A tribute to a well made boot.
Every now and then we stumble across something so well made that it
becomes the Gold Standard for that type of object going forward. For me it’s
my Oak Street Boots. Hands down one of the best made boots I have ever
worn. I was told when I bought them, spending more than I had usually on
a pair of boots mind you, that they would feel comfortable from day one. No
painful break-in-period, just a comfortable wear. The salesman was not
lying. From the moment I put on my Oak Street Toe Capped Trench boots I
fell in a little bit of love. So much so I was curious and had to find out more
about the company that created this amazing footwear.
It turns out that Oak Street is based in Chicago. The founder of Oak Street,
George Vlagos, apprenticed at his father’s shop at a very young age and that
knowledge and craftsmanship is evident in every aspect of my boots. All
Oak Street shoes are handcrafted by shoemakers in the US with over 20
years of experience. But the quality only begins there. Here is the
description of the quality of the leather they use.
“Oak Street shoes and boots are constructed from renowned Horween
Chromexcel leather. Chromexcel undergoes 89 separate processes taking 28
days and utilizing all five floors of the Horween facility in Chicago. Over the
past 100 years very little has changed in the formula. Food-grade beef tallow,
cosmetic-grade beeswax, marine oil, chrome salts, tree bark extracts and
naturally occurring pigments are combined. The mixture is then applied using
heat, steam pressure, the hands of craftsman and time. This ultimately yields
the soft, supple and durable leather that is used for your shoes or boots.”
As a daily motorcycle rider I literally live in my boots, day in and day out ,
rain or shine and my Oak Streets have done all I have asked of them and
more. I am glad that quality craftsmanship has not disappeared, but seems
to be having a resurgence. It might cost a little more at the beginning, but
by the looks of it I will be wearing my boots a very long time; making it one
of the best investments I’ve ever made.
— by Michael Harris
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THE CONE - ISSUE #9 - SPRING 2016