Boot opinion

[Gauwyn of Bracknell]

I am starting to look for new boots.  I dress mainly in noble garb, But also wear a kilt and shirt when the weather demands.  We also travel to several faires each year, so they need to last a bit. I don't want to break the bank,  so $400 -$500 or so is within reason. I prefer to buy at Faire to guarantee a good fit.

Any recommendation to fit this request?

[Norfolk]

Between the Duchess and myself, we own four pair of boots from Olde Soles (AKA, Native Earth), and have been more than completely satisfied with them.  The pair that I wear most commonly is coming up on their fifth season and are getting slight run down in the heel, but are otherwise like new.

http://www.nativearth.net/

We have known Jim and Lee Ann, the proprietors, for years.  We are completely confident that if there is ever a problem with our boots, they will fix it.

[isabelladangelo]

http://www.catskill-moc.com/

I bought from Catskill moccasins 10 years ago.  The boots are 3 buttons boots and they have held up ridiculously well.  I wear them a lot at faire and I've worn them to work as well as on weekends.  They are the third most used shoes in my closet.  (My clogs and my mary janes for work both get a bit more use).   The boots are custom made to your feet and do take a bit of time to make so be patient if you order them.  I love mine - they are comfortable!

[Gauwyn of Bracknell]

Between the Duchess and myself, we own four pair of boots from Olde Soles (AKA, Native Earth), and have been more than completely satisfied with them.  The pair that I wear most commonly is coming up on their fifth season and are getting slight run down in the heel, but are otherwise like new.

http://www.nativearth.net/

We have known Jim and Lee Ann, the proprietors, for years.  We are completely confident that if there is ever a problem with our boots, they will fix it.

I know I have seen your boots many times, what color combination are they?  We will be in Scarby in a few weeks, do you know if they are there?

[Norfolk]

Between the Duchess and myself, we own four pair of boots from Olde Soles (AKA, Native Earth), and have been more than completely satisfied with them.  The pair that I wear most commonly is coming up on their fifth season and are getting slight run down in the heel, but are otherwise like new.

http://www.nativearth.net/

We have known Jim and Lee Ann, the proprietors, for years.  We are completely confident that if there is ever a problem with our boots, they will fix it.

I know I have seen your boots many times, what color combination are they?  We will be in Scarby in a few weeks, do you know if they are there?

If memory serves, they generally have black, brown and black/brown combo boots on the shelf.  However, they will make just about any color or color combination you can imagine.

Scarby is not listed on their website as a Faire they attend, but they will be in both Colorado and KC.     We will be happy to introduce you in either locale.

[LadyStitch]

I will toss out Ren boots as a suggestion.  The PP got a pair of the buckle aragorn(?) ones back in 2004-2005.  He has literaaly worn his all over the world for theater.  They have held up well.  After 8-9 years the strips of leather that you buckle with are wearing out due to the tension they have been put under.  They can be replaced with a thicker leather if needed. 

Since he got his Son of Sandlar boots he has retired these to stage only work. His Son of Sandlar were expensive but well worth the investment as well.  Just depends on your budget.

[Merlin the Elder]

Between the Duchess and myself, we own four pair of boots from Olde Soles (AKA, Native Earth), and have been more than completely satisfied with them.  The pair that I wear most commonly is coming up on their fifth season and are getting slight run down in the heel, but are otherwise like new.

http://www.nativearth.net/

We have known Jim and Lee Ann, the proprietors, for years.  We are completely confident that if there is ever a problem with our boots, they will fix it.

I know I have seen your boots many times, what color combination are they?  We will be in Scarby in a few weeks, do you know if they are there?

They aren't at Scarby, but I bought some ghillies from them at Sherwood Forest. They're comfortable enough, but it depends on the terrain. I didn't look at their boots.  They were incredibly helpful and took lots of time with me. The products I did look at were quite well-made.

[Rogue Hidesmith]

I will second (or third?) Catkill Moccs. The downside is that their custom work does take a while, so you might have your boots in time for next (or the fall) season.

[Oswyn Fenecote]

I ordered a piar of thigh-high boots from Pleaser- they're kinda cheap, but the sole is good for the prce and they seem like they will hold up well. the top can be folded down for another look. here is the ebay link to the brown version.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Medieval-Pirate-Renaissance-Captain-Mens-Leather-Boots-/350485495072

I have worn them twice, and find them to be comfortable and sturdy (so far). A great choice for someone on a budget-

[Lady Kett]

I will throw out Son of Sandlar, Gauwyn. We have both Catskills and Sandlars. Both are comfy, but the Sandlars have better arch support in my opinion. Both vendors are at Scarby (unless one of them bails this year)

[dbaldock]

I ordered a pair of Catskill Mountain Moccasins on the first or second weekend of Scarborough Faire in 1996.  They were made and delivered to me in Texas before the end of August of that year, so I was able to take and wear them at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival on Labor Day weekend.

