They’re good city boots.

These boots have had a pretty easy life. They have been my city boots, and Chicago had a mild winter. To the office, to the store, maybe to a bar or too. Took them back to the farmstead in Iowa once or twice, but I’ve got other boots for real work.

The pale peach tone of unworn Natural Minerva is very pretty, and I wanted to avoid darkening these beyond the natural course of wear, so the only product I put on these was a bit of Venetian Shoe Cream. They lost that pale peach color fairly quickly and have reached a brilliant orange. In sunlight, they’re almost bright enough to be a bit confusing.

First thing I did was add a toe plate, because the way because I am afraid of chewing through the toes walking around on concrete as much as I do. The leather soles mean that they stayed home when they was ice. Overall, I found the to be flexible and comfortable, and prefer them over rubber in the appropriate conditions.

The thing I’ve enjoyed most about these boots, is that they have become the rule. There are exceptions to the rule—days for lugs, days for loafers, days for rubber stompers, and days for cowboy boots. It’s nice to have a collection, but you can’t buy a pair of regulars, and it’s nice to have a reason to wear a pair more than two days in a row. The boots themselves are exactly what they appear to be. In this corner of the boot world, I think Grant Stone’s are considered a well-respected, but unremarkable make of shoe, in the sense that they are affordable and not particularly weird. But in Chicago, and certainly rural Iowa, they do stand out as being beautiful and unique. The split toe on the Ottawa boot is delightful and adds great texture, and the Natural Minerva is a fun leather to watch age. Don’t be impatient—it will darken up over time. I’ve picked up a few Badallasi products (wallet, watch bands) and I’m a big fan. I will also say my cobbler is huge Grant Stone fan, and talked my ear off about them when I took them in for toe taps. I don’t think I have any other particular insights to add. There are lots of good boots out there—these are good boots.