Great video, Carl! Keep up the good work! John "JK" was a great employee when he worked at Nicks off and on from the mid 90's to 2008 learning the logging boot trade.
@@WatchsNBoots Almost the entire PNW boot industry is part of the same family tree. If I'm not mistaken Nick's founder worked for White's, JK worked for Nick's, and Frank's worked for Nick's.
I'm wearing a pair of these boots right now. I'm currently a fedex driver. I chose these boots because I'm running feom 11 to 20 thousand steps a day and carrying boxes up to 150 pounds. My last pair of boots were Danner's and they completely fell apart in 2 months. I've had these things for about 3 months now and they're just getting more comfortable every day. If I had to stand on rebar or a ladder all day, I'd go with the superduty. If you're literally running all over every kind of terrain carrying heavy stuff for hours at a time and jumping in and out of a truck, these work pretty damn well. They look pretty good, too.
very happy with my superdutys from jk I got them 8 months ago and they’ve been incredibly comfy and my back doesn’t hurt anymore. anytime I call they answer the phone, nice people. I liked this video a lot too
For what it's worth, I believe the gusseted tongue is likely made from tumbled leather. After tanning, leather can be softened up in a machine which resembles a huge clothes dryer. In addition to softening the leather it usually adds that pebbled texture. It is just a side effect of the process, but is quite attractive in its own right. Nice review!
you, weston with rose anvil, and michael with iron snail are essentials for men getting into workwear like myself. great work to all you guys, i thoroughly enjoy your content!
I’m a diesel mechanic and absolutely love my JK boots. They also work for chasing cattle on the side of a hella steep, slippery hill. Thank goodness I wore my JK boots that day.
I've been drooling over JKs for a while now. As a telecom lineman who spends a good amount of time climbing ladders and poles, the JK Climbers look like one of the nicest boots around.
@@Review-Thisif you meant thorogoods, no, they are nowhere near these boots. PNW boots are on a whole different level. I went through two pairs of thorogood moc toes in less than 2 years. I have the exact boots he’s reviewing in this video, and they are day and night difference. I’ve had them 11 months now, and besides the honey sole at probably 30% life, if I wash the boots with saddle soap, and let them dry overnight, they look damn new new. The thorogoods were uncomfortable for me after 6 months. The synthetic materials in the sole and midsole would compress and give no cushion after a period of time. These are just leather and rubber, and are more comfortable, more durable, don’t stink, and look better.
Use my JK’s everyday. Forestry/Fire. Different model. No longer have the roughout. End of this summer or fall, gonna get them resoled. Flat in some parts of the sole. I love my JK boots
GREAT VIDEO! I’ve had JKs for almost 5 years and have 3 pairs, 4th on the way, and I could not be happier with my OTs. Easy break in and quality is top notch and I just can’t wear anything else. Theri customer service has been great too Love the video Carl! Easy to watch and and very upfront
@@lx93racerjust call them. They always answer. When I ordered mine, I spoke to Tim every single time I called. Tim is the guy on their channel most of the time. Pretty weird to talk to one of the main people at the company.
I got my JK Super Dutys at the beginning of the year and they are by far the most amazing hardcore boots ive ever had. Bullet proof and invincible. Love them!
Ive had a set since last summer and they have been great. Sometimes I miss having thick sole of my previous vibergs but these are way more day to day friendly. Still cant track an excavator backwards in them though. 4.5/5 stars on the Superduty for me
FIRST ONE TO COMMENT! LET'S GO!!!! 😂 I love the JK bison OT boots. There such a beautiful boot. Can't wait for them to come in and carl Thanks for the amazing video. Bin watching from the beginning of your channel since i was like 16 or 15!!!! ❤
Just ordered two pairs of O.Ts Upper redwood/ lower bison. And full bison with safety toe for when I don’t feel like stomping loggers on the ballast at work Sizing wise. I’m a 10.5D in Nicks Builder Pros I drove to Phoenix az to get a custom fitting(3 hour drive) and went into their shop there. Nick(guy running the shop) sized me up and I turned out to be a 9.5 3E for JKs. I would’ve ordered way wrong on my own. Both brands are amazing. Try them out and get that custom fitting. Don’t guess! Left them a challenge coin as well, he has an assortment of patches and coins from other customers so I pitched in and left a railroad challenge coin.
If you use their guide on their website you should’ve been able to size yourself fine. I was. It literally says not to order your normal shoe size when you’re selecting boot size.
