 This is the second part of the series new to quality boots. In this second part I'm going to assume that as you decide to move from your cheaper cemented fashion-centered boots into quality boots you got interested in mock-toe boots like Redwing mock-toes, but you were surprised to learn that there may be one or two hundred US dollars more than what you use to spending on boots Why so? And if you really like the look what can you do to try them out without spending too much money? Keep watching Okay, how are you going? Welcome to bootlossify, and if you're new here, my name is tag I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land and waters that I live and work on the Wajik people of Nungabuja If you miss the first part of this series new to quality boots where I dealt with service boots You can watch it on my channel, and if you're not subscribed You can click on the subscribe button and not miss parts three and four of this series as well as All the other boot reviews and boot information topics that I'll be uploading In this video, I'll be dealing with the mock-toe boot style and the alternatives to some of the more pricier and higher quality versions of this style So as part of this series, I'm assuming that you're not used to quality stitched construction boots But as part of the worldwide interest in boots You have been attracted by some images on social media of mock-toe style boots or work boots, and you like the aesthetic Then as you start to explore what you might buy, you'd be surprised to learn that They cost maybe a hundred or more US dollars than what you're actually used to spending Why is that and if you're still interested, what could you buy as a first buy to see how these quality boots feel and if you really want to get into them and maybe then buy the more expensive brands It's about dipping your mock-toes in the water, so to speak And while I realize this is stuff that my more longtime viewers might find a bit boring I hope that they will represent this generous community that is this boot collecting community And help out in the comments section below helping new people with their questions Let's leave the gatekeeping at the gate, huh? Also, let me make clear that this video is not sponsored and I bought all the boots I'm talking about so I have no axe to grind Now what are mock-toe boots? Here are some of what people consider mock-toe boots And I'm quite aware that there are cheap versions made in some pretty exotic countries Mostly glued together boots with poor construction methods, but I am talking about quality boots. So these are examples Mock-toe boots are generally like this pair of red wing 875 classic mock-toe boots The name comes from the construction style, which is reminiscent of North American First Nations people's moccasin shoes, which is what the mock in mock-toe is short for There is a vamp piece that is sewn at its apron to a side piece And the stitching makes the joint stand out in that raised moccasin style stitch Not many of the more popular mock-toes are real moccasin construction where the leather that wraps around the side actually wraps around Below the feet the exceptions are brands like Russell moccasins or rankort who still make those moccasin style construction But I'll talk about those later Once you define mock-toe boots as having that stitch around the apron more often than not with a wedge sole for comfort You can see that the classic mock-toe like the red wing with the high side walls can be shaken about a bit and made with the toe profile A bit rounder like the grandstone brass boot where it's a bit more round here Or made sleeker like the olden indy or this The parkhurst niagra boot This one the grandstone field boot takes on the us state of main style moccasin hunting boot aesthetic of the rankort or the wisconsin based russell moccasin Styles i'll leave links in the description below to these websites Um other than the sleeked up mock stitch as a flat decorative stitch like the on the niagra They are undeniably outdoor and casual and in that sense not as versatile a boot to go with just any occasion That's why most mock-toes like the red wing and this Farragut classic mock-toe are or have a work boot history The flat wedge sole gives hunters and farmers a comfortable outsole And gives finishing trades an easy outsole to walk in and out of a house being constructed Without dragging mud and debris inside now i'm talking about american trades not in australia but if you're new to quality And stitch construction boots and you're used to spending a hundred us to maybe 150 us for your boots Buying your first quality stitched mock-toe boot could be intimidating The gorgeous russell moccasin backcountry or bird shooter boots cost about 700 us In the mid-range Whites from the u.s pacific northwest make the peri for 325 us The red wing classic mock-toe is over 300 dollars Grant stones brass and field boots depending on leathers is around us 380 The park has niagara is over us 400 dollars and the olden indy is around 600 dollars us Don't get me started So if you're into the style and want to get started What's an entry level mock-toe boot? Well, I have two for your consideration The first is the thorough good classic mock-toe work boot for us $270 or about australian 450 on amazon The second and probably a more realistic entry for a first timer is the thursday boot company diplomat boot for us 199 or just over ozzy 300 dollars Now before I go on Let me preface the discussion by recognizing that the mock-toe orange colored wage sole work boot is everywhere And brands like car heart and others make different versions of them And although I have no experience of those many reviewers have torn their quality to shreds basically So in the making of this video, I'm acknowledging that they exist But advisedly leaving them off the quality criteria Let's first take a look at the thorough good It is a little cheaper than the red wing