Review: Brodequin hand-made boots

[Dreadhead]

This is a review i have written for a pair of handmade pull-on boots made by Brodequin shoemakers:
http://www.handcraftedshoes.co.uk/pr...nBoots/Hembury

I will first state i have no affiliation with this company whatsoever, i am merely a satisfied customer.

Why i chose these boots?
Bottom line is I’m a dirty hippy. I respect minimalist footwear and the idea that wearing less means more natural movement in the feet and body, strengthening the feet and ankles, and getting that extra little bit closer to the ground.
I have worn German para boots for several years and have grown tired of stomping around with heavy feet. I own a pair of soft star running shoes and i own a pair of vibram five fingers. Wearing these over time i am getting used to using my feet much more naturally and feel my ankles growing stronger but we all need boots from time to time so i wanted a pair of boots with a flat and flexible sole, that were easy to get on and off, and that would protect and feet and ankles from tough terrain but allow me free, natural movement.

I searched for months to find the ‘perfect’ boots. And then i found the Brodequin shoemakers website and with some prompt communication with the shoemakers they assured me they could provide me with a flat flexible sole. My boots, which were handmade to my specifications arrived 6 weeks later.

My pair is made of nubuck waxy leather, tan, with a flat ribbed vibram sole. Out the box i noticed some minor issues. Around the top cuff one or two stitches have come loose a little. But this is easily fixed if it becomes a problem, and after all they are only human. I also found that the straps for tightening the boots were set very loosely and could do with more holes punches to tighten them up more. Again this is very simple to get round if it becomes a problem. However they seemed well made and sturdy with a good design.

First impressions
unlike modern boots, it took me 5 minutes to wear them in. The leather feels great and bends where i need it to bend. Likewise the sole feels great as it allows my feet to walk with a natural gait and is flexible enough to bend with my foot. The ribbed sole also affords me some good grip whilst walking through bog, over gnarly trees, through thickets, and through streams.

Flexibility
i can walk with a barefoot gait without uncomfortable heels or a wedge and the boots bend to my foot shape giving me a great natural feel. There is no stiffness i get with modern hiking boots that make me feel like my feet are encased in cement.

Weight
these boots are incredibly light and fit very well to my foot shape so they do not feel at all clumsy or heavy.

Breathability
these boots do not have any sort of lining. As they are pull on they fit loose around the ankle yet the strap around the foot is all the support you need. With a normal pair of walking socks or a pair of wool socks these boots feel great as the open calf allows plenty of air to circulate. i get sweaty feet very quickly in hiking boots laced up yet my feet stay dry and cool with these.

Weatherproof
Leather won’t keep water out untreated. I was unsure about what waterproofing to use but with some searching and communication with the shoemakers i opted for nikwax suede/nubuck solution. With one coat of this on i walked through a stream to test it out. I got the smallest trickle of water seam through the seams on the left boot. My foot was dry again within 60 seconds. I have re-coated them specifically around the seams where the sole is so water shouldn’t be a problem now. I have yet to wear them in snow.

Overall Durability
so far they have stood up to everything i have walked through. Mud isn’t a problem. Water isn’t a problem. Thorns aren’t a problem; a few scratches here and there, but the leather is very tough and durable.

I don’t think i need to stress comfort with these boots. Light, flexible, durable, and watertight with a little help; they feel great and perform very well. I may have just found my perfect boots

Customer Care
The Brodequin website is colourful, easy to use and offers a decent range of products and choices for the customer. Upon contacting them they were helpful in dealing with my request for a flat sole and since ordering they were helpful with advice on their leather-types and waterproofing solutions. They also contacted me about an issue they were having with the ornate buckles that they usually supply with the boots, but i was more than happy to have plain buckles on mine but i was glad they had taken the time to contact me and fill me in with the details. They even sent me a small handmade gift with my boots to apologise for the mishap.

Overall i am very pleased with a great pair of boots that perform exactly as i wished, and it was all made easier by a great company to deal with. To me this reflects the price of the boots which is fair and i am confident that these boots will continue to perform. I shall hopefully be able to write another review in a years’ time to see how they stand the wear and tear of time.