Been wearing my OTs for a year now. My other PNW boots aren’t safety toe so I can’t wear them to work so these OTs are taking a beating. They’ve held up well. I do have some gnarly squeaking around the ball of my foot as I walk but I’ll get that fixed when I get a resolve. I accidentally ordered a 6” and I prefer a 10” boot but these have been perfect for my job. I do commercial and industrial HVAC and refrigeration and these lighter boots are perfect for those tight spaces and crawling. I do have many days where I find them lacking in terms of foot support.
Yeah, I still prefer the full midsole for day to day. There are times when crouching that I really like the flexibility of the OT, but most days I like the full midsole support.
Hi! Great review as always, fully agree with just about everything! I just got Superduty's in bison this week and (while they are super duty boots not the lighter OT) they are considerably lighter than the whites 350 cutters I'm moving from. Both the uppers and soles already show more flexibility than my whites with a year+ of daily use ( in part due to the bison upper leather on the jks and the added lineman shank on the whites). My old boots are still indispensable for ladders and sheer stability but for me the superduties already seem more lightweight and mobile than the other really beefy pnw boots like those vibergs you showed. As someone who spends a lot of my time in Washington's forests for work and recreation I can say for me the superduties are the perfect for that task, without feeling like I'm compromising much between durability and comfort. Definitely have lots of love for franks, nicks and whites and all are worth looking into if you are in the sturdy boot market. Thanks!
These days, I’ll take a compliment from anyone/everyone willing! I love boots, but at a certain point, there are just too many to wear out and are the ‘same’. I have just retired so now I have boots that will not get worn out. Flip flops and jiu jitsu are now as dressed up as I get regularly.
DUUUUUDE, another accurate and to the relevant point article. THUS ? If you are doing middle to light work go JK OT if you are doing heavy work go Super duty. I have a large farm SO,,,OT for me. Bison is awesome. Many thanks for such great review.
Thank you for including the heavy duty perspective. I hadn’t considered that the other guys didn’t have that experience to draw from. As an IronWorker I appreciate a heavy duty boot.
This is exactly why I ordered them. Light to medium boot in bison. Mostly to be worn at knife shows. If I like them , I will order a heavy duty boot for those days I am working hard. Maybe the OT Plus
I really appreciate quiet boots. I ride a motorcycle to work and then I'm walking through long quiet hallways to get to and from my work area. That's where a lot of boots and shoes get voted off the island. I've tossed some really attractive footwear that I had high hopes for because it sounded like I strapped a fart to one foot arch and a goose to the other.
Great review as always, Carl. And it was very good of you to reinforce *why* you may want a more or less flexible sole. I know you boot/shoe RU-vidrs are very supportive of each other, but the BootSpy short featuring a JK OT stating that people might want a more flexible sole for less potential discomfort and break-in flies in the face for those of us who 1. need a stiffer sole for certain work and 2. find it easier to walk, less back pain, and less foot discomfort once a boot with a good arch and stiff sole breaks in. Your review here provides some clarification about that, which is most appreciated. Now I'm off to decide whether or not I take advantage of a Father's Day sale even though I'm not yet sure I'll be going on wildland deployments this summer.... 🤔😅
@@jmarth523 I'm not sure, to be honest. I was kind of being diplomatic about it. The thing is, the name of the short was something like "Do logger heels cause back pain?" And for some people like me, even having a casual boot with a stiffer sole, higher arch, and better fit from a long break-in period makes for a more comfortable boot. So it's not really a work versus casual proposition.
Thank you for the comment! It's all about the right tool for the right job. Honestly, I appreciate more leather beneath my foot while at work. Of course, thats just me! So did you get anything for the fathers day sale?
@@CarlMurawski I'm flattered you replied! I did not get anything...I'm moving in a few months and told myself I need to cut my collection in half first. I just don't wear the items that don't fit as well or the Gortex lined stuff anymore. Trying to train myself for quality over quantity....
I have the Super Duties and they are like freaking slippers. I’ve been wearing them almost everyday for a year. I take good care of them and they still look pretty much like brand new broke in boots
Carl, after watching your channel one of the several PNW boots I ordered was the JK OT in smooth bison. They arrived yesterday, so I am looking forward to giving them a good workout.
@@CarlMurawski Mine came in today. The first pnw boots I have owned and the arch was more than I was expecting. Military issue combat boots were my only previous boot experience. They are surprisingly bendable but will take some break in time. Roomy toe box and the honey outsole is great. I want to wear them more to minimize break in time. The stitching looks not man made. It's perfect. I'm 11 in shoe size. C in width by measurement but ordered d per their recommendation and a 10d is perfect.