and honestly if you want to spend this much You may be well advised to have an extra 30 or 40 dollars And get a pair of red wing mocks But I include it as an entry level mock Because of one distinct advantage that the thorough good has over the red wing moccasins their comfort Red wing boots have a reputation for difficult break in That's the need to really wear them in slowly so that You break in the leather inner sole layers as well as the tough oil tan leather around your ankles and toes It's not an undeserved reputation because they are tough boots While the thorough good is not Not tough The upper's leather is tumbled and a teeny bit thinner making it very supple leather right from the outset Also, the welt is plastic the source of much criticism from traditionalists who expect everything to be leather But that makes for an easier break in because the boot will quickly flex with your foot when you take your first walk in it The welt is of course part of its good year welt construction And you can deep dive into that method of construction in this video up here Basically the strip of material called the welt goes all the way or in some cases most of the way around the circumference of the boot Is sewn to the insoles and uppers on the inside of the boot and then separately stitched to the midsole And sometimes outsole on its outside edge This makes it more water resistant because there are no stitch holes that go from outside to inside And it is more easily recraftable because your cobbler can pick out the outside stitch Peel off the outsole and glue and stitch a new one back on without disturbing the uppers Another comfort advantage is the removable foam insole that thorough good provides with the boot It has pads under your heel and the ball of the foot to provide even more cushioning And despite the wedge sole giving you a pretty good support anyway thorough good also include a fiberglass shank or that strip of stiff fiberglass under the arch of the foot This provides stability and further arch support when you put your foot down This is made in the usa that's important to you and it's sold as a work boot So don't expect, you know, really nice finishing I have found QC to be good but not great Now if you're not that committed to the price jump from what you're used to and you're not that sure You're going to like a quality stitched boot in your life Probably a better entry point for you is the Thursday diplomat boot While thorough goods have been a staple american bootmaker since the 1890s Thursday was started by two MBAs in 2014 who couldn't find a quality boot they liked at an affordable price So to get that affordable price their boots are made in León, Mexico, which is recognized As a quality center for footwear in the Americas Several name brands American footwear companies now get their shoes and boots made there Even Australian boot brands have gotten to the act and make some of their boots in León Apart from some of the made in usa models most of Thursday's boots sell for 199 us dollars They're only available online or directly in the one new york store It's also available overseas if on amazon I'll leave a non-affiliate link to the website below The diplomat model is actually one of the original models that they started with But it looked quite different and more in the shape of the dressier sort of indie style They later remodeled it in this quasi high sidewall mock-toe model with the raised apron stitch Comparing it to the red wing It clearly is a dressed up style of the design Where the toe box profile is not as high and chunky But it's a good remodel and as a first quality stitched mock-toe boot not a work boot It's a pretty good choice It has the apron stitched mock-toe and the wage sole Vibram So definitely has to look for under 200 dollars The leather is from partner tanneries in León and pretty good in my opinion from Lefart tannery It's full grain chrome tanned and about a little under two millimeters thick So it's pretty durable The wage sole as I said is from Vibram Which is a high quality Italian outsole maker that you see used by top quality brands The comfort is exceptional for this price The uppers are lasted or they're molded so that they feel like a snug handshake in the right size The toes don't pinch and the steel shank and wage sole provide a lot of support and squish On the inside the insole not removable While it uses non-traditional materials like pour on and foam Do provide a shaped arch support so that there's plenty of comfort for standing in this all day It is also Goodyear welter with a leather welt and he's fully lined with glove leather Where the thorough goods are unlined The leather welt does take a couple of days to flex during the break in But the rest of the boot is comfortable immediately out of the box And if you're used to fashion shoes with a lot of rubber and foam and flexibility This is the perfect transition for you My first quality stitched boot was a Thursday captain boot Which is in the service boot style and honestly my rationale behind that was I like the look Those are affordable and I can try them out If that's your thinking then in my opinion These are your best alternative for a higher priced and higher quality mock toe boot Than the fashion boots you're used to buying from shopping centers Now as I've just said, let me quickly talk about why higher priced boots can be higher quality Of course, not all are Some take advantage of their brand name to add a few dollars in for extra profit margin But what you should see as you move up the price range are better uppers leathers and by that I mean either Less corrected on the surface or thicker or tan with more oils and waxes in it Allowing a more beautiful patina with age You should also see better stitching Perhaps an increase in double or triple stitched pieces But more precise stitch lines that are reliably not wayward and less chance of dropped stitches You should also