• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

snowbird25

Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2021
Messages
9
Reaction score
4
Curious if anyone here has experience with the Gardeners in Greasy Kip? I currently have Comfort Turnouts in Yearling, and really like them but find them slightly dressy.

Would the Gardeners be a better casual, all condition boot? And hopefully the comfort is similar to other RMs?
 

troika

Coco the Monkey
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
5,538
Reaction score
15,210
Curious if anyone here has experience with the Gardeners in Greasy Kip? I currently have Comfort Turnouts in Yearling, and really like them but find them slightly dressy.

Would the Gardeners be a better casual, all condition boot? And hopefully the comfort is similar to other RMs?

Yes. They're great. My fav RMW shoe ever. They're more comfortable than any other non-sneaker footwear I own. The ruggedness is very similar to blundstone, but the last and fit is so much better.

I went hiking and fishing in mine for a month:

20201224_130706.jpg



Then I ran them under the sink to wash off the dirt, and they looked new again:

20210102_185903.jpg
 

snowbird25

Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2021
Messages
9
Reaction score
4
The Gardeners
Yes. They're great. My fav RMW shoe ever. They're more comfortable than any other non-sneaker footwear I own. The ruggedness is very similar to blundstone, but the last and fit is so much better.

I went hiking and fishing in mine for a month:




Then I ran them under the sink to wash off the dirt, and they looked new again:

in that leather are very casual IMO. Very comfortable. Highly recommended.

Awesome, thank you both. I really appreciate it! Do you have any thoughts on the leather upkeep and durability in wet conditions (i.e. pacific northwest with lots of rain and snow for a few months every year)? My Comfort Turnouts are pretty slippery (I think they have the "Oil Resistant" sole), and I'm hoping these have a little more traction. I also already own RM's leather conditioner, and don't know if that would be necessary for these.
 

troika

Coco the Monkey
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
5,538
Reaction score
15,210
Awesome, thank you both. I really appreciate it! Do you have any thoughts on the leather upkeep and durability in wet conditions (i.e. pacific northwest with lots of rain and snow for a few months every year)? My Comfort Turnouts are pretty slippery (I think they have the "Oil Resistant" sole), and I'm hoping these have a little more traction. I also already own RM's leather conditioner, and don't know if that would be necessary for these.

Durability is great, haven't had any issues. Fairly water resistant, rain and snow just rolls right off. It's also a lot more refined vs blundstones and others.

Sole is pretty grippy since it's kind of soft. It's not as lugged as outdoors soles, but I haven't had any issues.
 
Joined
Dec 16, 2014
Messages
9
Reaction score
13
Durability is great, haven't had any issues. Fairly water resistant, rain and snow just rolls right off. It's also a lot more refined vs blundstones and others.

Sole is pretty grippy since it's kind of soft. It's not as lugged as outdoors soles, but I haven't had any issues.

I agree. Love my Gardeners and will buy another pair in the next year or so. I've worn them more than any other shoe in the fall/winter/early spring for the past 6 years. (NY/NJ area, but not worn in snow). I have never received so many compliments on a pair of shoes, even though they're not the nicest or more expensive in my wardrobe. They do scuff easier than anticipated, but age well. When wet from rain, they stay dark in spots until they dry. You can only use the RMW care for them. They don't really shine at all.
 

snowbird25

Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2021
Messages
9
Reaction score
4
EB37A9BC-D191-4A4F-BCB9-F9AB23B628C3.jpeg

One last question for you all... has anyone experienced this “splitting” between the heel, and sole of the shoe? It’s very minor, but exists on both boots, and on both sides. Hopefully it’s nothing to worry about!
 

troika

Coco the Monkey
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
5,538
Reaction score
15,210
View attachment 1563507
One last question for you all... has anyone experienced this “splitting” between the heel, and sole of the shoe? It’s very minor, but exists on both boots, and on both sides. Hopefully it’s nothing to worry about!

Yes sometimes. It's not uncommon in footwear in general, especially when you have different materials coming together such as leather and rubber. They shrink and expand at different rates, and sometimes the glue on the edges comes a bit undone. I've never ever had this minor issue turn into a major issue.
 

InaYan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2021
Messages
56
Reaction score
8
Yes sometimes. It's not uncommon in footwear in general, especially when you have different materials coming together such as leather and rubber. They shrink and expand at different rates, and sometimes the glue on the edges comes a bit undone. I've never ever had this minor issue turn into a major issue.
But do you think you would pay $400+ and getting the boots like this out of the box...
 

