After about three and a half months of wear and having put a tremendous amount of miles ‘neath the hood, it’s definitely time to give my feedback of the roughout boots by the incomparable John Lofgren.
I’m clearly a fan of John’s work, therefore, some may find this somewhat biased. But when you come across a brand that consistently puts out incredible pieces covering a wide variety of styles within the window of early Americana fashion, this creature of habit will continue to be a loyal customer.
Easily my favorite roughout boots in today’s market, the M-43 Service Shoes are everything one would expect to come out of the Lofgren camp — high quality, heavy-duty, expertly crafted and full of comfort. John didn't just take an original design of a highly-desired vintage boot and create a carbon copy. That would be too boring. Like his Engineers, these bear that original Lofgren twist which is a characteristic I really love about his designs.
Toe Box: They are true soft toes — no celastic or reinforced toe box support to help maintain the shape of the last — so appropriate sizing will determine how much they will deflate in this area.
Sizing: I take a size 7 in all Lofgren footwear and the size is always consistent. This size provides the perfect amount of wiggle room without the need for insoles and I get a desired flat toe profile.
My size reference:
Nike - 8
Vans - 7
Alden - 7
Whites - 7 1/2 - 8
Wesco - 7 1/2 - 8
Lofgren - 7
Chippewa - 8
Wolverine - 7
Red Wing - 7
Attractions Co. - 7
Mister Freedom - 7 /12
Converse All Star - 7
Durability: I am by no means light on my feet. I don’t purposely beat them up, but my boots are worn without any concern of scuffing or wearing out the soles/heels; wear your boots like they owe you money, but not like they robbed you. The boots, like John’s other boots, are remarkably rugged and show no signs trouble spots or areas of weakness.
Style: How does John take relatively simple boot designs and make them his own? I dun know ... he just does. Not only are the boots rugged, but they manage to go with almost everything in my closet from denim to cords and everything in between. That’s how I was able to put so many miles on ‘em in three short months.
If you want to stand out from the crowd, I recommend not passing up on these beauties that just look better and better with age.
Brand: John Lofgren & Co.
Model: M-43 Service Shoes
Sizes: 6 - 12 (whole sizes), 6 1/2 - 11 1/2 (half sizes),12 -- all in D width
Soles: Vibram #700 Full Composition
Heels: Vibram #700
Leather: Roughout Natural Horween Chromexcel Cowhide (2.0-2.3 mm thick)
Price: ¥80,784 ($712)
Website: Speedway-Shop on Rakuten
E-mail: info@speedway-shop.com
I've been a huge fan of John's work since his early days and now the heritage brand ranks amongst the best in the business. It only made sense to choose the roughout boots from a family of footwear that speaks to the brilliance, craftsmanship and passion behind the man and his brand.
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