Taylor Stitch Chukkas in Weatherproof Loden Suede – $298
About the Author: Adam Terry is a thirtysomething salesman in the HVAC and hydronics industry. He enjoys bourbon, boots, sneakers, raw denim, and working on his dad bod father figure.
Taylor Stitch is in rarified air in today’s menswear marketplace. The San Francisco based company has been producing well designed and well made menswear clothing and accessories for over a decade and have lived through many market corrections to tell the tale. Founded back around 2008, Taylor Stitch got their start during the wave of Americana style that washed over the menswear community and enveloped us in Oxford cloth shirts, raw denim jeans, hearty boots, and unique accessories. They were also one of the first notable brands to open a pre-order “workshop” where you can help kickstart certain products into production.
Today, they’re still producing well made garments like their Everyday Oxford, Foundation chinos, and Heavy Bag Tees. While most of their production has shifted from the U.S. to China for better quality control and to keep prices in line with the product value, you can consider Taylor Stitch to be among those mid-tier brands that offer elevated basics with higher quality and more unique fabrics at slightly higher prices. Similar brands would be Huckberry’s house brands, Gustin, Buck Mason, Tellason, Faherty, Freenote Cloth, Left Field, and Outerknown.
Today we’re checking out their all new weatherproof chukka boots in a tasty shade of suede. For under three bills, how do they stack up and are they worth the investment? Yes, I think so!
A relaxed, smart-casual chukka.
The Adam Review Scale of Excellence (A.R.S.E.)
- 5 – Excellent! No issues and highly recommended.
- 4 – Good. Above average, but not perfect.
- 3 – Average. Minor issues, might be good at the right price.
- 2 – Fair. Below average due to defects, flaws, or imperfections.
- 1 – Poor. Significant issues, not worth purchasing at any price.
Details
- Brand: Taylor Stitch
- Style: Chukka boot
- Size: 10.5 D
- Last: N/A
- Construction: Goodyear welted
- Upper: Loden suede from Charles F. Stead
- Sole: Vibram 430-style mini lug sole
- Details: Sheepskin lining, leather/foam midsole, leather storm welt
- Extras: N/A
- Country of Origin: Leon, Mexico
- Price: $298
Goodyear Welted in the shoe & boot crafting hub of Leon Mexico.
Ordering/Delivery/Returns
My pair of boots was ordered on a Friday, shipped out from their California warehouse on the following Tuesday, and arrived on my porch on that Friday. Seven full days from order to delivery isn’t bad at all considering today’s ever-evolving “unprecedented” shipping times.
FYI: Taylor Stitch has a 21-day return policy starting on the date your package is delivered. Their return/exchange process is neat in that you can opt for an instant refund credit to be used immediately, instead of waiting for the whole 7-10 day return and credit process.
As usual, all items must be unworn and in resalable condition to warrant a full return. Make sure you try on new boots or shoes on carpeted floors and try not to crease the uppers.
Score: 5/5 Stars – Order process was simple, shipping was fine, and returns are easy.
Terrific unboxing. Shoe bags!
Packaging/Unboxing
This pair arrived in a unique Taylor Stitch box with a very subtle topographic/road map that I assume is somewhere in Southern California. I know this is a simple detail that lots of people will probably overlook, but I’m a sucker for good packaging design and I really dig it.
My chukkas arrived in a set of matching cotton flannel shoe bags, each screen printed with a little quote about adventure. The boots are laying in a “tray” that slides out the front of the box. Once out of the box and shoes bags, each boot was stuffed with recycled paper to help keep the toe box from collapsing during shipping. The only thing missing here, at this price point, is a spare set of the round, waxed laces. Hey TS! Throw in some Benjo’s laces!
Score: 5/5 Stars – Great unboxing experience and my boots arrived in perfect condition.
First Impressions
Fresh out of the shoe bags, you’re going to notice the heft, the density of these boots. They’re not bricks by any measure but you can certainly tell that they’re made well. It’s akin to shutting the door on an older German car – you appreciate the “thunk” sound that tells you it’s solid.
Taylor Stitch’s product design team knocked this one out of the park. The earthy green suede, in combination with the natural leather storm welt, is a fantastic combination. I especially like the elegant three eyelet upper design over the simpler, more common two eyelet designs that you’ll find on brands like Astorflex or Clark’s. Throw in a finger loop heel tab at the back and some round, waxed laces and you’re all set to party! There’s a lot to love here.
Three pairs of eyelets = a little more elegant than a standard two-pair setup.
Can be worn casually or dressed up a little.
Style wise, I see these boots fitting well into a relaxed, smart casual style – imagine a suede moto jacket, patterned Oxford cloth button-down shirt, raw denim jeans, a hearty leather belt, and a Filson twill bag to carry your daily essentials in. If you prefer the sport coat and chinos side of business casual, these chukkas can certainly pair well with a knit navy blazer, white Oxford cloth button-down shirt, khaki chinos, a matching suede belt, and a leather iPad folio.
