Mark Albert Boots.....impressive!

[edgarallanpoe]

I received my Outrider Granite Naked Kudu boots today. I was looking for something less imposing than my current boots and these looked perfect. So I pulled the trigger. When I opened the box my heart dropped. I took one look and there was no way that these would fit, they were just way too small. But I tried them on so that when I returned them I would be able to figure out what size I would wear. I am a 9.5 in Whites, Wesco (certain lasts), and Truman 79 last. So I figured that a 9.5 in these would work, so that is what I ordered. Soooo...on they go. WTH? Not only do they fit, but there is tons of room in the toe box. I have wide feet, but normally not wide enough to warrant an E width. These were a perfect fit right out of the box. I was absolutely blown away by how comfortable they were. But comfort doesn't matter if the construction and materials are sub par soooooo

This is the first shoe/boot I have made from Kudu. Man, this stuff is buttery soft. No break in necessary with this leather, it's that soft.This will not be the last pair of boots/shoes I get made from Kudu. The grain and character of this stuff is off the charts cool. I tried to take pics that would show the depth of color and grain of the leather. Materials are every bit as good as anything I own. Wonderful.

I went over these boots with a fine toothed comb and the stitching is spot on. I see absolutely zero loose threads or uneven stitching. Exceedingly well done. Full 360 GYW. Bravo!

I am not an expert in any way when it comes to the actual construction so I'll leave that to people who actually cut this stuff in half to take a look at things inside. But everything on the outside is absolutely spot on perfect.

So now we get to price. At $275 these are an absolute steal. Now, before anyone says that it's impossible to make a shoe/boot that good at that price...and that he has to be cutting corners somewhere, let me explain something to you that you might not know. He is making his boots in Somerset, Pa which is located in western PA about 1hr from Pittsburgh. I currently live in Pittsburgh but grew up in Somerset so I know the area well. Western PA has one of the lowest costs of living in the country. I am guessing...and it's only a guess...that he has a fraction of the overhead that a PNW maker has. That could very well be your answer.

Feel free to ask me any questions and I'll try my best to answer them. Hopefully the pics I took do the boot justice and you can see exactly what I am talking about. This will not be my last pair of Mark Albert Boots.

 

[hamercha]

edgarallanpoe,

How is the comfort?

 

[edgarallanpoe]

Extremely comfortable. I believe that he uses some foam (maybe pouron?) in the insole but it *is* topped off with leather. And the leather is super soft and supple so it requires zero break in.

 

[Lem87]

Thanks for posting this. Im currently eyeing the exact same boot on the site as I type. Literally just typed mark alberts into the search bar just to get a consensus on the bootmaker. I am a 10.5 E width. The results couldnt have been sweeter.