As far as quality leather footwear goes, I know if I ever want to do some virtual window shopping I usually start by checking out the latest from Standard & Strange. As luck would have it, they recently dropped a collaborative pair of engineer boots with the world renowned boot makers at Wesco, and they’re nothing short of top notch. Dubbed the Knuckle Dragger, they’re about to bring your boot game from the caveman times to present day… or at least the early 1900s, aboard a steam engine train.
Wesco doesn’t mess around when it comes to boots, a fact that can be seen at first glance here with their handsome and refined foot profile, the flat toe box, a stacked vintage inspired heel and sole, and minimalistic hardware. These 11″ boots feature an olive-colored waxed flesh leather from Horween, which starts out looking almost black but fades to a subtle shade of green in the high wear areas (check out the ‘after’ photos to get a better idea). They have a more narrow shaft—so they’ll fit ok in slimmer cut trousers—and the leather edges on the sole have been left in their natural, un-dyed state, stitched with white thread to a Vibram 705 outsole with the narrow MP1339 last.
It’s all held together with triple needle stitching, vee backstay stitching, and nickel roller buckles. They come unlined, but can be lined for an additional cost.
Available for $750 at Standard & Strange.