My moccasins have the flat Vibram soles, with the small bumpy nubs, rather than the boot-style cleated soles.  That gives them more cushioning than the conveyor belt material that was stock on their moccasins at the time, without looking like boots.

I'm not as much of a regular Faire goer as some folks are, but that same pair of moccasins is still going strong.  The soles have normal wear at the heels, and I've begun checking on getting them re-soled.

Take Care,
David Baldock

[Randal]

I'll second both Native Earth, http://www.nativearth.net/boot.html, and Son of Sandlar, http://sonofsandlar.com/products-page/boots/.

I've had my Native Earth two-button boots for ten years, and have worn them rain or shine through 9 years of working at TRF and 4 years of working at SWFF.

So far all I have done to them is add an insole, and replaced one button after 10 years of use. They went out of their way to match the existing button, even though it was one they no longer offered, and then did not ask for any payment to sew it on.

I bought them one size larger than my normal shoe size, then wore them in the rain for a day to get them truly fitted to my feet. You'll want to try these on in person.

Be aware that the conveyor belt sole option is very comfortable, but provide little cushion on sharp rocks.

I wear them with peasant garb, but they could also go with Viking or Medieval, as opposed to Renaissance, royal garb.

I bought my 9-button round-toe Son of Sandlar boots on Opening Day 2012 at TRF, and have been completely satisfied with them. So far I have done nothing but clean them, but don't foresee any issues, as they have a lifetime warranty.

Furthermore, the buttons on these are screw-back conchos, and can be changed out very easily to go from Pirate with Skull and Crossbones, to Steampunk with Gears and Cogs.

Be aware that they are sized in the European system, so it helps to know your size in order to know where to start when trying them on, although they can measure your feet very quickly.

Also be aware that you will need to spend some time breaking them in and allowing the leather to conform to your foot and lower leg. It took me about 3 full days of wear at TRF to get to that point, but now they are as comfortable as any boots I've ever owned.

My wife has also had the Son of Sandlar Forrest Boots for 2 years now, and loves them. She has trouble finding shoes that she can be comfortable in all day long, and has been thrilled with how good they feel after a long day working at Faire. These would look very good on a Robin Hood or Woodsman type of character, but would also work for Merchant class or Peasant characters.

As always, YMMV, but I have been completely satisfied with both of these vendors and their products.

Randal

[Francisco Paula]

I have a pair of Native Earth and love them, they are a great off the rack boot.

At Santa Fe Faire i ordered a custom pair from Windwalker http://www.windwalkerfootwear.com/index.html i have heard great things form them so can't wait to get mine which should be opening weekend of colorado.

[Sev]

I'm going to recommend Son of Sandlar, too.

They are VERY popular with the cast at my home faire, many of whom helpfully reviewed boots from other companies that they'd tried in the past when I asked for recommendations.

After my first year as an actor in 2011, during which I destroyed THREE pairs of ~$60-70 boots over eight weekends, I decided to just go ahead and invest, and got a pair of Sandlar buckle boots for this past season. They were super comfortable (and sturdy, too, which made me feel much safer doing stage combat on gravel!) and survived the season like it was nothing. I haven't stopped wearing them since -- they're my rain'n'snow boots, my fashion boots, my walking-the-dog boots... -- and with a bit of TLC after exposure to moisture and salt, they look and feel as good as new. (And if I take most of the buckle straps out, they look like normal, fashionable biker-ish boots for everyday wear. I've had a number of fashionistas recoil in horror when I tell them I got my AMAZING BOOTS at a renaissance faire! They just don't understand...)

I've been recommending Son of Sandlar to everyone I know, fairegoing or not, because this is one investment I cannot fathom regretting even a little. I know people who've been wearing the same pair for ten years! And my brother recently sent his in to be resoled -- when he got them back, they'd been cleaned up and repaired to such an extent that he at first suspected them of sending him a new pair of boots, hah!

I will say that they tend to fit a bit roomy in the foot, to make it easy to work with insoles if you like those, so keep that in mind when you try them on. But oh my goodness, these are some amazing boots.

(Sorry if I sound like an ad for them. I work in retail, so I think this is just what happens when I talk about things that I love, even if I'm not the one selling them...)

[Jared Thorne]

I would have to agree with Sev's opinion regarding Son of Sandlar's boots. I think my first pair of faire boots was a pair of Minnetonka's that I killed pretty quickly, as the insole in the one boot didn't fit right and it eventually wore a hole in the side of the boot. I wish looking back that I had bought a pair of Sandlar's right away, but I liked the look of Bald Mountains but I had to have them fixed after the toes started flapping (delaminating in the heat at a faire in SW Michigan). I ended up buying a pair of Sandlar's to replace the Bald Mountains while the Bald Mountains were being fixed and never looked back. I have worn my Sandlar's now for 11 years of faire, worn them to conventions, worn them at Loveland Castle, worn them walking the dogs late at night, etc. I would highly recommend them to anyone who wanted a good boot for faire, and I don't even have a fancy pair (they only had the peasant and the noble back when I bought them in 2002, and I liked the fold down knee piece of the noble boot).