Handmade Leather Boots for Overlanding / Hiking / Etc.?

[Hilldweller]

I'm a size 13 and driving sucks in just about any kind of boot, so 14 must be even worse!

Yeah, buddy.

years ago a friend/coworker tossed me the keys to his new Ferrari and said, "here, take'er for a spin."
Try as I might, I couldn't clutch without braking, gas without braking, etc.
Italians have small feet evidently.

 

[workerdrone]

That's some nice offer! Yep, in boots I'll often be sitting at a red light with my foot on the brake, then notice the revs are creeping up as my foot is doing brake and gas at the same time

 

[Hilldweller]

I'm liking the look of the Green African Ranger boot ---- looks like a nice blend between comfort in the truck and comfort walking a bit.
...

I went ahead and ordered a pair of the Jim Green African Ranger boots back then.
Took a while until they made a batch; the pair arrived Friday.
And they're huge. Too long and too much volume.
sigh
Very well made though. Wish they were in a brick/mortar store so I could try on different sizes. I'm usually a 14 or 14-wide but I'm swimming in these.

 

[67cj5]

I went ahead and ordered a pair of the Jim Green African Ranger boots back then.
Took a while until they made a batch; the pair arrived Friday.
And they're huge. Too long and too much volume.
sigh
Very well made though. Wish they were in a brick/mortar store so I could try on different sizes. I'm usually a 14 or 14-wide but I'm swimming in these.

Yeah thats a bugger when that happen, In all of Baffin extreme cold boots I take a 12 so I also ordered a pair of their baffin Trapper wellington boots and they are like Boats even with 2 pairs of heavy socks and their baffin Titan -148*f/-100*c wellington Boots because of all the insulation they come up a bit narrow, yet their Snow boots I always have to go up a size,

It drives ya nuts why they can't get it right,, Hopefully you can send em back for a smaller pair,

Good luck, Sorry about your troubles,

 

[SteveTB03]

I love my schnees timberline boots. I've had them for a couple years now and they are the most comfortable boots Ive ever worn. Not too bad of a price either at 400$.

 

[alanymarce]

Courteneys - handmade in Zimbabwe. I wore mine every day for a year in Australia, Cambodia, & Laos - the most comfortable boots I've ever worn, and are handling everything from the Simpson desert to Lammalaugur to the Amazon. Excellent!

 

[DaveInDenver]

Wish they were in a brick/mortar store so I could try on different sizes. I'm usually a 14 or 14-wide but I'm swimming in these.

I've noticed that odd over-sizing thing. I wonder if maybe modern buyers expect comfort immediately, either not willing or don't know about breaking in a set of boots?

 

[Hilldweller]

I've noticed that odd over-sizing thing. I wonder if maybe modern buyers expect comfort immediately, either not willing or don't know about breaking in a set of boots?

I think that also it's that consumers these days are heavier and they're making things to fit fat people.
I worked with a guy that was 7" shorter than me but more than double my weight. We wore the same size shirt; it had to wrap around and under his belly to tuck in.
We wore the same size shoe; he would have worn a size 9 but needed the 14-wide to wrap around his fat foot.

My Altra sneakers fit freakin great. And, surprisingly, the Merrill's I got on sale. I actually bought another pair of Altras, a street version. So comfy.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I think that also it's that consumers these days are heavier and they're making things to fit fat people.

I've read the same thing is occurring with clothing sizes. I'm about 10 lbs heavier than my high school graduation weight and have gone from XL (I have long arms) to L to now almost always medium as first pick. But we guys are lucky that we can buy by the number. A 32x34 trouser in 1989 is still a 32x34 in 2022. Although the cut is a bit more roomy, which is fine. I'm no hipster anyway.

 

[alanymarce]

I've noticed that odd over-sizing thing. I wonder if maybe modern buyers expect comfort immediately, either not willing or don't know about breaking in a set of boots?

The other challenge is that there is no standard size scale - an 8 in one country is a 7-1/2 in another, and a 40 in another, etc... As we buy more and more online this can create problems.

 

[Hilldweller]

The other challenge is that there is no standard size scale - an 8 in one country is a 7-1/2 in another, and a 40 in another, etc... As we buy more and more online this can create problems.

And even those vary with no rhyme or reason. A 48 from one company might fit fine but from another company is too small. Even two shoes from the same company in the same size often fit differently.
And brick/mortar stores are stocking fewer and fewer size 14s these days.

 

[perterra]

I've noticed that odd over-sizing thing. I wonder if maybe modern buyers expect comfort immediately, either not willing or don't know about breaking in a set of boots?

I expect comfort immediately, not willing to suffer thru break ins when fighting a heel spur and associated plantares fasciitis. Last time I broke in a pair of hikers (Meindls) I ended up on a walking cane for 2 weeks. I dont do board last anymore either, so comfort is usually immediate (Hoka One One)

 

[alanymarce]

And brick/mortar stores are stocking fewer and fewer size 14s these days.

...and stocking stores fewer bricks... : )

 

[Peneumbra2]

White boot company in Spokane make some incredibly nice boots. I have several pairs of Danner usa made boots but they are not in the same league as the Whites. I have had two pairs and they are lifetime boots. I had a pair of white packers but strangely enough my foot size changed lol so I sold them but I have a pair of hikers that are getting close to 20 years old and have been resoled several times and still going strong.

Lifestyle Boots

In the 1930s, Otto White committed to building boots for every tradesman, sportsman, and outdoorsman in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. At White’s Boots, we believe that everyone deserves to be served with quality and comfort in their boots. Whether you work hard or live hard, we build every...

shop.whitesboots.com

People on hand crews hike A LOT, in often very rough terrain, and the ultimate hand crew boot is the White's Smokejumper.
Rebuildable, very well-constructed, UL, OSHA, and NFPA approved for fire proximity use. I find them to be very comfortable, even if you're just sitting on your couch WATCHING wildland fires on TV...

 

[jaymar]

Just checking back on this thread; lot of good suggestions. Ultimately I wend with Nicks Handmade Boots 8" Overlander model, after sending them some pictures of my socked feet in a Brannock device. (It's REALLY hard to find those with all the parts still there; forget shoe stores, try REI.) After break-in and a good pair of Darn Tough Vermont socks--couldn't ask for better.