Grant Stone - Official Affiliate Thread

[Neo1]

I must not be that hard on the toe, as not that much wear. I also will avoid Dainite soles, and will choose leather over rubber if the option is there. The GS rubber sole is good, but I personally still prefer leather. I do wish GS would offer a "commando" style sole.

While I absolutely prefer the GS danite micro-stud over the regular leather, I will note that GS' leather is much better than standard leather people have in mind, it feels a lot like the neocork on the Indy almost.

 

[audog]

it feels a lot like the neocork on the Indy almost.

Good descriptor. When new, it can almost feel like a plank of wood

 

[audog]

So I wore the Black Diesels out to local "watering hole" this evening. Guy sitting next to me and the wife at the bar said......"I really like those boots, are they Doc Martins?" I said no they are not, although Doc martins are ok, these are a lot better made, and much more comfortable. (This after checking his footwear, Merril hiking type of boots) He ask "Who makes them?" So of course, I gave him the GS web address and when we were leaving, I noticed he was checking out GS website on his phone.
The point of all this is: People who appreciate boots, like GS boots and we need to spread the word!

 

[Drzdave58]

i currently don’t own a pair...but I definitely see a purchase in the very near future..I really like the looks of them..

 

[audog]

i currently don’t own a pair...but I definitely see a purchase in the very near future..I really like the looks of them..

You will NOT regret getting a pair of GS boots (or shoes)

 

[manowar]

Warning, huge multiquote ahead.

Black Diesel on leather for hanging out this afternoon View attachment 1344744

I always love your posts but I’ve gotta say those laces are not doing it for me. They look olive green to my eye. Something should be a little closer to the welt color, no?

For me the biggest potential issue I am noticing is the toe wear. Nothing else seems to be wearing down much at all. It's important to know that it'll be different for each person. Depends on your gait, what you're walking on, weather conditions, etc. I would like to avoid toe taps if possible. We'll see what happens. Currently I've worn through about half of the first layer of leather on both my plain toes and longwings. I assume it will slow down from there much like heel wear can be fast at first but then hardly change for a long time after breaking in.

That said I think my plan will be to replace the leather soles with Dainite or something similar when the time does come to resole. That sort of sole still looks aesthetically pleasing while adding a whole lot more durability. If I do that I would certainly miss the comfort of these leather soles, but it could be worth it for a more durable material.

In other news my Dune CXL travelers should be in on Friday. I also opted for the matching belt. Excited because Dune is easily my favorite color of the CXL options. It's such a lovely color for the loafers, longwings, and probably anything really.

+1 on all counts. I experience the excessive toe wear at first but maybe it will peter out over time. The outsoles themself are remarkably heavy duty, and their initial stiffness is probably the culprit here. I have to say they get more comfortable with every wear. It’s cliché, but absolutely true in this case.

I, too, plan to resole my boots with dainite or perhaps Vibram mini-tread when the time comes. I may put a tan sole protector on my wingtips.

And my next purchase from GS, unless a limited release temps me more, will be a Dune belt. That and the suede Diesel!

I must not be that hard on the toe, as not that much wear. I also will avoid Dainite soles, and will choose leather over rubber if the option is there. The GS rubber sole is good, but I personally still prefer leather. I do wish GS would offer a "commando" style sole.

Yes, commando!

Like Mr. L before me, I have also been pretty absent dealing with plenty of my own personal crap, but I absolutely felt the need to post about this one.

I had previously picked up a pair of the black on black danite Diesel boots last BF, B-grades at the bargain basement price. As much as I loved the boots, they wreaked havoc on my right heel. Something about the volume of the Leo last (I brannock at a C-width and had to size down a full length from 7.5C to 6.5D) and the rigidity of the platform in general not to mention the heel counter just didn't work right for me. But at the same time, jesus were these just solid feeling, like tanks. I was a huge fan of the HM from AE - I own 4 pairs and I was very happy with them, but after long periods of walking my calf muscles just weren't right, and I couldn't put my finger on it. With the Diesel, not sure if it was just due to their sheer weight and/or feeling of something so sturdy or what, but I didn't feel that leg muscle issue at all. So as annoying as it was, if I padded the inside of my right boot with something, basically anything, heel padding, tissue paper, paper towels, anything to act as a layer between my heel and the heel counter, I could get away with a full day's wear on the Diesel. Without that I was dead in the water. We're talking excruciating pain. At first I thought this only occurred when I was driving and my right foot was at an incline for extended periods on the brake pedal but later I realized it was pretty much all the time when I wore them.

