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I ’ve wear a lot of work boot in my time , and I ’ve study myself a loyalist of a trade name or two . I more often than not prefer a standard moc - toe study iron heel with a wedge sole , even before they became trendy . When Tecovas offer the chance to attempt out the brand ’s new study boot line of products , I was n’t sure what to expect . As far as I know , Tecovas made western iron heel — and , being from the Northeast , I never consider have a span , allow alone wearing them on a construction site or during a redevelopment . ButTecovas Stocktonsproved to be quite dissimilar from a traditional westerly or cowboy boot .
So what did this Yankee think of a pair of iron heel more potential to be found building fences on a Texas ranch than nailing cedar shakes on a bungalow in upstate New York ? Read on for my Tecovas Stocktons review .
Photo: Tom Scalisi
At a Glance
Tecovas Stockton Work Boot
Get the Tecovas Stockton Work Boots at Tecovas.com start at $ 285
What Is the Tecovas Stockton Work Boot?
The Stocktonis a new work kicking from western the boot manufacturer Tecovas . The company is base in Texas , and their merchandise are made by traditional charge - makers in Leon , Mexico .
The Stockton is a full - grain leather boot , meaning Tecovas uses the entire heaviness of the hide for the most durability and quality possible . It sport a Vibram oil- and slip - resistant fillet of sole , very alike to a quality received work bang . The leather and seams are treated to be weatherproof , and there are shock - engross polyurethane innersole with leather liner for comfort . Also , the fillet of sole is replaceable , thanks to the Goodyear lather construction .
While this may seem somewhat canonic and conversant , it ’s only half the story — so get quick for the plot twirl ! The Stockton feature a 1½-inch heap leather heel , which is very dissimilar from most traditional work boot . The heel features dense layers of leather with a rubber eraser Vibram jacket crown on the bottom . Also , as western boots , they are pulled on rather than laced up . The 10 - inch shaft ( the arena around the low-toned wooden leg ) is unseamed , with the rough side of the caryopsis on display inside . The shaft is middling unstructured , allowing for comfortable contact with the leg . All of these attribute key what ’s known as “ roper - style ” in the world of western boots .
Tecovas Work Boots
Testing the Tecovas Stockton Work Boots
I wear my Stocktons on a few projection , including a long mean solar day of welding , a home - improver project , and plenty of trips to the baseball bat one thousand and home center . found on these longsighted hour , I feel I was really able to offer an honest assessment of their performance .
Putting the Boots On
Stocktons are not as easy to put on as traditional study boots , but they ’re not impossible , either . Tecovas sent a carte in the box that suggested putting the iron heel on the terra firma and sliding my foot into it , rather than lifting the boot in the air and pulling it on the foot . I did n’t find this to be necessary , as the mostly amorphous shaft was flexible enough to sneak my foot into . However , if you contrive to put these boots by the door and slip them on quick without using your hands , think again , married person ; it wo n’t lick . That said , if your finger joints are a slight too stiff to tie a dyad of boots in the morning , Frank Stockton may be a good alternative for you .
Once I acquire the Stocktons on , I establish that they do n’t accommodate like rainwater the boot or Wellingtons , since they ’re designed to hug the ft to prevent it from slipping out . ab initio , I find them a picayune tight in the toe box , but they relax up after a few projection . Tecovas says it ’s normal for the blackguard to revoke slightly while walking , so if you are n’t a western thrill connoisseur , do n’t niggle over a routine of heel aerodynamic lift .
Overall Comfort
Let ’s get down to the most important aspect of any work boot : comfort both during and after a project . I had my Stocktons for about 9 months before writing this recapitulation , so I experience open of judging their comfort level in different seasons . While I regain them wonderful to wear in the springiness , specially in quaggy weather , they felt far too ardent during the summertime . Since the conditions cooled , I ’ve been putting them through their paces again .
I recently built an addition and opted to break only the Stocktons during the structure . They were very comfortable to crop in during all stages of the projection , from put to floor . Even underneath me while I was coil up and dwell on the floor , the Stocktons felt very good on my feet . Other than being a little looser than I ’m used to when kicking a framed wall into unadulterated alignment , they were just like wear a traditional pair of work kick .
Here ’s the good part about the Frank Stockton : After a long solar day on my animal foot , kicking them off was a breeze . This is significant to me , since I get a little sorer than I used to , partially due to getting older and also due to the fact that I do n’t do as much building as I used to . So I was proud of that the Stocktons slip right off and my groundwork felt great after wearing them all sidereal day .
Photo: Tom Scalisi
The only real charge I have , comfort - wise , is that walking in western boot is slightly different than walk in a pair of traditional oeuvre boot . There ’s a more pronounced rock ‘n’ roll between the heel hitting the trading floor and the ball of the foot landing . At first , it felt a turn mechanical , but I got used to it after a day or two .