Right I’m off to chase faeries in the woods...


By wanderingpict at 2012-03-18

By wanderingpict at 2012-03-18

By wanderingpict at 2012-03-18

By wanderingpict at 2012-03-18

By wanderingpict at 2012-03-18

By wanderingpict at 2012-03-18

By wanderingpict at 2012-03-18

By wanderingpict at 2012-03-18

By wanderingpict at 2012-03-18

Hamish



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EDIT: 23/01/2013 Almost one year on.

Almost one year on so I thought i would update this.

First off, since buying these boots, they are the only boots I own and I have worn them every day for over 10 months in all sorts of weather and terrain so they have had a good test.

These boots have held up really well I am very impressed, after 10 months of slogging around in them they have some very slight scuff marks and that's it! I have kept them maintained with a coat of sno-seal once every couple of months. So how do they handle different conditions?

Spring/summer: Being single layer of leather with a nice open calf on them they breathed very well all through summer and i never got sweaty feet or too hot which was a big bonus

Autumn: When the rain started falling heavily I had some problems with these boots. Unfortunatly when it's very wet the seams do seep water and eventually the soles get pretty wet inside and I end up with wet soles and toes. I had to recoat them with sno seal every week to keep the worst of it at bay. A pair of wool socks really helped keep some of the water and cold at bay!

Winter: I can honestly say these are a great winter boot (for me!). They breath nicely and with a good coat of sno-seal they do very well in the snow and have a fairly decent grip. As trudging through snow can be a chore at times the weight of these boots makes a big difference compared to heavy military styled boots.

So far they have been absolutely superb throughout spring and summer, great in hot weather. And are great in the winter; very adept at handling snow. The only downside for me is very wet conditions are too much of a match for these boots and that is the only thing that lets them down.

So far I have never worn insoles in these and in warmer conditions don't bother with socks either. Now it is winter i may cinsoder getting some felt insoles for a little extra warmth. Still very pleased! And on the plus side they now have that worn gnarly look

Hamish

[Toddy]

Good review Thank you

Strikes me that for those of us who walk barefooted, or lightly shod most of the time that these might be ideal footwear.

I really struggle breaking in new boots and I hate heavy rigid soles.

Off to have a look, see what else they have; those boots suit you but I can't really see me in them

atb,
M

[Man of Tanith]

nice review hamish
can i ask the dreaded question? how much did they set you back?

[Dreadhead]

£185. pretty fair tae me i see folks blowing 300 on the latest hi-tech goretex etc boots on here so im chuffed

[Bardster]

Mine are due through next week so will add to this

[TomBartlett]

I spend most of my time in a pair of Soft Star Ramblers or jogging in my vibrams. While these looks really good, but I can't really justify getting them when I've still got a perfectly functional pair of heavy soled walking boots.

[Man of Tanith]

£185. pretty fair tae me i see folks blowing 300 on the latest hi-tech goretex etc boots on here so im chuffed

not bad for hand made boots
i'll stick to me german para's till they fall apart
be interested in the longevity of your boots

[Dreadhead]

Mine are due through next week so will add to this

ooo which model? will be good tae have more feedback with them

[Bardster]

I've gone for the basic savannah as an everyday street boot. Again they were most helpful and are fitting a sole thats not listed on their site, as I didnt want the standard heavy commando vibram.

edit: Just had the email, they arrive tomorrow!!

[treadlightly]

Good review Hamish. That is a pretty good price for custom made boots. They look comfortable and very practical all-rounders. How heavy are they??

Two people with soft star shoes on this thread. How do you find them?

[Dreadhead]

i dont have any scales tae give you an exact weight but they are certainly light for me and im used tae walking in soft stars or vibrams so weight is a big issue.

i love my soft stars. the only problem iv had with mine is i ordered a pair that only have a single layer of leather for the sole and i wore them everywhere until holes appeared so i just cut out my own soles from veg tan leather and glue them on every now and then. but i see they do the same shoes with a thin vibram sole i quite fancy some but i found an american website that sells viking jorvik shoes with a vibram sole and that appeals more tae me those shall be my next purchase!

