The Desert Boot and Chukka appreciation/review thread

[trg12]

 

[Munky]

No need for a Jaguar: you could go with a Triumph motorcycle...

The bike and the boots, yes. Not so sure about the necklace, though, but I will give anything a try. The sizing of the Sander's boots is annoying. I take 9 UK most of the time but 8.5 for Tricker Bourton's. I am a bit nervous about moving up to 9.5 in the Sander's. No big issue, I guess; they can always go back if necessary. Very tempting. I have never understood why shoemakers can't agree on a standard.

 

[Johnniegold]

@Munky

I dealt with David at Pediwear and they were very helpful. I did incur a $13 shipping fee to return them to England for an exchange but that cost is negligible in the overall scheme of things.

I don’t know what Sanders return/exchange policy if you are ordering from them directly in the event you are shipping to the States.

 

[Phileas Fogg]

 

[Mercurio]

The sizing of the Sander's boots is annoying. I take 9 UK most of the time but 8.5 for Tricker Bourton's. I am a bit nervous about moving up to 9.5 in the Sander's. No big issue, I guess; they can always go back if necessary. Very tempting.

I had the opportunity of trying my boots beforehand in a brick-and-mortar shop, otherwise, I would have missed my size completely: I couldn't believe that I was going up to a number I never wore before, but that was a fact that my feet were confirming me.

I have never understood why shoemakers can't agree on a standard.

I believe it's because feet can't be reduced to just a number and a couple of letters, as they are such variable tridimensional objects with so many factors that have to be taken into account, not just length and width.

 

[Munky]

@Munky

I dealt with David at Pediwear and they were very helpful. I did incur a $13 shipping fee to return them to England for an exchange but that cost is negligible in the overall scheme of things.

I don’t know what Sanders return/exchange policy if you are ordering from them directly in the event you are shipping to the States.

Thanks, Mr Gold. I live in the UK so I can buy direct from Sander's.

 

[Munky]

I had the opportunity of trying my boots beforehand in a brick-and-mortar shop, otherwise, I would have missed my size completely: I couldn't believe that I was going up to a number I never wore before, but that was a fact that my feet were confirming me.


I believe it's because feet can't be reduced to just a number and a couple of letters, as they are such variable tridimensional objects with so many factors that have to be taken into account, not just length and width.

I'm not completely convinced, Mercurio. To take Tricker's as an example. Many of their shoes are said to run 'true to size'. For other's you are advised to go down half a size. If there is such a thing as 'true to size', it must be possible to make shoes to a standard that (at least to some degree) takes account of the variables you mention. The only way to cover all the vagaries of our feet would be to go bespoke.

If Sander's want you to order 9.5s when you usually take 9s, why not call the 9.5s 'nines' (and so on through the range)?

 

[Mercurio]

If Sander's want you to order 9.5s when you usually take 9s, why not call the 9.5s 'nines' (and so on through the range)?

I understand what you mean but unfortunately, it isn't how it works. When I bought my Cobbler Union boots and derbies, I had a long talk on the same subject with one of the brand owners. I asked him why did I have to choose two different sizes following his advice, and why they were not labeled with just the same number? His answer was something like what I wrote before: for some people, they could be TTS, but for others, it would depend on other variables, not only of their feet but how they adapt to each last.

As I said before in another thread, this is why is so difficult to recommend accurately anything about shoe sizing as every foot is a world. Each of us expresses our own experiences that can be different from others.

 

[Stylewords]

I understand what you mean but unfortunately, it isn't how it works. When I bought my Cobbler Union boots and derbies, I had a long talk on the same subject with one of the brand owners. I asked him why did I have to choose two different sizes following his advice, and why they were not labeled with just the same number? His answer was something like what I wrote before: for some people, they could be TTS, but for others, it would depend on other variables, not only of their feet but how they adapt to each last.

As I said before in another thread, this is why is so difficult to recommend accurately anything about shoe sizing as every foot is a world. Each of us expresses our own experiences that can be different from others.

But shoe sizes are based on length, sometimes with a variety of widths. On this, you will have your basic size. Then lasts will come into play. Which will mean you may occasionally have to size up or size down. Whether it's a boot or a loafer will also have an effect. However, the vast majority of people will have a base size and will occasionally have to size up or down.

 

[Munky]

Editing error, please move on...!

 

[Munky]

But shoe sizes are based on length, sometimes with a variety of widths. On this, you will have your basic size. Then lasts will come into play. Which will mean you may occasionally have to size up or size down. Whether it's a boot or a loafer will also have an effect. However, the vast majority of people will have a base size and will occasionally have to size up or down.

Yes, that's interesting, thank you!

 

[Munky]

I understand what you mean but unfortunately, it isn't how it works. When I bought my Cobbler Union boots and derbies, I had a long talk on the same subject with one of the brand owners. I asked him why did I have to choose two different sizes following his advice, and why they were not labeled with just the same number? His answer was something like what I wrote before: for some people, they could be TTS, but for others, it would depend on other variables, not only of their feet but how they adapt to each last.

As I said before in another thread, this is why is so difficult to recommend accurately anything about shoe sizing as every foot is a world. Each of us expresses our own experiences that can be different from others.

Thanks, Mercurio, this makes a lot of sense and is helpful.

 

[Mercurio]

But shoe sizes are based on length, sometimes with a variety of widths. On this, you will have your basic size. Then lasts will come into play. Which will mean you may occasionally have to size up or size down. Whether it's a boot or a loafer will also have an effect. However, the vast majority of people will have a base size and will occasionally have to size up or down.

I know that, but easier said than done: I own a quite large amount of shoes and boots from different brands and origins that gravitate around the same numbers but with very different fits. Some are spot on, some are long, some are short, others are narrow or too wide, a few have a very high instep others are somehow tight even though the same sizes.

Just as an example, appropriate for this thread, a pair of chukka theoretically of the same length but different size and width as they were built on very different lasts: Herring Gosforth II (Loake 026 last, size 6.5 UK), Heschung Genet (Odeon last, size 6 UK). The "smaller" one (size 6), as can be seen in the image, is wider than the"larger" size 6.5 UK.

¿How can you know that when you are buying online without exhaustive previous research, as manufacturers usually don't publish precise measurements? Of course, the best route would be to try them on before buying, but that is not an easy possibility for many of us.

 

[Reiver]

View attachment 1590864

Can I ask what these are? Very nice and a bit different

 

[Phileas Fogg]

Can I ask what these are? Very nice and a bit different

They’re from Loro Piana.