Gonzo9

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2013
Messages
84
Reaction score
136
If they are brand new they suck. These are 20 years old and never taken apart.
8BF4857C-DD43-4A3C-898E-3CAC328ADD19.jpeg
 

troika

Coco the Monkey
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
5,538
Reaction score
15,210
But do you think you would pay $400+ and getting the boots like this out of the box...

Meh, maybe I'd exchange if they were new, but I don't think it's a huge deal. That's not the worst defect this forum has seen on high end shoes. Check out Alden quality control...


If they are brand new they suck. These are 20 years old and never taken apart. View attachment 1563666

They may be 20 years old, but that heel looks like it's never been stepped on :-D
 

patrick_b

Distinguished Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2007
Messages
6,692
Reaction score
9,721
That plaque would also suggest this is a signature craftsman and sells for double the amount? I would assume part of the package is a bit better care during manufacture.

Exactly. The “split” looks like poor finishing f eg at her than a structural defect IMO.
 

Gonzo9

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2013
Messages
84
Reaction score
136
Special Edition from Sydney 2000. I knew they could never be replaced so worn lightly. Then spent most of the time in the closet in Florida. Now I’m not really sure what to do with them. They need a rebuild. Cork and glues are dried out. But the leather is still butter soft and not cracked.


They may be 20 years old, but that heel looks like it's never been stepped on :-D
[/QUOTE]
52D2A0C2-355A-40C5-9B75-86AE21F4B1F2.jpeg
1847B12C-AE7A-405F-A8E5-18ABDCA885E7.jpeg
 

InaYan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2021
Messages
56
Reaction score
8
Dear all, just following up from my previous posts. I've been looking to purchase my first pair of RMW boots, and wanted to share some of my woes with finding the correct sizing which may help others. My usual size is UK 6.5, regular F width, and this is what I have in most other high quality shoes, incl. various Loakes, Cheaneys, Grensons and Crockett and Jones.

First order: CC 6.5 G
So I went ahead and ordered a 6.5 G Comfort Craftsman (I believe G fit is RMW's regular fit). To my surprise the boots were much too large for me, with massive heel slips and feet swimming around and toes sliding forward - absolutely unwearable. The instep felt very high for me with a lot of step around this area, which probably contributed.

Second order: CC 6 G
I then ordered a size 6 G - much better fit in heels and instep, but toes were very cramped - I knew I could not wear this long term, as toe box areas generally do not stretch much.

Third order: CC 6 H and Comfort Turnout (CT) 6 G
Disappointed, I gave the CC one last try by ordering the wider 6 H. My reasoning for this was that the 6.5 G was probably very large as the instep was quite high, so did not provide enough pressure on my feet to keep it in place - the 6 G fixes this problem as it is shorter (and therefore more instep pressure), but the shorter length causes a cramped toebox. I thought going for a 6H would therefore solve this problem - maintain the snug instep but give myself more room in the toebox.

I also ordered the CT in 6 G to try - reasoning being that the CT has a rounder and more bulbous last, which I thought could provide a larger toebox than the CC 6 G while maintaining the snug fit everywhere else.

Observations:
1. I made a weird observation: the CC 6 H is much more comfortable in the toebox, it now feels snug but not cramped. But also, the 6 H has a significantly smaller and slimmer heel area than the CC 6 G, which provided an even more secure fit in this area with very little heel slip. See the attached photo for comparison - 6H heel much smaller than the 6G heel.

2. The CT 6 G was no good at all - good snug fit in the heels and instep but very cramped toe box, just like the CC 6 G.

Conclusions:
1. RMW's wider H fit provides a roomier toe box but narrower heel.
2. There is little difference in fit between the CC and CT lasts - the chisel toe vs round toe is entirely a stylistic choice, both seem to provide the same fit.

Therefore in the end I kept the CC 6 H - nice snug fit everywhere with a snug but finally comfortable toe box!

Thanks everyone for the earlier suggestions (esp. @JustinW and @midazsolam ) and hope my experience helps others too! Would love to know if anybody else has had similar experience to mine?
I ordered 6G CC
Heel slip and squished toes and my left toe was lightly scraping the toebox' roof. Now they advised to go for 5.5 H. Really hope that they won't be somehow too short. But I know ordering 6H probably wouldn't be the perfect fit either.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 60 38.7%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.4%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 18.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,164
Messages
10,579,138
Members
223,885
Latest member
Jones&co
Top