Just after the second Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome began this past October, I checked in with a group of contestants who entered the contest with a wide array of unique and intriguing pairs of boots and shoes.
With the Thunderdome now brought to a close, and the judges’ deliberations just around the corner, I thought I would follow up with these folks to see how things went for them. How did they manage to earn most of their patina? Did they wish they’d done anything different? What was the most memorable moment of the contest for them?
Read on to see for yourself, and to check out just how much their footwear evolved (or in some surprising cases, didn’t!) over the course of the contest.
White’s Boots 350 Cutter in J&FJ Baker Brown Russian Calf, Worn By @CarmineJackLeather
What provided the most patina on your footwear?
It’s a tie between the indigo crocking from my jeans and the couple gouges that my dog left. These boots proved to be rugged and hardwearing, and I am kind of proud about how they held up. I didn’t purposefully damage my boots or attempt to enhance the patina on them, but I never turned down an opportunity to stomp in a puddle or walk pretty close to the frozen snow bank to get a little scraping action going on. None of that helped. After splashing in puddles, the leather would get wet but it would dry without leaving a trace, not even the slightest hint at a water stain. But it was my dog, having gotten all excited on afternoon as I returned home from picking my son up at daycare, who was jumping up and down that managed to get that first couple solid scratches.
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently—care routine, leather selection, etc.?
I wouldn’t have done anything different. I think it worked out exactly as it should have. Prior to the Thunderdome, people would ask how the J&FJ Baker Russian calf leather would age, but it was hard finding photos showing what it looks like with some wear. It’s understandable, considering the cost of the leather. But now, I have concrete proof that the leather holds up to the claims made by the tannery for being hardwearing and water resistant.
What was the most memorable moment that you experienced while wearing your Thunderdome pair?
My kiddo was 10 months old when the Thunderdome started. It feels like life back in October is a whole different life than I live now. Now he is walking, climbing, almost talking, “eating” with a fork, and randomly dropping handfuls of goldfish in my boots (sometimes mushy, sometimes snotty). Outside of raising my kiddo I don’t remember anything about my footwear along the way. Basically, the last 6 months has all blended together.
But I do remember walking to the hardware store on April 2nd, the day after we got a stupid late-season blizzard. It was like 45 degrees out and I was pushing the stroller on the sidewalk, when suddenly the sidewalk turned to mud. The city snowplow person who was clearing the sidewalk didn’t see the sidewalk had turned, so they just kept on going plowing right through the dirt. A day later, that dirt turned to mud. Next thing I know, I am struggling to push a stroller through this sloppy mud wearing my dome boots. I still hadn’t taken my final dome photos yet. I remember thinking to myself, “I don’t give a shit about my boots, I just don’t want to slip and fall in the mud”. That mud added zero patina to the boots.
Monroe 19917 LTT in Tochigi Natural Cowhide, Worn By @chilly_chonka
Where did your patina come from?
Most of the patina on my pair comes from snow-related activities. Shoveling, sled pulling, and daily walks in all sorts of weather. Oh, and brushing. Lots of brushing.
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?
Doing it over again, I would definitely go with something more comfortable to wear right away. The stiff sole and thick, fully-lined cowhide made these tanks. Great for longevity, but brutal for break-in.
Best Thunderdome memory?
My fondest memory was Doming with my daughter. I got her a pair of leather chelsea boots from Adelisa and Co so we could share the experience together. You can check out her pair in the Patina Project app. She wore them pretty hard!
Nicks Boots BuilderPro in 1964 Walnut Roughout, Worn By @darknova306
Where did your patina come from?
This roughout has been insanely resilient, but I think it got the most patina from getting kicked against stuff. Between kegs, stairs, barrels, and snow shovels, they’ve been knocked around pretty good! All the chemicals, liquids, slurries, and hop sludge has tended to wash off pretty easily and not leave any marks behind.
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?
