I initially didn’t want to buy new boots just now but I wanted to check out new brands for a future buy. I was very interested in Truman boots to be honest but the import and additional taxes were just too much. That brought me on the quest to find high quality leather boots made in Europe. I found many makers but sadly the variety is not as great as in the US and Mexico especially in the work boot category. So many of the ones I found just didn’t scratch the itch I was looking for. Then I found Urban Shepherd and it was exactly what I was looking for from the style to the way they are made and of course the price was Sweet as well. The thing is I’m a black boot guy and every time I want to try something different I just love black the most. Urban Shepherd had only one black boot though but luckily it was exactly what I wanted I wanted something with a commando sole to have something more ”off-road“ worthy and everything else was perfect as well the leather midsole and height. I might add some speed hooks in the future but I wanted to try them as shipped first.
The online store has a sizing recommendation and a table with lengths for the different sizes. I used that and the size worked out great.
I bought these online at their own store I had some questions for customer support beforehand but they were answered very quickly. They were on sale for 233.71€ and shipping was 20€
I use these boots only in my free time. This includes everything from getting groceries to going on hikes. They are quite comfortable on concrete but of course they shine most on soft ground.
The leather is a 2.2mm thick nubuck leather as far as I can tell. It’s relatively stiff at arrival but it gets pretty soft with break in. It moulds really well around the feet. The scratch resistance is pretty good and any smaller scratches can easily be removed with some wax or dubbin. Surprisingly the leather is very breathable so these boots would definitely work in summer too. But it’s perfect for outdoor activities as I have yet to get sweaty feet. Almost forgot, the patina is also really awesome the leather is a dark grey while any scratches highlight in a light ash grey. This combines to a really pretty contrast.
Fit is definitely smaller than my usual size. I have 46EU and 45.5 in boots but I probably could have gotten a 46.5 in these. 46 is their largest size though, luckily it works out for me even though it’s a little tight around the toes. I recently switched to half insoles so maybe that will dial in the fit as soon as the leather foot bed gets the imprint.
Quality is definitely very high especially for the price. Stitching is basically flawless, nothing out of line and no loose ends hanging around. The clicking of the leather pieces is good I have some grain break on one boot and a tongue is a bit crooked but nothing that bothers me and no stretchy belly pieces or visible scars either. The one thing I’m not too happy about is the eyelets I had to file down quite a few to stop them from chewing through my laces. But other than that they have everything you could wish for leather lasting board, leather midsole, leather lining in the toe, stacked and nailed heel and the edge finish is also pretty solid and obviously they have a true Goodyear welt. The design is pretty traditional but it’s still unique in some ways. First thing that stood out to me is the shaft is quite narrow, that makes it a bit difficult to get the boots on. Though that gets easier with break in. But the cool thing about that is the overall profile is really sleek. I’m considering two rows of speed hooks though to be honest. One thing that surprised me was that the area with the eyelets is not reinforced with a second layer of leather. This definitely makes the upper more flexible but I was worried about the eyelets ripping out or stretching the leather too much. Luckily nothing of the sort happened to me yet and everything looks solid even though I tie my boots pretty hard.
The 2040 fighter sole is pretty similar to the v100 I’d say, great traction in mud and anything else except for smooth wet surfaces. It definitely looks more refined than the standard v100 with the recessed lugs and I’d say it makes the boot a lot more versatile. One thing they did with the sole is they added a thin additional midsole that’s either really soft rubber or a dense foam. This additional layer really helps with shock absorption on hard ground. One thing I noticed with the recessed lugs is that they don’t tag around as much dirt. Or maybe it’s just easier to get it off with a few good stomps. The heel is a different story though it’s the same one that is usually used with the normal v100 and it gets caked in mud really fast.
The heel provides a lot of traction, but it tags a lot of mud.
All in all I absolutely love these boots. I think they’re great value and in general a very good Allrounder. They don’t look out of place walking through a city and I think you could even somewhat dress them up a bit. But on the other hand they definitely can handle some serious terrain and can take a beating. And I tested them on both slippery muddy slopes and on cobblestone roads and they can handle both though they are definitely more at home off road. Only thing I haven’t tested yet is snow and ice, but I’m confident that’s just a matter of time.