And maybe this is a picky stage , but the iron heel do make me about an inch taller , which mean peck fallen nails and display board up off the floor requires a rich bend .
Grip
First , I love Vibram soh , and the unity Tecovas puts on the Stockton boot are enceinte . No matter the weather or conditions , these soles were grippy and for certain - footed . I ’m not sure if they saw any oil color , but I do n’t remember splay a single time while wearing them .
The only thing I found to be strange come when kicking an object into place . Since there are n’t any lacing , I was n’t able to tighten the Stocktons around my ankles . While my foot are wide-eyed , my ankles are n’t , so complain anything into place wedged the widest part of my foot further into the boot . It was n’t irritating , but it did take some modification after the kick to feel comfortable again .
Appearance
Although I was middling impressed with the fit and comfort of these Stocktons , I had to wonder : Would these boots be so westerly inspired that I ’d rarely have on them ? I ’m felicitous to say that it does n’t matter if you ’re course livestock on a ranch in Texas , replacing 200 - twelvemonth - one-time window loony toons in a New England Cape Cod , or building lumber - frame homes from Douglas fir in the Pacific Northwest , the Stocktons will run across the dress codification .
At their heart , Stockton work boot are western ropemaker , but they can take place for traditional work the boot at a coup d’oeil . The toe is n’t as tapered as cowboy boots typically are , and there ’s no fancy tooling or sew together to attract attention . They ’re just a dewy-eyed , straightforward leather piece of work kicking with a western influence , and they look just o.k. under a duo of jeans or body of work pants . No one ’s going to beleaguer you or call you a rodeo reject . Will I bribe other westerly iron heel ? Probably not . But I ’d purchase more workplace iron boot from Tecovas .
I ’ll append , the leather is terrific . Even with all the rough atmospheric condition they ’ve seen , the projects they ’ve been on , and the sparks from welding , they still look great . Other than a few creases and a slight dent here and there , they look like they just come out of the box .
Photo: Tom Scalisi
Are the Tecovas Stockton Work Boots Worth It?
The Tecovas Stockton work boot retail for around $ 245 for the bovine and $ 265 for the bison . Sure , I call back a time when all of my work kicking came from a department computer memory ledge and be between $ 80 and $ 100 . I ’d wear them firmly , so it ’s no surprisal that the low - quality leather would break down a moment and the cheap soles would wear out mighty off the boot . After about 6 months of toilsome use , they were garbage , and I ’d supplant them with another duad .
The Stocktons will last much , much longer than a 6 - month stint . First , the full - texture leather is top - pass . Full - grain leather , when maintained properly , actually improves over metre . It does n’t cave in down like synthetic material and low - quality leather do . It fall apart in , becomes more comfortable , and looks outstanding .
Also , the Tecovas Stockton work the boot are resoleable . That mean I can take them to a cobbler and , for $ 80 to $ 120 , have the live lone withdraw and replaced , afford me a perfectly split up - in pair of flush with brand - new soles . In my opinion , that ’s jolly hard to vex . And if I no longer like the case of cad primitively used , I can choose something dissimilar ( like my beloved Vibram wedge ) .
Photo: Tom Scalisi
Those are the type of dimension and option you get with a mellow - quality workplace boot like the Stockton . And most high - timbre work boots are more expensive , defecate these Tecovas boots a steal for just north of $ 200 .
Final Thoughts
First , I do believe that anyone can wear and bask these body of work boots . They ’re high quality , they reckon good , and they are very well-to-do . But they might not be the good work boots for everyone .
For example , if your workplace need a safety toe , the Stocktons do n’t get along with steel , guard , or composite toes . This is probably because westerly boots are reckon to fit through a stapes , and the bulk of a safety toe might make that difficult .
Also , if you need a snug burst to experience secure and grounded in your work kicking , take a bye . In my notion , the foot is snug enough and comfortable , but the shaft is much loose around the articulatio talocruralis and leg . One agency to combat this is to wear dense sock , but that will likely get somewhat hot .
For anyone else who does n’t mind the look of a mildly westerly - styled work boot , the Stocktons could be a hit . The material are top - snick , the quality is salient , and fit and pattern are excellent . And since it ’s available in stiff bovine , umber ( sinister ) bovid , cognac bison , and wheat bison , there ’s a variety of esthetic pick , too .
Where to Buy the Tecovas Stockton Work Boots
Get the Tecovas Stockton Work Boots at Tecovas.com starting at $ 245
Meet the Tester
Tom Scalisi is a full - time DIY and construction writer for many of the largest web site in the diligence , includingBobVila.com , This Old House , Family Handyman , and Forbes as well as his own pest restraint web log . He spent long time in the trades , from build up upkeep to woodwork and catching , and he ’s collected his share of work gear throughout those jobs — boots included .
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