u/Fickle_Photo2768

Well, today’s version of it anyway. Rocking the Cypress Cherry Raisin this weekend, a white T, and slate blue Dock Shorts from Atlantic Rancher.

About 2 minutes till I hit the pool till the sun goes down. It was 90° this morning before 9am. I think the Sun is actively trying to kill us today. Probably gonna be rocking my swim trunks and sunscreen till Monday at this rate. I did manage to do some patriotic stuff; ordered the badass Patriotic Belt and a Heritage Mystery belt. Quite possible that sunstroke may induce a boot order at some point that I will conveniently attribute to excess sun exposure 🤣🤣🤣

Be safe, have fun, and don’t forget the sunscreen!

Happy 4th of July everyone!!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Marsh Creek State Park - June 2026
A Hazy & Hot Balloon Ride

Last morning of June, someone was trying to enjoy a hazy & hot balloon ride as the Sun rose and got the oven cranked up. Shot with the Sony A99II and Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 lens using a Lee100 GND filter. Camera mounted on a RRS tripod & head with a 3 Legged Thing universal mounting plate.

Sitting at a local Goodyear getting my oil changed and some other maintenance done on the company truck. Hitting the road later to head to some family in NY for the holiday weekend and wanted to get the truck road ready.
Taking advantage of the “warm” weather, wearing the DS Grey pair. The DS leather just molds to my feet in the sun and heat, and the lack of rain is perfect for the leather soles.

Stay cool and safe travels if you’re heading out for the holiday weekend!

Specs: MTO, 11.5D, 67 last, W&C DS Grey, 6”, standard top, pull loop, gunmetal hardware, soft toe, classic dogger heel, beeswax edge, leather sole. Laces are Generation Laces in black with gunmetal aglets.

July is coming in hot...

The Sun rose angry this morning (last pic) looking like it wants to hurt us a bit for wishing for cooler weather. Went with the Roanoke Denim Roberts this morning, trying to catch some better shots of the patina/fades (not sure I did). I do like how reversing the kilties closely matches my Levis though. Tied it all together with my Predator Pacific belt. The belt is definitely picking up some wear and patina, though the blue was tough to capture in the overwhelming warmth of the early morning light.

Stay cool & hydrated!

Specs: Roberts, 11.5E, 55 last, 8", Roanoke Denim, standard top, pull loop, brass hardware, soft toe, 4 row toe cap, classic dogger heel, beeswax edge, Dr Sole half sole. Kiltie is the roughout side of the Roanoke Denim, and the laces are Generation Laces in Rust.

Belt: Stitched Heritage Belt in Predator Pacific, size 46 (42 waist)

Jeans: Levi's 501 Selvedge in their Beautiful Disaster wash, 42x32

Marsh Creek State Park - July 2026
Coming In Hot...

Welcome to July! The Sun rose angry this morning, looking like it intends to hurt us for thinking of cooler weather. The next few days will test everyone's patience and air conditioning for sure. Stay cool & hydrated. Shot with the Sony A99II and Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 lens using a Lee100 GND filter. Camera mounted on a RRS tripod & head with a 3 Legged Thing universal mounting plate.

Haven't done any shooting in a while and took advantage of the conditions this morning, especially since before dawn is the coolest part of the day. We are under a severe heat warning through the weekend for triple digit heat & humidity. Luckily we are heading to see some family in NY this weekend for the 4th, they have a pool, so I will be doing my best impersonation of a manatee for a few days.

Given that we'll be outta town for a bit, I'm taking advantage of the warmer weather to continue to break these DS Violet Moc Toes. While still very firm, they warm up quick and are molding to me feet a little more with each wear. Very comfortable overall. Decided to give the W&C DS leather a bit of dunk test and it passed with flying colors. There are so many waxes & oils in this leather, the water basically beaded up and ran off the boots. No issues with an water getting in either. Not sure I would put them in the same class with my Shackletons for extended water resistance, but a minute or two in the water didn't hurt anything. While the W&C DS leathers are definitely very beautiful, they are also very resilient as well.

My Zesty belt is slowly but surely picking up some color and patina, caramelizing if you will. Looking forward to how it'll look in a few months, just happy it is now gained enough color so it doesn't look so pale LOL.

Hope everyone stays cool this week!

Specs: MTO, 11.5E, 55 last, W&C DS Violet, 8", standard top, pull loop, brass hardware, soft toe, moc toe, classic dogger heel, beeswax edge, Dr Sole half sole. Laces are 72" Generation Laces in Dark Tan.

Belt: Limited Edition, "Zesty" in W&C Natural Veg Tan with stamp, size 46/42 waist

Marsh Creek State Park - June 2026
Coolest Part of the Day

June is going out on a hot streak and the 4th of July weekend looks some of the hottest weather we've had around here in a while is on tap for the holiday. Stay cool & hydrated. Shot with the Sony A99II and CZ 16-35 f/2.8 lens using a Lee100 GND filter. Camera mounted on a RRS tripod & head with a 3 Legged Thing universal mounting plate.

