IndianaGeo
New in Town
- Messages
- 37
- Location
- London
I recently purchased a pair of the new Wolverine 1000 Mile boots and thought I’d share my thoughts, impressions, and verdict in case anyone is interested. Of course, all the opinions expressed are just my opinions. I have no affiliation to Wolverine or to any competitor. This is just my own take on the shoes.
The boots come in a sturdy nicely designed box which I appreciate. When I opened the box, I could immediately smell a waft of good leather scent. Upon further inspection, the colour of the boots are outstanding. I got them in brown. It’s a rich, dark brown with a slight tinge of “ox blood” colour to them. The colour is not nearly as burgundy as the dark cherry brown found on Red Wings’ Gentleman Traveler boots. I must say, the colour on the 1000 Mile boots is one of the most impressive I’ve seen… goes well with either jeans or khakis.
The leather thickness of the boot is solid and feels like it could take a beating. The stitching affixing the upper to the sole is well done also. The interior leather of the boot is of the split kind, not top grain. I sort of expected top grain on the inside. I’m not an expert on boots. Is split grain better or worse for the inside of a shoe/boot or does it matter? The boots felt lighter on my feet than I expected. This can be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it. Another ounce or so might have made me feel that I was wearing a more substantial boot. Then again, I might thank Wolverine if I had to walk a big chunk out of those 1000 miles on any given day.
The sole is leather and reasonably thick, while the heel is rubber. I would expect the sole to last quite a long time. I liked the look of the sole.
The toe area is somewhat less bulbous than, say, the Red Wing GTs although I wouldn’t call it extraordinarily stylish by any means. The Wolverine’s appear to be of a rather generic style and while I sort of expected this, I was also hoping that I’d be surprised somehow by some subtle stylishness in shape. The toe of the boot basically looks like a big thumb. While I suppose this is expected of an authentic retro work boot, it nevertheless isn’t the ideal for me personally. While guys might be impressed with the look and style of the boot, I imagine women may "ho hum" over it. Then again, do men understand women and vice versa anyway??
The only meaningful drawback for me with these boots was the fit (a bit too much play in the heel area) and the fact that there was a small defect along the top rim of one of the boots. There appeared to be some separation of leather layers there cause by, I think, lack of proper gluing. In fact, there were even a couple of pin holes where I could see light coming through and I could imagine, over time, this area would eventually give way to tearing. Ultimately, after shelling out over $350 (with taxes and shipping), I felt these boots had to go back. I just couldn’t see spending that much and not have things just right. Ah, the perils of purchasing goods without trying them on first!
Verdict: Overall , I think Wolverine has a very good product here. The question becomes one of value in my opinion. The leather appears to be of a high quality. Aside from the small defect I pointed out above, the workmanship appears to be very good. The boots have a rather generic style (which some may or may not prefer), but this is surely a function of the fact that they were intended to be a re- introduction of an old classic model. Whether you feel the $325+ price tag is worth it is up to you. For me, everything has to go right at this price. If I run into a situation where I can find the right fit at a good price, maybe I’ll go for it. Until then, my search for that perfect boot continues. I hope this helps anyone out there considering these boots.
Cheers,
IndianaGeo
The boots come in a sturdy nicely designed box which I appreciate. When I opened the box, I could immediately smell a waft of good leather scent. Upon further inspection, the colour of the boots are outstanding. I got them in brown. It’s a rich, dark brown with a slight tinge of “ox blood” colour to them. The colour is not nearly as burgundy as the dark cherry brown found on Red Wings’ Gentleman Traveler boots. I must say, the colour on the 1000 Mile boots is one of the most impressive I’ve seen… goes well with either jeans or khakis.
The leather thickness of the boot is solid and feels like it could take a beating. The stitching affixing the upper to the sole is well done also. The interior leather of the boot is of the split kind, not top grain. I sort of expected top grain on the inside. I’m not an expert on boots. Is split grain better or worse for the inside of a shoe/boot or does it matter? The boots felt lighter on my feet than I expected. This can be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it. Another ounce or so might have made me feel that I was wearing a more substantial boot. Then again, I might thank Wolverine if I had to walk a big chunk out of those 1000 miles on any given day.
The sole is leather and reasonably thick, while the heel is rubber. I would expect the sole to last quite a long time. I liked the look of the sole.
The toe area is somewhat less bulbous than, say, the Red Wing GTs although I wouldn’t call it extraordinarily stylish by any means. The Wolverine’s appear to be of a rather generic style and while I sort of expected this, I was also hoping that I’d be surprised somehow by some subtle stylishness in shape. The toe of the boot basically looks like a big thumb. While I suppose this is expected of an authentic retro work boot, it nevertheless isn’t the ideal for me personally. While guys might be impressed with the look and style of the boot, I imagine women may "ho hum" over it. Then again, do men understand women and vice versa anyway??
The only meaningful drawback for me with these boots was the fit (a bit too much play in the heel area) and the fact that there was a small defect along the top rim of one of the boots. There appeared to be some separation of leather layers there cause by, I think, lack of proper gluing. In fact, there were even a couple of pin holes where I could see light coming through and I could imagine, over time, this area would eventually give way to tearing. Ultimately, after shelling out over $350 (with taxes and shipping), I felt these boots had to go back. I just couldn’t see spending that much and not have things just right. Ah, the perils of purchasing goods without trying them on first!
Verdict: Overall , I think Wolverine has a very good product here. The question becomes one of value in my opinion. The leather appears to be of a high quality. Aside from the small defect I pointed out above, the workmanship appears to be very good. The boots have a rather generic style (which some may or may not prefer), but this is surely a function of the fact that they were intended to be a re- introduction of an old classic model. Whether you feel the $325+ price tag is worth it is up to you. For me, everything has to go right at this price. If I run into a situation where I can find the right fit at a good price, maybe I’ll go for it. Until then, my search for that perfect boot continues. I hope this helps anyone out there considering these boots.
Cheers,
IndianaGeo
