Nicks Handmade Boots ThurmanNW vs HNW Builder Pro ThurmanNW vs Overlander HNW Munson Last “The Soldier’s Foot and the Military Shoe” By Dr Edward Munson Scanned by Microsoft Corp: archive.org/details/soldiersf...
I drove to Nicks to get fitted by them last September. I was disappointed by the lack of "encouragement" I was provided by their staff. They weren't busy, but the employee helping me seem distracted. My issue with their lasts is the heel slippage that occurs when you wear a E or EE width. As we age, our feet tend to splay more, and/or form tender spots at the widest spot. My heel didn't get bigger, just the front of my foot is wider. But their wider widths felt much wider in the heel, and slippage is inevitable. When I asked if I could purchase custom boots with EE sizing, but "D" width heels, he just shook his head and said "we don't do that". Well...I won't spend $700 on "custom-sized boots" that don't fit. They seem fine with that, since enough people are buying their boots. I had a much friendlier greeting at JK Boots seven miles away. They wondered why I couldn't get the proper fit I need at Nicks. They told me "No problem, here's how we do that".
Frank's is literally willing to build a custom last that replicates your exact foot if that's what it takes. Now I'm sure that time investment doesn't come cheap, so it's a last resort. For a foot shape like yours it might be as simple as using a different last and toe. For example instead of choosing between a 10D and 10E 55 #3 try a 9.5D 1977 #4. 1. Fit about the same overall length. 2. Tighter in the heel. 3. Loser in the toe box.
I am same. I just need to make sure I buy a last that is a combination last. I have a pair of Nick's on order in the collab they did with Parkhurst on their 602 last, which fits me well. Cant wait to see how that works out. Would hate to have waited 9 months for something that doesnt fit well.
@@corporalpunish6089 Ordered a collab. Nick's "lost" my order. They did not forget to charge my credit card upon order, not upon shipment. They built a pair on a "rush", so it worked out, but I think they were/are trying to make too many pairs too fast. Still get blisters on my heels during a two-mile hike. Tough to break in.
@@EDHBlvd to answer your question if you don't already know for most of jk's boots they have there own last which basically is a 55 last that's modified with a bigger toe box so it works great for skinny feet that have a wider toe splay.
Excellent post and observations. Your thought about narrow feet and HNW lasts is right on. I have a C width foot and B width on the other. The HNW last fits me perfectly.
Thanks for confirming my theory. I wore my Overlander’s yesterday and I think I’m being overly dramatic, or they are continuing to break in. My toe is being pushed but I wore them all day without pain. There is still hope for them, but the ThurmanNW is 100% superior for my foot.
This was super helpful. I made the right choice not buying a pair of White's Cruisers last week for this reason. Pinky toe smoosh is real. Next boots are all going to be Munson-style or similar for me. 👍🏼
I’m constantly amazed that many so-called custom shoes (or boots) makers don’t offer true last contour as an option or at least a bunch more options. I got bit recently by a pair I bought in store, yet a few days later I realized the last was too narrow and after 4 hours of wear my toes were destroyed…
Ya I think some of this “firm handshake” stuff is nonsense. People are buying boots that are too small thinking they boots will stretch, but they’ll never become comfortable if they are smashing your toes.
@@EDHBlvd yes! And also thank you for introducing me to the Munson last. I had never heard of it, and I suspect it might help comfort quite a bit. I don’t find its look so ugly. If more people would choose it as their last it would become the new esthetic norm :)
Beck boots will make you a semi custom boot for $500. They send you sizing foam to step into and customize the boot for your feet. Lace up and pull on boots.
That Thurman last looks right to me. That's how a boot toe box should look like. My military boot Garmont T8 bifida has the same look. It's the most comfortable , zero hill ship boot for my advanture.
I went with a EE width with my Overlanders (2nd pair of Nicks). I find that the EE fits perfectly giving me extra room with my toes and sides of my feet. If anyone has a wider foot, I’d highly recommend EE width at minimum.
How is the heel slip though? I agree on width. I went with an E and I don’t have a wide foot (11.5D HtT, ~12 HtB). My issue is going wider for toe and ball width also results in a loose heel.
@@EDHBlvd yes...I had to sell my EE becaue of heel slip...E slips a bit but can be laced tighter... They really need combination lasts for the heel/to ball...like some people have a D/E or a D/EE... and so on and so on...
wow the new pair stitching is insanely good for NIcks standard, that new pair Qc is very good, I think you got a keeper, maybe that is because it is the first ever for showing the big boss so everything need to be perfect.
@@EDHBlvd yeah I got some nails sticking out too from nicks boot but it doesnt feel any pain when I walk, maybe it is because it is close to the arch area not right on the heel, so i just suck it up and did not send it back.