It's been almost a year since I ordered these as part of a sample sale last July, and just over 4 months since I received them back in February. This delay was due to my putting the order on hold until the Dr. Sole half soles came back in stock. Every time I look at these boots, and especially when I put them on, I am grateful that I didn't pass on the opportunity to place the order for one of the 15 pairs that were available at the time of the sale, nor pushing the order back until the Dr Soles arrived instead of switching to another sole.

Was out early this morning for sunrise, and it was mostly muggy & grey, but with these on, I basically bring my own sunshine wherever I go. Took some shots of them out in nature, and then the sun started to try and peek through so I decided to grab a few more "modeling" type of pics when I got home to better document how they are looking after 4 months of wear.

They are a regular in my rotation and probably average at least two days a week. A boot day for me generally is about 15 or so hours of wear from when I put them on in the morning to when I take them off for good before bed. They don't really see any heavy work or labor beside carrying my large butt around, tons of driving, and a fair bit of walking on typical facilities / retail floors, asphalt, and concrete. There is also some occasional ladder climbing if I need to get on a roof to check out conditions or equipment. They also occasionally find themselves out in wet grass and dirt when I am out doing photography, while I am sure they could handle messier conditions, I will usually wear a different boot if I know conditions are going to be sloppy before I head out. So far, the Dr. Sole half soles are holding up very well and have provided great traction in every situation I have found myself with this pair.

This W&C DS leather is fully molded to my feet, and really shines in warmer weather as it sort of shrink wraps to my feet & ankles as it warms up. Just like me, these boots still need a few steps in the morning to warm up and lock in LOL. The foot beds are nicely formed to my feet and they are really comfortable. These were my first 67 last boots and definitely caused me to order that last again a few times due to the excellent toe room and the sprung aesthetic. I conditioned them lightly two months ago with some Smith's Leather balm, and they get brushed after every wear. I have also used Smith's on the edges, heel stacks, and midsoles a few times as well over the 4 months to keep them looking good and protected.

Still blown away by this pair after 4 months; the quality of the leather, and especially the craftsmanship that the entire Nicks team put into this pair! I am confident that the other pairs of DS leather boots I have will likely follow a similar path as they get more wear time. Hopefully the DS Sienna returns at some point as a limited run for those that missed it the last time, I would say don't pass up the opportunity if you are at all interested in it.

If you have made it this far, thanks for reading about another positive experience with W&C DS leather and Nicks! Have a great Sunday!!!

Specs: MTO, 11.5E, 67 last, W&C DS Sienna, 7", standard top, pull loop, brass hardware, soft toe, classic dogger heel, beeswax edge, Dr Sole half sole. Laces are unwaxed Generation Laces in Espresso

Wanted to share some patina progress on the Roanoke Denim Roberts... Wore them a few days ago and while I quietly working on a few emails this afternoon, decided to do a little boot maintenance. First I treated the edges on my Shack Black pair with some Smiths since it had been a while and then I decided as the emails trickled to nothing, maybe give the Denim a little attention.

They weren't super dirty, but I wiped them down with a damp old cotton t-shirt. Just like u/ZestycloseMedicine93 pair, some of the darker blue came off. Not a ton, and it seems like it is pretty much at the stress areas and friction areas. Didn't wipe that hard, or for very long. Let them dry for a while and then I went over them with a light coat of Smith's Leather Balm and then brushed the hell outta of them.

I think they look awesome and I'm really happy with this Roanoke leather, so much character already. I am sure the difference in the sample hides contributed to the results and I am sure this faded appearance will continue to progress. It seems more apparent on the right boot, but I think that is due to it being my driving foot, so it gets a little more movement with as much time as I spend behind the wheel each week.

Decided to flip the kilties over to the roughout side, and I changed the laces to a different color. When I order these boots, I wasn't sure what the Denim would look like exactly so I ordered a few different laces so I had some options. Now with the fades showing through, I decided to go with laces that kinda look like the copper rivets on classic jeans. Been basically grey and muggy all day here so the light wasn't great for pics, hopefully I can get some better pics over the weekend.

Have a great Friday evening! Cheers! Looking forward to watching the Phillies and Mets in about an hour.

Specs: Roberts, 11.5E, 55 last, 8", Roanoke Denim, standard top, pull loop, brass hardware, soft toe, 4 row toe cap, classic dogger heel, beeswax edge, Dr Sole half sole. Kilties are Roanoke Denim roughou. Laces are 72" unwaxed Generation Laces in Rust.

