool socks would fit comfortably during winter.

Compared to my Paraboot Michaels, the Islay feels slightly more structured through the midfoot and heel while offering a similarly generous toe box.

Leather & Break-In

The Scotch grain leather was much softer than I expected. Apart from the stiff heel counter and structured toe box, the leather itself was comfortable from day one.

During the first couple of weeks the boots felt fairly rigid underfoot, almost as though they weren't bending naturally. Once the cork filling compressed and the midsole started flexing, that feeling disappeared completely.

The grain leather has also proven very forgiving. Minor scratches tend to disappear with a quick brushing, and because of the pronounced texture it hides everyday wear remarkably well.

Comfort

The Dainite sole strikes a great balance between durability and everyday comfort. It provides plenty of support for long days walking around the city without feeling overly hard underfoot.

The only minor downside is that, like most Dainite soles, it can be a little slippery on smooth wet indoor surfaces. On pavement, gravel, and general outdoor use, though, I've had no complaints.

Wear

One of the most interesting aspects of owning this pair has been watching how differently each boot has aged. Because I wear a prosthetic on my right side, each boot flexes differently, resulting in noticeably different crease patterns and patina.

I also have hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), particularly affecting my hands and feet, so my footwear tends to experience more moisture than average. It'll be interesting to see whether that accelerates the patina over the coming years.

After six months I've noticed:

• Lightening around the flex points and lace area
• More pronounced grain definition
• Different crease patterns between each boot
• Very little structural change
• The leather still brushes up beautifully despite regular wear

Maintenance has been minimal so far—just regular brushing after wear and one light application of conditioner. The Scotch grain does an excellent job of hiding everyday scuffs.

What I Like

• Extremely versatile for a country boot
• Excellent build quality
• Durable Scotch grain leather
• Grain leather hides scratches exceptionally well
• Storm welt handles poor weather confidently
• Surprisingly comfortable once broken in
• Works equally well with denim, cords, chinos, and wool trousers
• Ages gracefully

What I Don't Like

• One lace has already started to fray
• Dainite can be slightly slippery on smooth wet indoor surfaces

Final Thoughts

Six months in, the Islay has become one of the easiest pairs in my collection to reach for. It works just as well with raw denim as it does with wool trousers or chinos, and it's one of the few boots I own that genuinely feels comfortable in both casual and smart-casual settings. I don't really suit up, but I can imagine they would work well in that setting too.

I originally thought the broguing would make them feel a little too "country" for everyday wear, but the opposite has happened. They've become one of the most versatile boots I own.

If you're after a boot that can handle poor weather, age gracefully, and still look at home in an office, I can absolutely see why the Islay has such a loyal following.

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Specs:
- Willys Article
- Maryam horsebutt toscanello overdyed brown
- Dr. Sole Supergrip half sole
- Flat welt 270 degree double row stitch in gold
- Dark brown edge trim
- Unstructured toe

Payment date: December 19, 2025
Delivery date: June 29, 2026
Price: $425 + $73 shipping = $498 USD

I sent them photos of Clinch jodhpurs for reference, and customized it with double row gold stitching.

I ordered back in December and was quoted 3 months after payment. Obviously this was not accurate. After the 3-month mark I would ask every few weeks or so about the progress. The responses weren’t that helpful, but I trusted they would complete the job and deliver. I read from other posts on this sub that their orders were also delayed, so I wasn’t too worried.

I changed my mind twice about some initial decisions on the customization back in January and February. They accommodated my requests with no issues.

Coming from Meermin’s cheaper shell chelsea boots and regular calf jodhpurs, these are MUCH better and it’s not even close. Surprisingly the shell chelsea boots I bought a few years ago were not too far in price, so I’d say the price to value ratio for a pair of Prof Barnets is quite good.

The boots are comfortable out of the box. I’m sure it’ll get even better with time. The leather is nice and soft.

The colour is absolutely spot on compared to the reference Clinch boots I sent. Although I’m not too sure if it’ll age similarly since this pair uses Maryam Toscanello under the overdye.

The heel height was a bit surprising. I didn’t expect it to be so tall. Not a problem though.

Straps are great and thick enough that I don’t think I have to worry about them breaking, unlike my Meermin jodhpurs.

Fit: I sent measurements of my feet. They also added extra length for a comfortable fit. The fit so far is very good, not too roomy and not tight. Just right. I was worried that I measured my feet incorrectly. The first measurement I did was way off, about 1 size too big. They told me the EU size and it seemed wrong so I re-measured and we went forward with the 2nd measurement. I’m glad it’s spot on.

Overall very happy with the boots. I’m looking forward to breaking these in and seeing how they age over time!