[Toddy]

You know that we have boot and shoe patterns for Viking and Medieval footwear, Hamish ? I'm pretty sure I could work out the pattern for the Pictish shoe that we have, too.

I had a pair of the little triangular heel to the sole, Vik style boots, I made them myself and they were very, very comfortable. The only issue was that modern pavements were too unforgiving with the single leather sole.
Tempted to make another pair and see about stitching and glueing on a ribbed vibram sole.

Eric Methven makes good turn shoes/boots....and he has a way of adding on an extra sole that can be removed and replaced when it's worn out.

cheers,
M

[treadlightly]

Did you get them from the US or do you know of anywhere over here that sells them?

[treadlightly]

i dont have any scales tae give you an exact weight but they are certainly light for me and im used tae walking in soft stars or vibrams so weight is a big issue.

i love my soft stars. the only problem iv had with mine is i ordered a pair that only have a single layer of leather for the sole and i wore them everywhere until holes appeared so i just cut out my own soles from veg tan leather and glue them on every now and then. but i see they do the same shoes with a thin vibram sole i quite fancy some but i found an american website that sells viking jorvik shoes with a vibram sole and that appeals more tae me those shall be my next purchase!

Did you get them from the US or do you know anyone in the UK that sells them?

[Dreadhead]

@ Tread: i ordered them fae the U.S. postage and import tax sucks...

@Toddy: ooo that sounds awesome. im nae confident about making my own just yet may just buy a pair when summer blooms as i cant justify buying any more shoes so soon when i have a decent pair now

[Dreadhead]

I've gone for the basic savannah as an everyday street boot. Again they were most helpful and are fitting a sole thats not listed on their site, as I didnt want the standard heavy commando vibram.

edit: Just had the email, they arrive tomorrow!!

awaiting your input man!

[Dreadhead]

Boots still holding up well after walking through thorns and brambles. starten tae darken a wee bit now through use


By wanderingpict at 2012-03-30

Hamish

[Bardster]

awaiting your input man!

Had a bit of an issue with the toes on mine, so sent them back. They've been refitted and as Gill is visiting her sister next week, who lives in the next village to me, they are being hand delivered on sunday

[Stringmaker]

Nice boots and thanks for the review.

As an aside, your photos are a perfect example of a man dressed to compliment his surroundings.

[Dreadhead]

hope they work out for your Bardster and cheers stringmaker

[bushwacker bob]

As an aside, your photos are a perfect example of a man dressed to compliment his surroundings.

Do you mean the skirt and vest or the trews and woolshirt?

[Dreadhead]

whichever you prefer mate

[Tengu]

Those look and sound magnificent, Im sore tempted...

[Bardster]

Well I met the lovely Gill and got my boots back today. Over the moon! they have lowered the foot box and reshaped them to my foot shape. comfortable from the word go I now have the perfect summer lightweight boot Big Big thanks to Broderquin, I would highly recommend them. Will do a few pics when i have worn them for a bit.

[Dreadhead]

nice one Bard bet theyre dead comfy. i thought about having them shaped tae measurements but thats never worked out in the past :S still mine fit very well. glad youv got a comfy practical pair like mine shall expect a full review

[Vulpes]

Wondering how you're getting on with these, as they look great! Thinking about sending them a commission for my problem feet in a few months.

[Dreadhead]

i couldnt be happier they are still going strong. and with wear they have become more comfortable. i have found sno-seal works just fine waterproofing them. when these boots do eventually die i will be ordering the exact same pair i reckon

[Vulpes]

Seems like a really good deal for the price. I suppose they'll resole them, replace parts, etc if required. Look great! I'll contact them at some point and see if they can make an upland boot for a man-duck.

[Samon]

I think they look great! they suit your other style too

I'm no expert on shoes/feet but I was told flat soles can cause fallen arches.. will this happen if the sole is flat but flexible like yours?

[Vulpes]

Might get plantar fashiatis...I can't spell that...with a bare foot gated shoe if you're not used to it I suppose.