I saddle soaped them and applied Obenauf’s LP Oil to them at the three month mark. I wish I had tried using VSC to give them a waxed flesh look instead. I think that would make them pretty sweet looking! I’ll probably try that after the Dome is over.
Best Thunderdome memory?
Digging out after a snowstorm in December with temps around 5 degrees F. Somehow my feet stayed warm in these! I’m amazed that I can’t see the mark on my toe cap where I whacked my boot with the metal end of my snow shovel. This roughout has handled everything amazingly well!
Flame Panda Brogue Cap Toe Service Boot in Horween Marbled Black Shell Cordovan, Worn By @weathered.hide
Where did your patina come from?
Metatarsophalangeal joint extension, dorsiflexion, and plantarflexion.😀 These stunning semi-dress boots—for my tastes, the most beautiful boots I’ve ever seen—have primarily developed their patina through everyday walking. While they spent a lot of time outdoors, I decided not to subject this pair to anything a reasonable person would not do to boots like these (like hiking, logging, farm working, etc.). Snow, slush, and rain stood no chance against the heavy infusion of oils and greases Horween forces into their shell cordovan, especially as I brushed them after almost every day of wear to showcase the shell’s resilience. The gentle, rounded rolls—and the distinct creases-that-aren’t-really-creases—that are trademarks of well-worn shell cordovan adorn the ankles, vamps, and toes.
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?
No, not really. It was my intent from the start to take advantage of Horween shell’s inherent qualities for this Patina Thunderdome—on a pair of posh boots—maximizing brushing, minimizing conditioning. Spritzes of water, and one light application of Bick 4 were all that was used on this pair through this Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome. And brushing—SO much brushing—with bristles of pigs, horses, yaks, and goats.
Best Thunderdome memory?
In terms of Dome-specific moments, my most memorable was coming home after the first bad drenching of these boots with salty slush and snow. It was among the worst I’d subjected any of my shell cordovan boots to, and they looked very badly mottled and stained. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get them back to their pre-drench shine with only water spritzing, cloth buffing, and brushing, but I did. (And I did it several times after that, too.) In terms of life-specific moments, it was wearing these boots on the day we accompanied our son to his first day of college.
Onderhoud SVC02 Packer Boot in Shinki Natural Oiled Horsebutt, Worn By @aj2603
Where did your patina come from?
I think the most patina was provided because of water marks 😂 . I did not do anything crazy in terms of putting them in the sun or using a strong conditioner.
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?
I don’t think so. I followed my daily routine and did not go out of my way to abuse them or put them in harsh situations. It was regular office wear. I conditioned them thrice. The first time I used Bick 4. Second time, I used Saphir Oiled Leather Cream (neutral). Third time, just before final submission, I used Saphir Renovateur on them. My overall feeling is that Shinki horsebutt is one of the worst leathers to choose if you want to see significant patina quickly.
Best Thunderdome memory?
That’s a tough one to answer. Honestly, I just did everything in them for the last 6 months. Wearing them for a PTA meeting was memorable.
Oak Street Bootmakers Trench Boot in Dark Waxy Wild Boar, Worn By @Lazy Spread
Where did your patina come from?
Hard wearing, definitely. This pair was entered in the Work ‘Dome, and I committed to wearing them for anything and everything, not shying away. I wouldn’t normally use new boots this way, but I was interested in learning how comfort improved and how the leather changed.
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?
I’m not a huge fan of the Elston last, but wouldn’t have known this without wearing them. This was my first experience with Dainite, hard (non-foam) insoles, quality leather uppers—and I liked all of it, no regrets.
Best Thunderdome memory?
In mid-February, I sunk a truck in an undetected mud hole. The frame rails were sitting in the MUCK, I was alone when this occurred and had to attempt to free the truck. While wearing my Thunderdome boots. In 6” of mud. As you may imagine, the boots were completely caked. At the end of the day, I wiped down the boots with rags and warm water. Either the mud or the wiping caused the most dramatic single-day change in the look of the boots. And we did manage to free the truck.
