u/Beneficial-Cap-8953

Exactly as the title says. :)

This is the waffle style: https://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/waffle-lacing.htm

1 month in, they're fully broken in and super comfortable. They've patinad a little bit, but I kinda reset it when I conditioned them last week with Saphir Médaille d'Or 1925 Crème Pommadier Neutral (Colorless), due to walking in the rain for several days. ​They initially darkened but have since returned to its original color. However, there seems to be a slight satin shine that might be permanent; time will tell.

I also took them on a few hikes, one of which was over 4hrs. I gotta admit, it was comfy all the way through, the traction worked great on dirt, rocks, and mud. ​My feet stayed dry in the rain and from the splashes of my kids playing in the lake. ​

Yesterday, I replaced the factory laces with these sand color leather laces, making it more casual.

The only minor quip is there's not much arch support, but that's cause these are E width, and my duck feet is narrow in the heel and waist, but extra wide in the forefoot. I'm a brannock 7.5EE. I added arch supporting half-insoles, and that helps greatly.

I'll keep posting month by month, and I'll probably not condition these anymore until at least 6 months after.

I received my Indianas, and boy, I am happy with the quality of the materials, the finishing, and the size I chose.

I got a 39.5E. My heel-to-toe size is 248mm and heel-to-ball is 177cm. That puts me right in between a 7 and 7.5 brannock size.

My feet are also 104mm wide, which puts me right in between EE and EEE width. These are all from Wikipedia's chart, and I've attached screenshots.

According to Luosjiet's sizing guide, a 7.5 brannock is equivalent to a US7 or EU40 or UK6.5. Initially, I was thinking about getting this size, but after watching YouTube reviews, reading through the reddit threads, and getting personal help from some very helpful members here, I learned that these Indianas run quite roomy. I dislike too much space in front of my toes, and I want boots to bend where they're supposed to. So I decided to go a half-size down from the recommended EU40.

​​After choosing 39.5, there was no question I'd have to take the E width, as I'm in between brannock EE and EEE.

The 39.5E size is perfect for me. My longest toe reaches the white stitching, and the toe box is perfectly wide enough. It's not squeezing my toes together nor rubbing on my pinky toes.

I hope this helps everyone with sizing questions. With regard to the design and construction, everything is fabulous. I really like the look of the boots and the feel of the leather. It is thick!

About break-in, I gotta say the foot bed is immediately comfortable. It doesn't feel like I'm standing or walking on planks of wood. The arch support is superb, and perhaps the latex instead of cork helps with the immediate comfort.

The ankle area, however, will need some time to break in and become comfortable. I think this is partially due to the thick leather but mostly due to the rolled collar that runs around the top edge of the quarters.

The heel section is good and cups my ​heels well enough, but more so for my left foot. My right seems to have a tad bit extra space. (We're talking about millimeters.) This might be because of my own foot or possibly millimeters of variation in the construction. Not a big deal!

In terms of value, like everyone has said, these are tremendous value. I even got the $50 discount for commenting on one of the threads. My order cost just above $200, so I got free shipping and all customs charges were taken care of. I didn't have to pay European VAT, and shipping to Finland took 8 days, from order to delivery.

All in all, I'm very happy, and these are now my best pair of boots, albeit only my second pair. :)