Five year review: Truman natural shell derbies

These were my first pair of high quality shoes. I’d just been promoted to a job that occasionally required dressing nicer than steel toe boots and worn out Dickey’s. I wanted shoes that I could dress up a little bit for meetings, but chunky and casual enough they wouldn’t look out of place with my everyday clothes. I picked them up as lightly used b-grades because the price was good and I’d heard shell was a durable, low-maintenance leather. At the time I had no idea how much natural shell changes with age… but it was a lucky coincidence since I love the patina they’ve developed!

Guessed based on online reviews of the brand’s sizing

Bought secondhand off Reddit… no issues.

On average I wear these about once per week plus the occasional evening out. I don’t wear them for really rough work-boots stuff, but everything else is fair game. I don’t baby them at all… they’ve been on dusty nature walks, beach sand, grassy fields, mud puddles, etc. I walk 5-10 miles per day around town, so they’ve seen a lot of pavement too. These are also my “nice” shoes for formal occasions - or at least what passes as formal in the rural Pacific Northwest. They kept my feet cozy during my college graduation, conference presentations, two rounds of jury duty, and several job interviews.

This is not soft leather. Absolutely zero stretch or give. It has molded to my feet over time, but was so uncomfortably firm during the first few weeks of break in that I considered selling them. Even after five years I can feel resistance when they flex. Strangely, they’re much stiffer than my boots made from Horween shell. I assume it has something to do with the lining, since these are lined and the other pair is not. That’s a small price to pay for the gorgeous patina and durability, though. I haven’t had any issues with the water spotting notorious in shell cordovan. They’re as close to zero maintenance as a shoe can get: I don’t use shoe trees, don’t use polish, just brush them off if they look dusty and condition them with whatever is on hand (bick 4, lexol, etc) about once a year. I know many readers will be horrified by the lack of shoe trees, but they’ve held their shape just fine by my standards. As far as patina, they darkened pretty quickly from pale tan to a light caramel color, which has continued to gradually deepen to a warm medium brown. It’s a much more even color than I see in many examples of natural shell. They’ve also developed a glossy shine especially on the toe. Because the leather is so firm they’ve ended up with fewer but deeper rolls… that’s my one disappointment in the leather, since I love the look of shoes with lots of shallow rolls/wrinkles.

I’m picky. Life is too short for uncomfortable shoes. So I wouldn’t have kept these for five years if they didn’t feel great on my feet. I have average width ball/toes with a slightly narrow heel and very low volume instep. These fit perfectly: snug at the heel, no pinching at the toes, and the facings are far enough apart I can get a close fit over the instep. There’s a slight bit of arch support (much milder than most PNW work boots) with no cushioning to speak of. They’re very comfortable for walking, “good enough” for prolonged standing. I went a full size down from brannock which is perfect with thin to medium socks.

I really like the design. It’s a great balance between sleek and chunky. Nothing revolutionary, just a really solid middle ground shoe. Durability has been great. Absolutely zero issues with five years of wear… I expect they’ll last for decades. Finishing seems excellent with the caveat that I bought them as seconds grade due to the slightly crooked back stay. I kind of wish they were unlined - I love how flexible unlined shell is and prefer how rolls develop on it - but I do think the lining increases support and durability.

I can’t believe how well the sole has held up. I’ve walked a lot of miles on pavement and still not close to needing a new sole. Traction is good on carpet, sidewalks and asphalt even in wet weather. It’s not as grippy as I like for really slippery surfaces (ice, wet tiles, etc) and the studs aren’t enough to get good traction in soft soil. The rubber is quite hard with very little shock absorption compared to softer vibram soles. Overall I have no real complaints, but when it’s time for a resole I might try something different.

I wish Truman still made stitchdown footwear so I could tell everyone to get a pair. Looking forward to the next five years with these on my feet!