Oak Street Bootmakers

Originally Posted by racknac

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The middle ones are from Epaulet... I love them. The Maine Guide Boots... good luck trying to find a pair in your size now.

The Common in SF has the Yuk Guide Boots (sz 9.5-11.5) online. I personally know two guys who have em' and swear by em' although I have the Oak Street Hunt boots on order. The Oak Streets appear to be about the same thing (quality and style-wise) minus about $200. I already own a pair of OSBM Trail Oxfords and love them dearly. Plus George is nice as hell. Will def. post when my Oak Street Hunt Boots arrive. Cheers!

Originally Posted by dizdsf

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The Common in SF has the Yuk Guide Boots (sz 9.5-11.5) online. I personally know two guys who have em' and swear by em' although I have the Oak Street Hunt boots on order. The Oak Streets appear to be about the same thing (quality and style-wise) minus about $200. I already own a pair of OSBM Trail Oxfords and love them dearly. Plus George is nice as hell. Will def. post when my Oak Street Hunt Boots arrive. Cheers!

I'd love if someone could post a sizing comparison between yuks and OSBM. I want to pick up a pair of trail oxfords as well.

Originally Posted by racknac

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^

The surfer mocs are a 10.5, but I think I could have sized down to a 10. They fit fine when I got them, but I think they stretched slightly after continuous wear. Wondering if the Oak Streets will stretch...
Nice shoes racknac! I especially like the middle pair. A pair of oxfords would definitely go well with them. I do think they will stretch out if they're too narrow for you. I know my pair have conformed to my feet the more I wear them.

Originally Posted by racknac

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I'd love if someone could post a sizing comparison between yuks and OSBM. I want to pick up a pair of trail oxfords as well.
Let me just preface this by saying I wear my Yuk's barefoot whenever I can, sometimes with thin socks, and plan on wearing the trail oxford the same way: I can tell you that I wear an 8.5E in Yuketen Angler Moc's. I ordered a size 8.5 in the trail oxford and mistakenly recieved a 9 (it was my original order). I can confirm with certainty that (unless you have a really wide foot) the Oak Street's run a bit large, and that I have sent my 9's back and will be receiving a pair of 8.5 trail oxfords, which is the same size as my Yuketen's. Now, having tried on a 9E in Yuk, I can say that the Oak Street's don't run quite as big as Yuk, but there was plenty of room in the toe box of my 9's in Oak Street, and I'm sure the 8.5's will have ample room as well. The leather is supple CXL horween, and I'm certain it will stretch a bit to conform to my foot in 8.5, even if the sides are snug. If you have a pair of Yuketen Angler Mocs or Maine Guide Shoes in E width, order the OSB trail oxford the same size. Width is important. I've tried on 9D Yuks that fit me, but Yuk E width I always size down 1/2 size. I think the OSB's are a little smaller than the Yuks, but still run a bit large, specifically for barefoot wear (I had heel slip in my true size, 9). At least in my experience.

Originally Posted by dizdsf

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The Common in SF has the Yuk Guide Boots (sz 9.5-11.5) online. I personally know two guys who have em' and swear by em' although I have the Oak Street Hunt boots on order. The Oak Streets appear to be about the same thing (quality and style-wise) minus about $200. I already own a pair of OSBM Trail Oxfords and love them dearly. Plus George is nice as hell. Will def. post when my Oak Street Hunt Boots arrive. Cheers!

Cool, let us know how they are. When do you think they'll be coming in? If anyone else has placed an order on the boots, more opinions would be helpful since no one has experience with his boots.

Originally Posted by *#..

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Cool, let us know how they are. When do you think they'll be coming in? If anyone else has placed an order on the boots, more opinions would be helpful since no one has experience with his boots.

I most definitely will. I'm not sure about when they'll arrive. I had some communication with George yesterday about changing a part of my order. He didn't mention an estimated ship date or anything of that nature, but that's okay with me....they get here when they get here, in my humble opinion. However, my Trail Oxfords arrived right on schedule in just under six weeks, which I thought was totally reasonable. So, I'm hopeful about the Hunt Boots.