Well, when the recent batch of B-grades was released, I decided to take a second chance on a pair of crimson CXL captoe boots with danite. I had somehow figured that danite was the culprit but had to test out this theory one more time. I am here to tell you that I was completely wrong. I don't know how they did it or what's different about this one, but on the captoe boot, despite the danite outsole, these don't bother my heels at all. These, like that annoying song, are "everything I want, everything I need." Super sturdy, comfortable cxl. Awesome in every way. With the number of shoes I currently own - triple digits for AE, and now 5 from GS, it's hard to find something that's really a game changer, but this was it. This solidifies GS as a great platform for me, as well as knocks the brown CXL HM (the only CXL I don't own) off my backlog as for good.

Totally can't wait for the Chelsea now.

Awesome to hear your journey! Depending on when you made your first purchase, the difference here could have to do with them changing over to an all-leather heel counter some time back where they were using a sort of plastic before. The leather molds to the foot better and is less stiff! Maybe the first pair you got had the plastic counter. I found this info originally on Heddel’s cutaway review of Grant Stone (totally awesome), then confirmed it on the GS website’s page about shoe construction.

As an aside, I’m a little surprised you go a while size down. I go down 3/4 of a size on my right, and 1/2 a size on my left, and it’s as snug as I like in the toes. But I do remember you saying that you had a highly unusual foot shape.

i currently don’t own a pair...but I definitely see a purchase in the very near future..I really like the looks of them..

Allow us to welcome you to the fold! Just starting out, I would maybe go with a Crimson Diesel boot and a Black Ottawa, but the choice is yours!

 

[M635Guy]

How does GS's leather soles hold up compared to Allen Edmonds leather soles? My only leather shoes are Fifth Avenues and the leather sole is pretty crappy.

I've got GS soles with easily 500 miles on them and they're not close to a resole. A lot of those miles are stomping around on trips too - lots of concrete, etc. I wouldn't compare the GS leather soles to what AE uses. I also don't find leather soles slick in general, but I'm not running around on a lot of marble either.

 

[M635Guy]

it's hard to find something that's really a game changer, but this was it. This solidifies GS as a great platform for me, as well as knocks the brown CXL HM (the only CXL I don't own) off my backlog as for good.

That's fantastic to hear

 

[miggyramone]

I've got GS soles with easily 500 miles on them and they're not close to a resole. A lot of those miles are stomping around on trips too - lots of concrete, etc. I wouldn't compare the GS leather soles to what AE uses. I also don't find leather soles slick in general, but I'm not running around on a lot of marble either.

Thanks for this! My future GS shoes won't just be office shoes. I plan to walk around in them and explore the town. No hiking or anything crazy, but I do plan to wear them pretty hard during the spring/summer. Worst case scenario, I could just add a topy later on. Just wanted to know how they compare to AE, because my AE soles are pretty crappy after 2 months of wear.

 

[miggyramone]

I was gonna wait til Friday, but went ahead and pulled the trigger on Crimson LWBs. I have so much self control lol.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

While I absolutely prefer the GS danite micro-stud over the regular leather, I will note that GS' leather is much better than standard leather people have in mind, it feels a lot like the neocork on the Indy almost.

