A Goodyear-welted boot is a long purchase. The first two weeks tell you whether the last matches your foot or whether you have bought a handsome ordeal.
We wore full-grain boots with a steel shank and a studded sole through ordinary days, not a staged hike. The question was how long the break-in actually lasted, and what still hurt after it.
The break-in
Chromexcel and similar tannages crease and give faster than a dry, thick hide. The shank should keep the sole from folding under the arch. A studded sole grips wet pavement and is louder than you expect indoors.
- A last that does not pinch the little toe once the leather moves.
- A heel that stays put so you are not retying every hour.
- A welt you can see a cobbler resole, not a cup you throw away.
- Thick socks for the first week, then the socks you really wear.
If it still bites in the same spot on day ten, it is the last, not the break-in.
Keeping them
Cedar trees, a brush, and conditioner on the creases twice a year do more than a new pair of laces. Let them dry before the next wet commute. Wet leather that never rests cracks at the flex point.
Pay for a boot you can resole and a fit you can stand in by the end of the second week.
