Steve7

Unless there is some high end range of Timberland Boots that I am not aware of, they are essentially mall boots. I dont think anyone here takes them seriously as a boot maker and hasnt for the past 20 years or so. They are fashion boots, and their price and construction quality reflect this

I had a pair of the black, classic Timberland boots as a student. Indestructable, lasted years being worn every day, always waterproof, and damn comfy.

I bought some identical ones in dark brown, and they were all the above as well as warm and reliable. Even the laces lasted!

Sure - you bin them when the sole goes...

But that apart they performed better than my Trickers boots which have never been as comfy or warm.

The difference is the Tricker's last a resole, have more exotic leather, and have some "craftsmanship" to them. Dismissing Timberland is just missing the point, as they weren't always a fashion item (yet they did become this). I'd still take their classic boot, and their waxed leather boat shoes are still the best of their kind as a wear until they fall to bits shoe.

Ha ha...

Popped on here a few pages back to complain at the clown shoes on show (appealing for more English beauty).

Got shouted at for daring to criticise - although the sometimes cloying sycophancy forces me to speak out.

Great to see some others have dared to say "no!" to some of the posts. And funny to see even more clowny clown shoes. Money and craftsmanship does not always equal style.

Anyway, it is all subjective. I'm now hankering for something like an Alfred Sargent Holburn in black, or Trickers Allan in black; no custard pies free with those shoes!

Thank the Lord this place has a few pages of Trickers, and other English lovelies.

Some of the stack heel montrostities, with curled up toes are frankly hideous.

Clown shoes...

Seriously, some of the boots on here are repulsive (to my tastes).

No fixing...

Just some shoe trees for now and use of a shoe horn should coax it back to normal? If not, I'll save it until a resole unless it gets bad. As they are "new" to me they have yet to be worn in anger. If it is a problem I'll have a look, but I reckon the trees will sort it.

As for UK size 7 Trickers, my Stow chestnut are 7.5 / 5 if that is too big? Too tight on my instep as they aren't the 4444 I thought they were when I downsized to buy them!

There is looking better with age, and looking better with aged carefully:

Trickers Stow in Espresso - BEFORE (3 days ago):

not a fan of neutral polish (wax or cream) so have used both kiwi dark tan (as per richard shoehealer's recommendation) and saphir dark brown on them - not fussed about a fancy finish on the tricker's at the moment but i've seen some espresso stows on a japanese blog that had the most incredible, 'liquid' finish to them...

Curious - I have read on Trickers own site (and other good guides) to use shoe cream to keep leather in tip top shape and avoid it drying (only ever use neutral if I don't have a decent colour match pigment one). The wax is just a cosmetic shine? I tend to only use wax when I want a real shine, as a final step.

Interested why you aren't a fan of creams, especially neutral - and would like to know where that link is as I am none the wiser about different finishes.

My shoes are in 3 groups: waxy finishes where I use cream and dubbin, smooth finishes were I use cream only to avoid a high shine, and smooth finishes where I add wax after the cream to get the bull finish. I was tempted to use neutral on the espresso to encourage the burnish to show and not overload the leather with pigment.

But I'm really none the wiser on shoe care. Only use Saphir products, or the supplied Trickers shoe cream (and would only think about more than one colour on the Ilkleys which may enjoy a bit of oxblood as well as dark brown to bring out the red undertone.

can't imagine why people reckon c&j boots are more elegant than tricker's...

islay and stow:

Got me some of those Stow Espressos on the way - what do you use to keep them looking like that? Aside from the dark brown shoe cream? Wax?

I've only added some saphir neutral shoe cream to my espresso burford's from new, and with 2 pairs of shoes in that colour some advice will help!

Back to shoes... some of my Trickers Champagne waxy Stow

Can'r decide on the laces - grey or brown?! Starting to look nicely broken in.

I'm duping from another forum... hopefully you don't ALL inhabit both or I'm rather repeating myself!

They were a limited run for the Bureau, honey grain leather and the red soles... Unique and completely stunning shoes. The grain really looks the bizz, and they are fantastic with denim!

Oh, and forgot these fellas - Trickers Cheyenne grain leather Logger boots, looking a bit wet from the saphir dubbin and the flash...

Pretty much all shoe bases covered!

My family tree...

Top middle (clockwise)

Trickers Allan in a honey colour grain leather (red dainite)

Trickers Stow in Champagne waxed suede (double leather)

Mark McNairy for Tres Bien - waxy derby boot (commando)

Trickers 88 last black shoe boots (leather)

Trickers Keswick

Trickers Stow Chestnut (antique marron, commando)

Trickers Ilkely

Trickers Burford (espresso, leather)

The Stow Chestnuts are for sale as 7.5 and too small. When I bought them I wrongly thought they matched my 7.5 Keswick on the 4444 last. I take 8 in the 4497 last and so these are tight.

Amazing boots, custom colour that you can't buy, fell in love with them and really don't want to see them go. Only just past the breaking in stage, pm if interested.