As Audog said, that's exactly right. I've never had a leather sole that wears as well as the one on my GS PTBs and Ottowas. I don't know how they do it. The GS leather sole is a little stiffer than a normal leather sole -- but it's no less comfortable. Not even a little bit less comfortable, if AE and Alden are 100 on the comfort scale, GS is also 100, even though the GS sole is stiffer. But the GS sole is incredibly durable too -- it's really amazing. It really is almost like Alden's neocork.

i currently don’t own a pair...but I definitely see a purchase in the very near future..I really like the looks of them..

You'll love them. GS quality really is impeccable. And I mean "impeccable," like perfect. Adjectives like that are often thrown around when high-end menswear is discussed, but in the case of GS they're not hyperbole.

Even when GS makes a trade-off... it's always worth it. For example, the leather on my saddle tan Diesel boots takes a little longer to break in than ordinary calf of CXL. It's not uncomfortable or anything, not at all, but I noticed that it took a few more wears to mold to my feet and ankles. But in exchange for that trade-off, the color of the leather is incredible. Really striking; everyone notices it. I have 50-75 pairs of Aldens, AE's and GS's and the leather used on my saddle tan Diesels is completely unique, and beautiful.

The comfort is also exceptional. The value cannot be matched. A lot of people are VERY enthusiastic about GS's. At first, I did not understand this. Audog is a huge fan and I generally respect his opinions a lot but, you know, different strokes for different folks. I figured that GS just appealed to him for some reason particular to him. I thought they looked nice but I didn't understand the fervent enthusiasm. But hearing everyone rave about GS convinced me to try a pair and then it was like yeah... I totally get it. They really are all that, no question about it.

 

[audog]

Warning, huge multiquote ahead.
I always love your posts but I’ve gotta say those laces are not doing it for me. They look olive green to my eye. Something should be a little closer to the welt color, no?

+1 on all counts. I experience the excessive toe wear at first but maybe it will peter out over time. The outsoles themself are remarkably heavy duty, and their initial stiffness is probably the culprit here. I have to say they get more comfortable with every wear. It’s cliché, but absolutely true in this case.

I, too, plan to resole my boots with dainite or perhaps Vibram mini-tread when the time comes. I may put a tan sole protector on my wingtips.

And my next purchase from GS, unless a limited release temps me more, will be a Dune belt. That and the suede Diesel!

Yes, commando!


Awesome to hear your journey! Depending on when you made your first purchase, the difference here could have to do with them changing over to an all-leather heel counter some time back where they were using a sort of plastic before. The leather molds to the foot better and is less stiff! Maybe the first pair you got had the plastic counter. I found this info originally on Heddel’s cutaway review of Grant Stone (totally awesome), then confirmed it on the GS website’s page about shoe construction.

As an aside, I’m a little surprised you go a while size down. I go down 3/4 of a size on my right, and 1/2 a size on my left, and it’s as snug as I like in the toes. But I do remember you saying that you had a highly unusual foot shape.


Allow us to welcome you to the fold! Just starting out, I would maybe go with a Crimson Diesel boot and a Black Ottawa, but the choice is yours!

The laces were olive (Guarded Goods) and I agree with you, closer to welt would be better, sometimes one just has to try something and see. Sometimes the experiment doesn't work

 

[audog]

@manowar ---- have some GG tan laces on order as of last night (late) I think they will work better. The worst thing is.......I'm reasonably sure I have a pair somewhere in the rats nest of laces in the large plastic tub, but damn if I can find them...

 

[GrantStone]

@GrantStone Did you guys remove Affirm as a payment option from the website during the update?

Once you land on the payment page Affirm is an option but we are still working on the product pages to show the Affirm logos and cost. It is still interest-free, 3 payments.

Any plans for a LWB or derby in darker pebbled leather (e.g., country calf, scotch grain)?

We don't have anything lined up. We do have our current cognac pebble grain coming out on a longwing next week.

Bick4, VSC, or Renovateur on Grant Stone CXL? @GrantStone

I always lean towards VSC because we use it the most often and rarely (if ever) have had a bad experience.

 

[mak1277]

We don't have anything lined up. We do have our current cognac pebble grain coming out on a longwing next week.

That's too bad. The cognac is too light for me.