The upper of this weatherproof chukka is crafted from what I believe to be C.F. Stead’s Repello Calf suede. I reached out to Taylor Stitch to confirm my suspicions, but until they affirm, we’re left wondering where this wonderful material was sourced from. The Repello Calf suede from C.F. Stead is a high quality, finely-napped calf suede that’s treated with ScotchGuard during the tannage to achieve it’s water and stain resistance. This leather is also struck through; dyed completely in a rich, yet muted shade of loden green. Depending on the lighting conditions, this particular shade can shift between a dusty green and an earthy, brownish green.
C.F. Stead’s Repello Calf suede? Maybe?
Fully lined in soft sheepskin.
The natural leather storm welt is attached cleanly to a natural leather midsole and through to the rubber outsole. The Goodyear welt stitching is done in a contrasting white stitch that’s roughly 4-5 stitches per inch. Around back, there’s a reinforced heel backstay that flares out like a cobra’s hood, helping to support the heel cup and rear of the boot. At the top is a double layer suede finger loop for pulling on the boots, although you won’t need it often. Stitching is neat and tidy throughout the boots and you can tell that the workers in the Leon, Mexico factory know what they are doing. This same area (and possibly the same factory?) produces boots for Lucchese, Wolverine, Frye, Huckberry, Tecovas, Yuketen, and Thursday Boots.
Overall comfort is good. Some may want more support.
Insoles are removable in case you want to replace with something specific for more arch support.
Looking inside, these chukkas are fully lined in a soft sheepskin lining that runs from heel to toe. The removable insole is a rather thin piece of molded closed-cell foam, but it’s topped with a thin layer of leather for that premium look and feel. Normally I would replace this insole unit with something more supportive, but underneath it is a multi-layer midsole unit of stacked leather, foam, and something underneath for extra support. All in, these are fairly comfortable right out of the box. Should you need more arch support, that insole does come out.
The Vibram 430-style, mini lug vulcanized rubber sole and heel topper are fantastic and some of my favorites for boots. Considering the lugs are inset far enough away from the edge, they practically disappear when you’re standing or walking. This keeps the look far enough away from a chunky hiker and is a bonus for those of us who like to dress up our boots a bit. Don’t be fooled into thinking these aren’t grippy or durable enough for some seriously rough conditions. I’ve worn boots with similar soles in snow, slush, puddles of mud, etc.!
Score: 5/5 Stars – Fantastic design, great materials, and solid construction. Nice!
Reinforced heel backstay that flares out like a cobra’s hood.
Comfort, Fit, and Sizing
In terms of fit and sizing, I recommend trying your true-to-size Brannock measurement. I tried this pair in my usual size of US 10.5 D and it feels like that’s the correct size. While wearing my medium weight Darn Tough socks, the length measurement feels spot on with the widest part of my foot matching the widest part of the boot. There’s about a thumb’s width of space in front of my toes. I do notice a bit of pressure on the outer edges of my feet near the front of the toe box, but I suspect that’s from the stiff materials inside that haven’t broken in yet. Given a few days of wear and a bit of stretching, I think they would be just about perfect.
Comfort is always subjective, but I find the initial fitting to be fairly comfortable. The suede is soft and supple, the sheepskin lining feels great on socked feet, and the insole has just the right amount of squish to take away any initial shock during walks around the house. Long term comfort remains to be seen, but I suspect these boots will break in very, very well.
Vibram 430-style, mini lug vulcanized rubber sole. Subtle. Not toothy or clunky.
For size reference, I am a 10.5 D on a Brannock device with a high arch. I usually take a 10 D in most roomy dress shoes, including Alden’s Barrie last and Grant Stone’s Leo last. I take a 10.5 E in Allen Edmonds 65 last, as that last runs narrow for me. I also take a 10.5 in Converse/Vans and an 11 in most Adidas/Nike/Jordan/Yeezy sneakers. Have a size question? Email us!
Score: 4/5 Stars – True to size, although they can feel narrow at the toe. Needs break in.
Final Thoughts
I’m really impressed with these Taylor Stitch weatherproof suede chukka boots. In terms of overall style or aesthetic, they’re very similar to something you’d find from Alden, Grant Stone, or Huckberry’s Rhodes lineup and that’s a huge win in my opinion. The materials are nice, the construction looks to be solid, and they’re made in a city where known quality comes from.
If you’re in the market for a pair of super versatile boots that can be worn with anything from modern business casual office wear down to jeans and a t-shirt, you should absolutely see these boots in person. I think they’re worth your time and your money. Cheers!
Note: You can sign up for Taylor Stitch’s email newsletter here for 20% off your first purchase. That would drop these to $238.40.
Avg. Score: 4.75/5 – Highly recommended! Great boots and a worthwhile investment.
