I've never been so excited over a pair of shoes...
The appeal of these boots is such that it is designed as a sleek dressy casual boot, with a level of formality lying somewhere between a work/hiker boot and a dress boot.
First, the pics:
This is a monkey-style boot, a rare yet very classic design. Calf leather, fully leather lined, double-stitched storm welt Goodyear welted, with leather mid soles and rubber outsoles.
Stitched through commando soles, for those daring raids deep inside shopping malls. It's softer than those vibram soles found on most hiker boots, also softer than Dainite. So I'd expect a softer ride at the expense of durability.
This pic captures the Coimbra patina quite well. It's like a deep chestnut color, and the patina only shows in strong light. Very subtle, very very well done!
I really dig the soft "eagle claw toe" of CS lasts, and the storm welt accentuates it.
Details:
Thick beefy storm welt , double-stitched and stained. Calf stitching is flawless throughout, not a single loose/stray thread. And check out the crazy detail on that first eyelet!
Welt-joint isn't perfect...but it's pretty damn good. Welt meets leather midsole meets rubber.
Stacked heels. The lightly padded CS medallion is stitched onto the inner ankle.
The inner construction blew me away...
That seam running down the back of the heel is one of only two seams holding four pieces of inner lining leather together. Less seams means less chance of failure, and less hotspots irritating the foot. I don't know how CS pulled it off, but they did.
Heel padding is just the right balance of firm and cushy.
And there's the other seam running across the tongue. Tongue is lightly padded.
And here's a feature I really like: ankle flex zone. The cut-out should give the boots a bit more flexibility. Lace loop is pretty sturdy at 1.5mm thick, and is stitched to the tongue using a simple and elegant method. Also note the tri-color hiker-style laces, which does give the design a hiker-ish vibe.
Last comparison:
CS 234 last compared with Loake Capital last, UK6.5 vs UK8.
This size for me is a tad roomy, UK7.5 would have been ideal. My original intention was to get a larger size to accommodate thick wool hiker socks and an insole. Unfortunately they only made this design in full sizes, so I had to size up.
It looks...big, mainly because of the elongated last and that BIG ASS storm welt
(I dunno...I guess I'm a little worried abt looking like Ronald McD? )
Leather quality: OH. MY. GOD.
One word: superlative.
Perfectly smooth and taut throughout, with not a single stretch mark or imperfection. Pressing on or flexing the leather produces very fine wrinkles, which immediately disappear once I lift my finger. Fingernail indentations/scratches gets rubbed out easily. I compared it with my Loake 1880 Strands, and ...it's not even close. Loake 1880s are good shoes, but Carlos Santos is clearly in a different league, both in terms of leather quality and construction.
And at a price point very similar to Loake 1880s, it's a no brainier. My next pair will definitely be from Carlos Santos.
Likes:
Leather, construction, design, Coimbra patina, finishing, padded tongue & cuffs, gunmetal speed hooks, sleek sculpted last
Dislikes:
Does not come in half-sizes
If I were to really nitpick, I would have preferred a more hard-wearing material for the outsole.
Also, the vertical heel reinforcement leather strip runs all the way to the top of the cuff, which means that stiff part of the cuff might dig into the calves.
SUMMARY:
A hiker boot it is not, but for weekend raids into malls and for stomping around town, the Carlos Santos Urban Trekkers exclusive to Arthur Knight represents tremendous value and a dressier alternative to Red Wing boots.