Nicks Boots Prospector in Horween Natural Dublin, Worn By @BigDudeInDenim
Where did your patina come from?
Sun and daily wear provided the most patina.
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?
Nothing I could have or would have done differently, to be honest. Maybe I would have not gone with the sprung toe last, but that’s nothing to do with the patina.
Best Thunderdome memory?
I wore these to Disneyland with my family. To numerous whiskey tastings and bottle shares. To work, often. To Universal Studios for my son’s 8th birthday. But perhaps my most memorable moment was getting down on one knee and proposing to my amazing fiancée in them. Lots of great moments though, to be fair.
Congrats on your engagement, BigDudeInDenim!
Onderhoud SVC01 Boondocker in Horween Unglazed Natural Shell Cordovan, Worn By @horweendreams
Where did your patina come from?
I tried to wear my boots as much as possible. Working from home and following around a 2-year-old meant I didn’t take too many crazy big adventures, but was always moving nonetheless. I’m a firm believer that moisture is the enemy of luster in leather and leads to darkening in a leather such as unglazed natty. For that reason, I tried to minimize my wear on wet days. I did condition these once with Bick 4, which darked them a bit, too. I generally took it pretty easy on the brushing, as these didn’t need much.
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?
I can genuinely say that, no, there isn’t much I would have done differently with the leather selection or makeup. Rizky gave me a rare opportunity to pick my specs, and I was super lucky he was able to find a Horween unglazed natural shell thick enough to support an unstructured toe box. The plain toe boondocker really exhibited the leather well.
The only thing I would have done differently is send in a different thickness Cats Paw heel to allow for more leather in the heel stack. Now I know there are three thicknesses (half, full, and loafer).
Best Thunderdome memory?
The most memorable moment was definitely when my daughter dropped some greasy soy sauce right on the vamp of my boot. I thought I was completely screwed, but luckily some saddle soap, scrubbing, and reconditioning worked better an I expected. Shell is truly some tough stuff!
Alden PCT Jumper Boot in Horween Old Bronze Shell Cordovan, Worn By @JupiterIsBeautiful
Where did your patina come from?
I wore them like normal shoes. I wore them WAY more than any other shoes I have, and I have a lot! They got scuffs and scrapes. Right before I took my final pictures, they were actually muddy so I had to wipe them off to show them a little respect!
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?
There’s nothing I’d do differently. I’m not the sort of person to baby my footwear, or put a mirror shine on shoes. I brush the dirt off, sometimes wipe them down, and once I conditioned them. They look great to me! I think they need a heel replacement, but that’s no big deal!
Best Thunderdome memory?
I think putting the first crease in them. I remember seeing this boot on Instagram for the first time and thinking “there goes a beautiful pair I’ll never ever ever ever get.” The first thing that shocked me was getting a pair. Then, knowing how much this pair of boots could get me on eBay, I decided to put them through the Patina Thunderdome gauntlet. I figure mine may be the rarest pair out there since they have been worn! But other than that, I brought them to a month-long trip to Mexico. They were a dependable pair that never hurt my feet. They looked amazing with anything I wore. I took tons of pictures of me wearing them having such a fun adventure. When I look at those pictures, these boots will be in them.
New River Boots Boondocker in Horween Natural Chromexcel Horse Strip, Made and Worn By @Crocket1404
Where did your patina come from?
I think the most patina came from not being afraid to wear them no matter the weather or task. All the rain, snow, scuffs and scrapes caused a lot of darkening.
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?
I am pretty happy with them, and can’t think of anything I would have done differently.
Best Thunderdome memory?
The most memorable thing I had done was move into my new house and set up my new larger and improved work space to work on some new pairs.
Nicks Boots LL64 in Wickett & Craig Natural Double Stuffed, Made and Worn By @lucus
Where did your patina come from?