As for a review, I'm willing to write a few initial impressions and then I'll give them a month or so to see how they wear, etc. I am just as curious as the next person, given that these boots are so new on the scene. As a side note, I'm in the process of planning a wild pig/boar hunt here in Northern CA as soon as the boots arrive. I figure they are called hunt boots for a reason, and I believe that a little weekend hunting excursion would be an apropos method for initiating my boots. Hope that doesn't freak anyone out given the price point of the boots, pedigree of the leather and so on. This may sound obvious, but I just figure if I'm gonna buy them, I might as well use them. Plus, I'm anticipating that the trip will lend itself to a much more colorful review! Cheers!

Originally Posted by dizdsf

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I most definitely will. I'm not sure about when they'll arrive. I had some communication with George yesterday about changing a part of my order. He didn't mention an estimated ship date or anything of that nature, but that's okay with me....they get here when they get here, in my humble opinion. However, my Trail Oxfords arrived right on schedule in just under six weeks, which I thought was totally reasonable. So, I'm hopeful about the Hunt Boots.

As for a review, I'm willing to write a few initial impressions and then I'll give them a month or so to see how they wear, etc. I am just as curious as the next person, given that these boots are so new on the scene. As a side note, I'm in the process of planning a wild pig/boar hunt here in Northern CA as soon as the boots arrive. I figure they are called hunt boots for a reason, and I believe that a little weekend hunting excursion would be an apropos method for initiating my boots. Hope that doesn't freak anyone out given the price point of the boots, pedigree of the leather and so on. This may sound obvious, but I just figure if I'm gonna buy them, I might as well use them. Plus, I'm anticipating that the trip will lend itself to a much more colorful review! Cheers!

Right on. I have relatives in Australia that actually go and hunt kangaroos for dinner sometimes. It's pretty easy since they're so common in the wild, and I definitely want to go with them next time I visit them. On a side note, thanks for joining the site and posting. I know there must be quite a few lurkers on here, moreso on other threads, and it's great that you're willing give your opinion on them. I was quite the lurker before myself, and I first posted on this thread, too.

Originally Posted by *#..

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Right on. I have relatives in Australia that actually go and hunt kangaroos for dinner sometimes. It's pretty easy since they're so common in the wild, and I definitely want to go with them next time I visit them. On a side note, thanks for joining the site and posting. I know there must be quite a few lurkers on here, moreso on other threads, and it's great that you're willing give your opinion on them. I was quite the lurker before myself, and I first posted on this thread, too.

You called it...I definitely lurked hard myself for a long time. Glad to be a part of the discussions finally. I really appreciate the ability to get information on fit, quality, sizing, customer service, etc. for different products before I go out and spend my hard earned cash on the stuff. This thread is what drew me in as well!

Hopefully as people get their OSBM boot orders filled, they will add their impressions/experiences. Cheers!

Originally Posted by *#..

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Okay everyone, my shoes came in the mail earlier today, and I hope I can end any sizing concerns once and for all. Here's some pictures comparing my 7.0 navy vibram trail oxfords vs 7.5 sperry topsiders I borrowed.

Left Foot:

The bump is where my big toe is.

Right Foot:

A little harder to see here, but my big toe is around the same spot.

The topsiders fit me snugly, to the point where my big toe is already touching the top of the toebox. The oxfords have 1/2 inch extra room. I think the fit is very good, there isn't really any more heel slip when I wear them sockless. They're not snug like the topsiders, but no heel slip like my 7.5 pair had. They're a little too snug for me to wear with thick socks like Vinneus, but it's no big deal since I live in a warm area.
Thanks for the comparison. So, two weeks later, are you still happy with the size of the oxfords? Did you consider sizing down? It might put your toes closer to the end of the shoe than preferable but, on the other hand, is it possible the larger size might stretch more and become a lot wider with wear?

