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Sewing America’s toughest work boots isn’t easy. In this blog we’ll walk through how Nicks Boots are sewn.

Father’s Day is less than two weeks away! If you haven’t already found a gift for Father’s Day, now is the time to start looking. Luckily for you, we are dishing up some of the best gifts for dads that will be available in time to wrap up and give them on Sunday June 19th!

You've probably worn a pair of boots for work or for other purposes and after a few hours you're thinking "my work boots are killing my feet." Let's talk about why that happens. 

Foot pain can manifest for a number of reasons, and a good number of them need to be addressed by an actual doctor. If you're having chronic footpain, new boots alone aren't the cure; you should see a podiatrist. This isn't medical advice and we aren't doctors. 

However, the usual suspects, so to speak, are fairly well-known when it comes to why your feet hurt when you wear work boots, outdoor boots or what have you. Here's what they are. 

Steel toe boots are among the most commonly returned boots to companies, and sold second-hand before they're fully broken in. If there's a feature to any work boot that you need to think really hard about before committing to, it's steel toe inserts.

It's not that you can't get a pair of steel toe boots that are really comfortable. You can. It's not that you can't get a pair that won't last as long as typical leather boots. They do. 

It's that most people find they aren't as comfortable as they like. When it dawns on them that they don't absolutely need them for work, they return or sell them to fund a new pair that doesn't have them.

Have you ever wondered how boots go from a few pieces of leather sewn together, to a pair of boots that comfortably fit your feet?

That process is called lasting.

Moc toe boots can be more comfortable...if they're made well! What makes a boot comfortable tends to be how it's built and how well they fit your feet, rather than the design of the boot itself. 

There are a lot of different companies making work boots but just because a pair is made with a particular design - logger, packer, what have you - doesn't mean the style of the boot makes them more comfortable. 

Moc toe boots have a reputation for being very comfortable, but it has more to do with how the popular brands of moc toe boots are made (materials, construction) rather than just the toe design itself. Let's get into why.

The purpose of lace-to-toe boots is to add a little more rigidity to the toe box. It keeps the toes from flexing further than they should, but also spreads lace tension over a larger area. That lets you lace your boots to support your feet, but without having to make the ankle or other parts of the boot too tight. 

Lace to toe boot are a classic work boot (and heritage boot) style that has been around for a long time, which is why a lot of boot brands offer lace-to-toe as an option or make certain boots with that lacing pattern as a matter of course. 

Should you get lace to toe boots?

The term "logger boots" is really a style of work boot rather than a specific piece of equipment for people who do a specific job for the most part. The "logger" style has come to mean a leather boot with specific design features instead of a specialized design that they once were.

Today, a "logger boot" really has come to mean a work boots with a taller, non-western heel profile and sometimes a kiltie on the tongue. When people say "logger boots" or search for them online, that's usually what they mean. 

Sometimes...they don't. We're going to talk about that, don't worry. 

But why do people like this style of boot? Let's talk about that.

Tanker boots are a military boot style that was designed for and worn by tank crews. They've caught on for civilians as work boots and casual boots, because of some qualities of the design. 

Tanker boots are halfway between pull-on boots and laced boots, in that they have more support than pull-on boots but don't have laces. Equal parts form and function! 

Tanker boots are still in military service, as the purpose for the boot design still exists. Beyond use inside a tank, tankers are a great boot design for someone who wants a tough boot that goes on and comes off more easily than a typical work boot.

Leather boots change as they age. You'll notice some difference in how they feel to a degree, but also in the color. Exactly how they age depends on the color of leather you bought, and the type of leather your boots are made of. 

Another factor, of course, is how you maintain your boots. The more studious you are with conditioning the leather has an impact on how they age, too. 

While there are some companies that specialize in processes that pre-age or distress leather boots, real wear gives them so much more character. The wear lines, patina and change in color from a pair of lived-in leather boots is better when it isn't faked. 

So what can you expect from your leather boots over time? It depends a lot on your specific pair, how you wear them and how you care for them...but let's talk about some things you can expect to see.