Daily wear. That’s the trick. I’ve put these boots on my feet every day kept them on for 12-18 hours for the entire competition. The shorter 12 hour days were the days that I put on my running shoes to go for a run after work. They feel like 3lb leather slippers at this point.
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?
I gave it all this year. I can’t think of anything I would have done differently. The Wickett & Craig Double Stuffed leather is perfect and easy to care for. My care routine is simple. I brush the dirt off before putting them on in the morning and apply Smith’s Leather Balm once or twice a month. That’s it!
Best Thunderdome memory?
The celebrity moments for sure. No, not for me. People recognize my boots. I’ve had several “hey! I know those boots”, comments. The best one was with a guy that was taking a tour of the shop. I was talking with him for 5 minutes before he looked down at my boots and said in an excited voice, “hey! You’re the guy! You’re the guy with the boots!”. The level of boot nerdiness in this community amazing!
Blkbrd Shoemaker Fenrir Chukka Boot in Chestnut Tan Bison, Worn By @ifticar2
Where did your patina come from?
The Montreal winter did quite a number to my boots. Walking through piles of snow, black ice, and all the salt really did a lot to strip off some of the finish from the boots and create some wavy salt lines on the boot as can be shown in the March pictures. The only care I did after that was applying some Smith’s all over the boot, which brought the leather back to life, but you can definitely still see the leather below the waves looking slightly different, which I find super rad.
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?
My boots were incredibly comfortable, and easy to put on, and the bison leather was very nice as well. Chukka boots are probably the most versatile boots you can buy, so I am glad to have chosen them as my dome boots. My only wish is that I should have done an MTO with BlkBrd’s new and improved leather heel counters, and leather lining.
Best Thunderdome memory?
My pair had treated me very well while exploring the mountains and beaches of Hawaii. The most memorable moment was definitely wearing them while walking through an active volcano!
Rolling Dub Trio Roots Stoker in Original Black Horsebutt #1010, Worn By @denimondenimondenim
Where did your patina come from?
I walked the dog a lot in these which got the rolls. It’s funny, though. As far as fading, it seems like I saw the most from the hem and inside of my pants brushing up against the shaft of the boot. I feel like the bottom part of the boot didn’t experience much wear in terms of color.
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?
I’m pretty happy with where they’re at. At first, I wanted more dramatic wear, but I feel like the patina is true and earnest. Luckily, I brought them to the amazing Standard & Strange for photos and they were able to capture a lot of nuance that my iPhone 7 potato vision misses. Props to Elliot, Neil, Gen, and the rest of the S&S team!
Best Thunderdome memory?
This is probably recency bias, but I would say my recent trip up to San Francisco when I brought the boots in to get photographed. My friends jokingly said that my first priority was “boot patina contest,” second priority was a friend I’ve known for 30 years, and third priority was a friend I’ve known for 18 years. This joke doesn’t quite land the same way when written down, but it really got me at the time and i had to share it—maybe because there’s a little bit of truth behind it!
NF Bootmaker Milton Boot in Horween Tan Workshoe Butt, Worn By @worra
Where did your patina come from?
I’d like to think that my patina accumulation was a pretty balanced experience. Hiking, getting them a bit wet in the winter clearing my driveway, and my preclusion to wearing black denim for some crocking. That, and just being really consistent with my wears. I didn’t rotate in any other pairs during the Dome and I wore these every single day, and that’s probably the single most important thing I did to make sure that I got some patina on my pair.
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?
No, I can’t say there’s anything I would have done differently at all. When we spoke for the first part of this article at the beginning of the Dome, I mentioned that I had been told that Workshoe Butt was a bad choice for the Dome because of how it really doesn’t patina. Now that six months are in the books, I understand what people were getting at in telling me this, but I still think the patina that I developed looks wonderful, and I’m personally very happy with how they look.
Best Thunderdome memory?