^^ I believe he did size down. I think he originally got a 7.5 and it was too big. As for myself, I've repeated this several times here but I received my size (9) and had to send them back. I will be getting an 8.5 as they do run a bit big for sockless wear. Having had many different pairs of shoes I can confidently say that the one thing you want to avoid above all else is a scrunched toe box. If your toes are tight in the end of the shoe it will not stretch length-wise...toe jam will kill and make the shoe unwearable. If you are tight in the width on these types of shoes they will stretch out. They are going to stretch more significantly with applied pressure, so if they fit you out of the box they are not going to stretch as much as they will if you size down, obviously they are going to stretch more to accommodate your foot, and if you go from sockless to wearing socks the extra thickness of the socks will stretch them a bit more over prolonged wear.

TL;DR: the number one thing to avoid in any shoes is having your toes too close to the end of the toe box, or touching it.

Originally Posted by CEE88

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Thanks for the comparison. So, two weeks later, are you still happy with the size of the oxfords? Did you consider sizing down? It might put your toes closer to the end of the shoe than preferable but, on the other hand, is it possible the larger size might stretch more and become a lot wider with wear?
hey CEE88, if you plan to order and have your foot measured and order that size or take the advice from george and order your regular dress shoe size. its not a good idea to use sperry top siders, sneakers, etc. as a reference for how these will fit because they wont fit the same. e-mail george to clarify your shoe sizing issues, if needed. as far as stretching goes these should not stretch much, if at all, in the length but they will give in the width to mold to your foot. thats one of the nice things about cxl leather ... its super soft!

Originally Posted by CEE88

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Thanks for the comparison. So, two weeks later, are you still happy with the size of the oxfords? Did you consider sizing down? It might put your toes closer to the end of the shoe than preferable but, on the other hand, is it possible the larger size might stretch more and become a lot wider with wear?
I am happy with my decision to size down only 1/2 a size. My 7.5 pair would have been good if I wore thick wool socks. I've only worn them about 7 times out of the 2 weeks, and they have already been conforming to my feet quite nicely. They became really comfortable after the 5th day of wearing them. To me it feels like the extra room isn't that big of a deal. A minor con I would say is that there is a tiny bit of heel slip, but only on my right foot since it's a bit smaller than my left. The left is a near-perfect fit. The right is nice as well, aside from the minor heel slip. My right toebox has creased more than my left one, which pretty much looks brand new to me. The main problem I would have with going a whole size down (ie 7.5 --> 6.5 for me) is the fact that my pinky toe would be a little squished. Going down a whole size would fit most like a topsider would on you, based on what I've seen, but I wouldn't do that. My 7.5 pair were about 1" to 1 1/8" long. When I got my 7 pair, they were a 1/2" to 5/8" bigger than where my biggest toe was, fresh out of the box. And these measurements were coming from my slightly bigger left foot. I have D width (assuming you do as well), and my pinky toe fits just right in my size 7 pair. The toebox has actually stretched outwards a tiny bit where my pinky and the one next to it touches the toebox. It's a great fit for me, I just wish my right foot was the same size as my left. To answer your question, I think you should only go down a whole size if your width is less than D. The shoe itself will stretch outwards to fit wide feet, no problem. But the toebox will probably give you some trouble if you size down more than 1/2. It will stretch out to an extent, but not enough if I went down a whole size. I'll post some pics of my oxfords when I'm back home this weekend for you. You can see my imprint on the sole, and what I mean by the toebox expanding a tiny bit. I don't think my buddy's iphone 4 camera would be good enough to show that.

Originally Posted by whatever123

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hey CEE88, if you plan to order and have your foot measured and order that size or take the advice from george and order your regular dress shoe size. its not a good idea to use sperry top siders, sneakers, etc. as a reference for how these will fit because they wont fit the same.

e-mail george to clarify your shoe sizing issues, if needed.

as far as stretching goes these should not stretch much, if at all, in the length but they will give in the width to mold to your foot. thats one of the nice things about cxl leather ... its super soft!