@@jasonc158 this nail is right in middle of my heel. Unlike all my other boots. I saw a post on Reddit where Shuyler called this “soft spot nail”. Seems this is what happened with one boot: www.reddit.com/r/NicksHandmadeBoots/comments/13eg81s/large_nail_in_middle_of_heel/
@@EDHBlvd i have same thing, can you feel it with socks or not? if you feel pain then need to do something about it. mine I donlt feel any pain with socks.
Just from comparing them when I owned both an HNW and ThurmanNW in same size (I ended up selling both), the extra width started at pinky toe joint area and extended to front of boot. It similar had more room for entire big toe, being more straight to the front instead of curving in.
My foot is 11.5D HTT and about a 12 HTB, the length is ok (honestly feel an 11.5 would be better for me in the HNW). However the toe box is very narrow for my right foot.
@@EDHBlvd if you will be interested in trading maybe those for Indonesian Jackkrabbits in natural cxl I got but they made them to wide maybe they would fit you. They are on Winchester last inspired by Munson last. That was Munson adventure that failed for me. I tryed them on and i felt my feet just being able of moving left to right and they ended up staying under the bad. Its sad when the leather that you want hard end up not fitting
@@brunonjezic6208 no thanks. I need to pare down my collection. If you have a narrower foot, you may have issues with heel slip on an E width HNW. I already have a little and my foot is a D width.
@@EDHBlvd ah yeah you mentioned the heel concern in video. Hm i guess containing the Nicks about sizing and regularly cheking ready to ship would be way to go for me. I really enjoyed your videos. Looking forward to the next
It's crazy how different not only people's feet shapes are but also how they prefer their boots to fit. I'm an 11 EE on a brannock device. But I tend to like my boots super tight. In Nick's and Whites I usually go with a 10 1/2 D. I swear if I though they'd fit? I'd buy those freaking Overlanders off of you.
@@EDHBlvd Yeh a 10 1/2 D in my 875s was a no go. Literally had to give the boots to my dad. Sucks too cause I loved those boots. I go with an 11D in Red Wings now.
Just got my builder pro on Thursday. They fit snug at the ball of my feet,but my heel is loose. To my understanding i should be able to walk with the boots unlaced ,and my heel should not move up and down. I will call them tomorrow.
Ok so im stuck..im in trucking and some how ran through my Danners..now im looking at J.k and Nick's..love the options they both have..is one better than the other..?
Never tried JK myself. Can’t speak to them. Heard some odd stuff about how they do sizing and their CS being aggressive to sell. Turned me off to them before even trying them
I'm on the fence about selling both of my Nicks to go with a new pair of these. I have the same issue in my right toe. How have they fit since you have been wearing them and was it a good choice to switch?
The ThurmanNW is infinitely more comfortable than the HNW. I ended up selling the Thurman’s as I wasn’t in love with the 10” height. However if you watch the video I posted this morning, I am going to sell my HNW’s too. The HNW simply doesn’t work for my right foot. The big toe push from its curved shape hurts at the end of the day. I’m over it.
@@jrock8483 my HNW is celastic. The ThurmanNW was soft. It was definitely more comfortable without the celastic n but it’s the Last toe shape. My 67’s are all celastic and comfortable.
@@EDHBlvd good to know, I think I'll keep the celastic since they will be a different shape this time. I'm basically having my americanas rebuilt with the new last since I like the combat boot style but hate removing blisters on my right toe.
@@jrock8483 blisters! Brutal. Thankfully I’ve not had blisters from any of my boots. But the big toe soreness the other day was enough to make me think more clearly about these boots. It’s weird as the bigger problem early on was pinky toe smash. It’s like as they have broken in the problems with their fit changed.
to avoid stains, use something like Saphir super invulner or Tarrago. I recommend this for all new smooth and light leather boots. before you start wearing ,douse them generously with this rubbish, about half a bottle on both shoes, but not immediately, for 3-4 passes. let the medium penetrate well into the leather.
Hi ! Very informative video.Thanks! I am doing research before I buy my first Nicks.Many years wearing RW IR.Very good boots for the price. Want to try Nicks Urban Drifter 8”. With RW 10.5 D I feel extremely comfortable.Feel them like socks. Buying shoes the most important is comfortability which corresponds with the size.Thinking if the size is matching with RW.
Which model RW? The Iron Ranger fits differently than the Moc toe (875) for example. I have the IR in 11D and it is snug but no toe smash. The Nicks HNW in 11E feels smaller than the IR in 11D. Toe box in the HNW is tighter and feels shorter. I don’t like the HNW fit.
@@soldiers23 that’s the Last of the Overlander in this video, the tan boot. The brown boot is on the ThurmanNW Last. You’ll need to learn the Nicks Lasts before you buy. They fit/feel different. 11E in the ThurmanNW fits my foot well. It has a much wider toe box.