Just got these back from the tailor yesterday and decided to give them a try today since it isn't too warm here today. I had them hemmed and slightly tapered a bit from the knee down. The Sky Slub denim is very comfortable and has a nice texture. I have been really happy with all of the jeans I have gotten so far from Brave Star. Happy with the job the tailor did, left enough length to account for future shrinkage and still allow a cuff.

Jeans: Brave Start Die Hard Double Knee, Straight Leg, in 14oz Sky Slub Japan Selvage Denim, 42x36, hemmed & tapered. One wash.

Shirt: Nicks, Stomp T-shirt in XXXL

Belt: Nicks Handmade Belts, Heavy Duty Leather Work Belt, Black Double Stuffed W&C / 42'' (Belt size 46) / 1 1/2"

Boots: Nicks, MTOs, 11.5D, 55 last, 7", Shackleton Black, standard top, pull loop, brass hardware, soft toe, classic logger heel, brown edge, and V100 soles. Kilties are Timber CXL from Dale's Leatherworks, and the laces are unwxed black from Generation Laces.

Just got these back from the tailor yesterday and decided to give them a try today since it isn't too warm here today. I had them hemmed and slightly tapered a bit from the knee down. The Sky Slub denim is very comfortable and has a nice texture. I have been really happy with all of the jeans I have gotten so far from Brave Star. Happy with the job the tailor did, left enough length to account for future shrinkage and still allow a cuff.

Jeans: Brave Start Die Hard Double Knee, Straight Leg, in 14oz Sky Slub Japan Selvage Denim, 42x36, hemmed & tapered. One wash.

Shirt: Nicks, Stomp T-shirt in XXXL

Belt: Nicks Handmade Belts, Heavy Duty Leather Work Belt, Black Double Stuffed W&C / 42'' (Belt size 46) / 1 1/2"

Boots: Nicks, MTOs, 11.5D, 55 last, 7", Shackleton Black, standard top, pull loop, brass hardware, soft toe, classic logger heel, brown edge, and V100 soles. Kilties are Timber CXL from Dale's Leatherworks, and the laces are unwxed black from Generation Laces.

Just got these back from the tailor yesterday and decided to give them a try today since it isn't too warm here today. I had them hemmed and slightly tapered a bit from the knee down. The Sky Slub denim is very comfortable and has a nice texture. I have been really happy with all of the jeans I have gotten so far from Brave Star. Happy with the job the tailor did, left enough length to account for future shrinkage and still allow a cuff.

Jeans: Brave Start Die Hard Double Knee, Straight Leg, in 14oz Sky Slub Japan Selvage Denim, 42x36, hemmed & tapered. One wash.

Shirt: Nicks, Stomp T-shirt in XXXL

Belt: Nicks Handmade Belts, Heavy Duty Leather Work Belt, Black Double Stuffed W&C / 42'' (Belt size 46) / 1 1/2"

Boots: Nicks, MTOs, 11.5D, 55 last, 7", Shackleton Black, standard top, pull loop, brass hardware, soft toe, classic logger heel, brown edge, and V100 soles. Kilties are Timber CXL from Dale's Leatherworks, and the laces are unwxed black from Generation Laces.

Friday is starting out pretty grey and showery this morning, decided it was a perfect time to give my Shack Black pair a little attention. Knocked out some work and errands this morning while enjoying these bullet proof slippers. Since August of last year these boots have seen all sorts of conditions, snow, sand, rocks & mud, and standing in water, on more than a few occasions. All they have done the entire time is get more comfortable while keeling my feet dry and my ankles stable. Bought for a purpose, getting the crap beat out of them, they have passed every test so far with flying colors! They were condition lightly once back in Nov? and have only been faithfully brushed after every wear. Other than the edges and heel stacks (which I plan to hit with some Smiths to seal them up) they look practically new while being totally broken in.

Have a great Friday! I am flying solo this weekend, wife & daughter took the MIL with them to my BIL place at the beach (dodged a real bullet). This is why over the years my wife is always getting surprise gifts like the recent PWF tote bag. Looking forward to watching the Phillies hopefully do well against the floundering Mets this weekend...

Specs: MTOs, 11.5D, 55 last, 7", Shackleton Black, standard top, pull loop, brass hardware, soft toe, classic logger heel, brown edge, and V100 soles. Kilties are Timber CXL from Dale's Leatherworks, and the laces are unwxed black from Generation Laces.

Jeans: Brave Start Die Hard Double Knee, Straight Leg, in 14oz Sky Slub Japan Selvage Denim

Mail call for the wife today… the box was boot sized, and from upstairs I heard an exasperated “you got another box from Nicks!” LOL… Got downstairs and cut the one end open and then told my wife this isn’t mine, this box is yours. She comes over and says you better had not gotten me boots…

Once the box was open and the bag out and revealed, a huge smile creased her face and the questions started LOL. Why? What? I explained that the first bag was already earmarked for Fall, so this one is more of a summer bag.