see more natural materials in the insole and midsole construction Because tough leather in there costs more than foam However, if you're just learning about these things and you won't really notice The Thursday diplomat will be more than fine in all of these respects For $199 Now assuming you're new to these heritage style boots and their bootmakers Let me talk about the troubled topic of sizing For the more experienced viewers, sit this part out First off, you should get to know your true size by getting measured at a shoe store on a brand It device in most cases your usual sneaker size is about May not be exactly but about your true brand size Most of your dress shoes, particularly from international fashion-centric brands like Echo for example and Timberland Is probably your true size However, in heritage and particularly American heritage brand boots They tend to size large and you tend to have to come down a half size This does not mean that they measure any different Just that they call their sizes about a half less Than what the Brannock device says that your length is I know, tell me about it So, my example I measure a U.S. eight and a half on the Brannock device Most of my sneakers are either eight and a half or nine And my floor shimed dress shoes for example are eight and a half However, in most U.S. heritage boots, I take a size eight as I do in all of these Then comes the variation in the last A last is the foot shape mold around which they build the boot If the last is roomy with around high profile toe box It will be roomier around your toes If the last has a narrower, sleeker toe box Your toes may be a bit more snug In the extreme, if the last is very sleek, you may have to size up a bit In the diplomats, there is an argument that the toe box is actually quite sleek And maybe I should have taken an eight and a half, which is my true size This is an eight though Look, the best advice I can give you when buying online is to contact the Brannock All of their websites generally have a contact page or an email And most, not all but most, especially the smaller newer brands Are really really good at responding to your email Write to them and tell them what sizes you take in your other shoes Some examples of your other shoes and boots and your Brannock size if you know it Be as specific as possible I find Thursday's customer service to be amongst the best of them And their sizing advice hasn't failed me yet in six pairs of boots that I've got from them Finally, let me talk about caring for these heritage style boots Both the thorough goods and the Thursday diplomats are full grain leather, meaning Real and not particularly manipulated leather They haven't been shaved and had a pattern stamped on to look genuine The little hair holes and pores that you can see are real In truth, they are both a little corrected though This Thursday rugged and resilient leather is lightly buffed on the surface To give it a surface that's more resistant to scratches And this thorough good oil tanned leather is shrunken and then tumbled for strength and suppleness But both will need conditioning Conditioning is like applying moisturizer to your skin after you've been out in the sun for too long And you don't really want that craggy, Clint Eastwood leathery skin Or chrome excel like loose grain creasing around his eyes If you consider that as a manly patina, you can ignore the next few minutes But you really shouldn't With the diplomats in a matte, rugged and resilient leather In this particular case, I'd use a conditioner called Big Four Which is a creamy conditioner and doesn't shine it up too much Nor if this weren't black, it won't darken the color as it gets absorbed In other Thursday rugged and resilient leathers that have a velvety new buck surface I'd probably use a suede conditioner With the thorough goods, you can use my smooth leather Go-to Venetian shoe cream But that can leave a slightly more shiny surface, which I don't mind, but you might Alternatively, an oil in liquid or greasy form like Neat's foot oil or mink oil Will be good because it also waterproofs the oil tanned leathers better Only be aware that mink oil in particular can darken this color In both cases, I would not apply cream or wax polishes The conditioners that I mentioned are good enough In all cases, apply the conditioner sparingly Two or even three light coats is better than one big slap of conditioner Which might not get absorbed properly or end up being quite splotchy Allow the conditioner to dry between coats and then brush the excess off with a good horse hair brush Brushing needs to be mentioned in boot care Depending on how you wear your boots, it is recommended to brush off the dirt and dust after everywhere This is because accumulated gritty dust and sand particles and grit and so on Can eventually scratch and wear and weaken the leather For me, I sometimes gather a few pairs of boots after dinner And sit in front of the TV and an episode of murder she wrote Or something that doesn't need a lot of focus and just brush each pair really well Well, that's it. If you're graduating from shopping center chain store boots to better quality stitched Heritage style boots and you've been attracted to social media images of mock-toe boots for that rugged aesthetic But you're not wanting to spend too much on your first entry boot Check out these two The thoroughgood classic mock-toe and the thursday diplomat mock-toe I've put links to the boots that I mentioned down below in the description area Not the thoroughgood because they're so quite widely in stores in most countries even in australia actually But not so widely maybe in australia Just google thoroughgood mock-toe I hope you found the video helpful and if you did do me a favor back and click on like And even click on subscribe to help me get these videos up to more people Look for parts three and four of this series And until next time take care and see you soon