Definitely any time that I traveled a bit to be with friends over the last six months. I met some other boot-friends in Portland, ME, just one month into the Dome, and we had a lot of fun comparing all of our pairs. I traveled to Austin for a bit over the winter and did a ton of walking around everywhere, just getting them dirty without a care. Just a couple weeks ago I was in NYC for the Standard and Strange event with Unsung, which was a great time all around.
Grant Gustafson admires worra’s pair of NF boots
Unsung U 22-1 Slog Boot in Horween English Tan Dublin Roughout, Made and Worn By @Unsung (Grant of Unsung Repair House)
Where did your patina come from?
We do a good amount of dog walking and a bit of hiking. Those provided some patina, but I think the most came from working at the shoe shop. I straddle the last jack with my heels anytime I’m using it, so my pair burnished pretty heavily at the inside of my heels. I also oiled the roughout on my pair pretty much right after my month 5 pictures, and they’ve made some significant progress since then.
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?
I wish I would’ve oiled them earlier. I’ve become pretty interested in using more oiled roughout in the future after wearing these. I’ve started to experiment with overdye and then oiling roughout on another pair; hopefully it yields an interesting result.
Best Thunderdome memory?
My most memorable Dome boot moment was being able to comfortably put miles in all around New York City with my brother. It was his first time in the city, and he was wearing his Dome boots too.
Paraboot Chambord in Nubuck Gringo, Worn By @frans
Where did your patina come from?
I think the most patina to my shoes got earned at my job. I’m a freelance photographer assistant taking care of digital/light on photo sets. Usually I spend at least 12, or even up to 20 hours in my shoes at my work—walking around constantly, holding a camera, a tripod, mounting a lamp to a stand or standing in front of a desk taking care of some digital stuff. It’s definitely not a boring desk job where you don’t really use that much your footwear during the day. I could really put my shoes into use. Besides that, most of my free time I spent hiking, walking around the city having fun. However, I didn’t wear my Chambords every single day, like most guys do here, during this 6-month period. I always tried to rotate them, so the leather can dry up and rest.
Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?
Certainly, there is one major thing I would have done differently. I would size them again to get a more roomy fit. Originally, I went full size down from my Brannock, because that’s what most people were recommending back then. At first, everything was ideal, they were really comfortable, no blisters or anything bloody. Yet after 6 months of wear and the leather constantly molding to my feet, I’m totally sure 0.5 down would be a much better choice for my needs, considering how much time I spent in my footwear daily. Still, there is a slight chance if I had a standard 9-to-5 job, full size down would do the job I guess.
Another nail in the coffin was the fact that after a few rainy walks, this wonderful yet very stiff oiled nubuck leather shrunk in a few spots. What I mean is they felt different. After that happened, my toes started to get squished slightly, and it bothered me a lot. After I gave them a second chance and was trying not to break up with them, I got to the conclusion that I unfortunately will have to sell them eventually. However, I’m not giving up on Paraboot, and definitely won’t stop looking for another pair, this time in a proper size.
Best Thunderdome memory?
The most memorable moments of Doming this pair were definitely the beginning and the final weeks of wearing them. At first I was amazed how versatile and great-looking this pair was. It could complement any outfit and felt great on my feet in general. On the contrary, I was really tired of them not fitting me correctly about what I realized after a few months. It was the time I could no longer talk myself into them being a right fit for me. I was under the pressure, desperate and uncertain—should I stop wearing them? Or should I keep doing it, but hate every minute of it? I got an idea to use some mink oil to get a little relief. I knew it could potentially tank my patina. After a long consideration, I decided to use a little amount of mink oil on the sides of the toebox only to minimize “damages.” Well, it helped… a lot. The Chambords became pretty comfortable again.
After a couple of days, I came back to my sanity again, and was really shattered to see that my shoes are no longer looking super cool, but rather super dull, partially at least. Do I regret it? To some extent I do, because my pair was aging really well, had a lot of potential, I was not expecting it. Now, they still look cool, but the toebox area kind of lost its magic. For sure, it’s a journey I don’t regret. Had a lot of fun wearing these shoes.