Immediately, she stuck her face in it and said it smelled great, and then started filling it with everything from the bag she was using. The PWF is fantastic, beautiful and hardy. The craftsmanship is clearly evident, showing it was built with care and pride. The Small Goods team is really shining with these bag releases!

Wife took it with her to run to the store to grab a few things this evening before I left for work. When she got home, again told me how much she loves the bag, and that she got two compliments on it from other women while at the store. Wife and daughter are going to the beach tomorrow for the weekend and she is excited to use her new bag on the trip. I’ll eventually get her talked into a pair of boots for herself.

Specs: Pacific Waxed Flesh Weekend Tote

Rainy day here and I needed to stop in the office, so went with the Shackleton #8…

MTOs, 11.5E, 67 last, 6”, Shackleton #8, standard top, pull loop, soft toe, classic dogger heel, beeswax edge, 430 mini lug sole. Laces are Generation Laces in Night Blue.

While I have a few belts from Nicks, this was my first belt. Received it back in Oct 2025 and it has become one of my favorites and most worn belts that I have. The W&C leather is truly heavy duty, a real slab of leather. At 1.75" wide, it is a substantial piece of gear.

I got this belt to replace one of those ratcheting belts that have "infinite" adjustments, the leather on that one had begun to fail after a few years and I have also been loosing weight so I decided it was time to get a proper belt again. As I have a few pairs of Nicks boots, I had no doubts about the quality of the leather or craftsmanship of their belts. I cannot imagine this belt wearing out in any fashion for many years. I have since purchased a few other belts from Nicks, more to match better with some of my boots, and to a get a feel of some different leathers.

If you are in the market for a good belt, I really suggest checking out Nicks. They are already famous for their BIFL boots, but you should definitely give their belts and other leather goods a look. Besides being BIFL type of products, they are all made in the USA (Spokane WA) of leather from US tanneries.

Wishing all the Dad's on here a Happy Father's Day! Hopefully you get to spend the day with your family, enjoying whatever makes you happy.

No golf today, my back has been a little too balky. Instead I grabbed my gear for sunrise and saw what appeared to be a lot of Father's & Sons heading out to fish. Today is gonna be hanging out enjoying the nice weather, listening to the US Open, and grilling dinner (some bone in heritage pork chops). Then planning on watching the Phillies kick the crap outta the Mets again this evening.

Specs: Roberts, 11.5E, 8", Roanoke Denim, standard top, pull loop, brass hardware, soft toe, 4 row toe cap, classic dogger heel, beeswax edge, Dr. Sole half soles. Laces are 80" non-waxed laces from Generation Laces in Steel Blue.

Marsh Creek State Park - June 2026
First Day of Summer & Happy Father's Day

Father's Day this year happens to also fall on the same day as the first day of Summer, the longest day of the year. Hope all the Dad's out there have an opportunity to enjoy their day! Shot with a Sony A99II and CZ 16-35 f/2.8 lens using a Lee100 GND filter. Camera mounted on a RRS tripod & head with a 3 Legged Thing universal mounting plate.

Marsh Creek State Park - June 2026
Under the Clouds & Sun

Out on the water just after sunrise. Shot with the Sony A99II and CZ 16-35 f/2.8 lens using a Lee100 GND filter. Camera mounted on a RRS tripod & head with a 3 Legged Thing universal mounting plate.

Got some early errands done today as I have today off and find myself staring down a 3 day weekend of relaxing. USA Soccer, US Open Golf, Phillies baseball, grilling, chilling out, and maybe even a little photography if conditions cooperate.

The DS Violet is starting to break in, it might be the 8" height that is making it a little more of a challenge compared to my other pairs of DS leather (7" & 6"). I can definitely see some character in this Violet which I am looking forward to bring out more with continued wear. Figured I would see how it went with the brown denim today, I think it pairs well with it.

Hope everyone has a good Friday and an awesome weekend! To all the Dad's out there, whether your own children, or other people you guide, mentor, and look out for, I hope you get a chance to enjoy Father's Day and receive some grateful recognition of the sometimes difficult, but always rewarding, job of being a Dad. My Dad has been gone now for over 15 years, and not a day goes by that I am not reminded of something he taught me or finding myself admitting out loud to him that he was right about this or that LOL. The older I get, the smarter my old man becomes...

Specs: MTOs, 11.5E, 8", W&C DS Violet, standard top, pull loop, brass hardware, soft toe, moc toe, classic dogger heel, beeswax edge, Dr Sole half sole. Laces are unwaxed Generation Laces in Light Tan.

Jeans: Brave Star, Die Hard Double Knee in Brown Bear Selvedge