Why is it not a good idea to use Sperry? I think that is a much more pointed observation than "dress shoe size." Most dress shoes run off the brannock, but not all dress shoe sizes are the same - there are hundreds of brands out there. The reason people started talking Sperry sizing is because it is a ubiquitous brand everyone can try on. I've had and tried on many different Sperry boat shoes and they all fit me about the same. If my foot fits perfectly in a Sperry size 9, and someone else's does as well, you can pretty surely assume our feet are about the same size as one another. I actually think this is a much better way to discuss sizing issues than "dress shoe size." The brannock measurement should be a good way to determine sizing, but mine ran big for brannock measurements, as did others that are actively discussing right now.

I honestly think picking a brand and discussing sizing in comparison to that brand isn't such a bad idea. I don't see why it is any less accurate than the above stated. Comparing your sizing to sneakers wouldn't work because they are padded and worn with socks, but Sperry, worn sockless, although not anywhere near the quality of these, at least have good quality control and people know their size.

I really think the only people weighing in on this should be those who have had these in their possession and tried them on. For a six week wait, you telling people to order their dress shoe size or brannock size could mean a return. Since you are just going off what George said, the same as he told me originally - which didn't work out, I'd say wait until you receive them. Obviously everyone's foot is going to fit a bit different.

Originally Posted by *#..

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I am happy with my decision to size down only 1/2 a size. My 7.5 pair would have been good if I wore thick wool socks. I've only worn them about 7 times out of the 2 weeks, and they have already been conforming to my feet quite nicely. They became really comfortable after the 5th day of wearing them. To me it feels like the extra room isn't that big of a deal. A minor con I would say is that there is a tiny bit of heel slip, but only on my right foot since it's a bit smaller than my left. The left is a near-perfect fit. The right is nice as well, aside from the minor heel slip. My right toebox has creased more than my left one, which pretty much looks brand new to me.

The main problem I would have with going a whole size down (ie 7.5 --> 6.5 for me) is the fact that my pinky toe would be a little squished. Going down a whole size would fit most like a topsider would on you, based on what I've seen, but I wouldn't do that. My 7.5 pair were about 1" to 1 1/8" long. When I got my 7 pair, they were a 1/2" to 5/8" bigger than where my biggest toe was, fresh out of the box. And these measurements were coming from my slightly bigger left foot. I have D width (assuming you do as well), and my pinky toe fits just right in my size 7 pair. The toebox has actually stretched outwards a tiny bit where my pinky and the one next to it touches the toebox. It's a great fit for me, I just wish my right foot was the same size as my left.

To answer your question, I think you should only go down a whole size if your width is less than D. The shoe itself will stretch outwards to fit wide feet, no problem. But the toebox will probably give you some trouble if you size down more than 1/2. It will stretch out to an extent, but not enough if I went down a whole size. I'll post some pics of my oxfords when I'm back home this weekend for you. You can see my imprint on the sole, and what I mean by the toebox expanding a tiny bit. I don't think my buddy's iphone 4 camera would be good enough to show that.

thanks for the help. everyone has his or her own preference on how shoes fit ... for example, i prefer all of my moc styled shoes to have a 1/4" space between the tip of my big toe and the first row of stitching on the toe of the shoe ... others' might prefer a 1/2," and so forth. the problem is you made a recommendation of going down a full size, which simply wont fit him.

again, again, and again, the best thing for those of you who are on the fence and scratching your head trying to figure out what size is to order is to either measure your foot size or order your dress shoes size. the last's these shoes are built around are true to a brannock device so if you measure a 8.5 on a brannock you will be an 8.5 in oak street ... if you measure a 8.75 on a brannock then you know if you go down to a 8.5 it will be a tad tight and if you go to a 9 it will be just a tad loose.

i think iif the guy went down a full size they just wouldnt fit him.

^^ If you sized up a half size they would be very loose, I'm a 9 on a brannock and they fit me loose, in my opinion the best thing to do is size a half size down from your brannock size if you are going to wear them sockless - I've tried them on. Do not go down a full size. There is a pretty good chance you will have heel slip if your foot is D width and you order TTS. If you have a wide foot, E - they may work.