Carl, it's hard to call "work boots" a work of art, however these are as. Lose as you can get. The lighter tan Vibram is great. I have wide ball section to my foot, so I went with JK 3A again. I probably need a but I'll see if these break in. I have a pair of JK 300's that I had previously ordered to get the sizing down. They fit fine after a week of oiling and using the boot stretcher. I expect these will be the same! I have enlarged my collection of boots, Filson luggage and clothes based on your videos sir. Keep up the good work!
I drive a tow truck so mostly driving with a lot of bending, crouching tiger, taking a knee hooking up vehicles from under, working levers etc. these sound about right! 😊
I’ve owned the O.T. Pro safety toe boots for about 5 months now and they are the best work related purchase I’ve ever made! I’m a machinist and I am on my feet most of the day. 10-12 hour shifts on cement. I used to buy redwings but I have wide feet and a high arch and the only really wide boots I’ve found seem to be built cheaply and they are worn out within a year. There goes $200-250! While the O.T. Boots may not be the most beefy, they handle the light duty but long hours stuff that I do!
Just ordered a pair in the safety toe. I do mostly light construction (trim carpentry, interior reno etc) with the occasional heavier stuff, so these look ideal. Hopefully a good decision, as paying in Canadian dollars and paying the border taxes bumps the price up a good deal.
For light construction, what I see the professionals wearing is a pair of $5 New Balance running shoes from 1994 that were picked up at a thrift store. The toe comes pre-blown so you will need to re-wrap with your choice of duct tape.
I really appreciate your perspective on this, because I was really curious what sacrifices were being made to get this level of flexibility. I do a lot of heavy work, but I do also drive a lot of machinery, and I need to be able to feel which pedal my foot is on. My current favorite is the White's Hillyard steel toe, but maybe I'll start saving up for some OTs
As an auto mechanic I have a pair of ot and forefront from jk. They are by the best boots I’ve owned. You brought up a great point that these are aimed at a different job then say the superduty.
Ha ha ha. The album comparison is hilarious. I'm new to boots but I've been a musician the past 20 years. I now understand exactly what I need should I go to JK boots! In the meantime, the White's perrys and Journeyman (journeymen?) will do me fine.
The jk ot is bringing top quality work wear style to fashion leather. If you wear boots to the office or to do chores at home on Saturday it's perfect if you're in them 12+ a day best get the full midsole the support will make them last longer.
My biggest question about JK's design is why the hell they do the rapid stitching while using a non-channeled outsole. In their own videos where they show the resole process, it's clear that the thread wears off really quickly not being recessed below the high points of the lugs. Stitching the midsole and gluing/nailing/screwing the outsole would make so fucking much more sense compared to that. It would also make the resole process easier and less dumb because, again, they aren't even ashamed of showing that they don't pull the remains of the rapid stitching and just stitch it again on top of it, which is a complete BS.
The leather squeak is super easy to get rid of, even if it's between the counter and the inner leather on the heel. Took a small needle and injected the oil between the stitching and in the squeaky spot. The Forefronts started squeaking right under the ball of the food where the adhesive broke apart. I popped one stitch and sprayed contact adhesive between the insole and the midsole. Also, if you're 6'7" and 290 pounds, the OTs feel like thin sneakers (sneakers feel like slippers) - which is not a good thing for super rugged work, but it's actually awesome to be able to feel the ground.
I watched a recent Wranglerstar video interviewing the JK man at his shop while he made a pair of boots. Then I watched the Rose Anvil guy reviewing the O.T. Bison and he liked them very much. I'm an older guy finally wanting to get myself a good pair of work type boots and I have 99% decided to go with the JK boots... but I couldn't figure out which model I wanted to get. The O.T. with the honey vibram sole sounded good, but spending all that money I didn't want to wind up with a boot "light"... and not the real thing. I am not in heavy construction or on a ladder on my feet all day.... so your review really sold me. Now I am 99.99% sold on getting the O.T. with the honey vibram sole.... now I just have to decide on the Bison or the regular leather. Thanks!
I loved all of the use case scenarios, but the Metallica metaphor landed home! haha Well done! I have the JK Forefronts, which basically uses the same construction as the OT but with a wedge sole. They are fantastic boots for what I use them for... work around the house, or just casual boots to go stomp around town.
Boot with a purpose like many others. The key is understanding the purpose and your needs. The OT is very comfortable but lacks that heavy full midsole that is needed in a lot of circumstances.
I agree, it’s the same thing with the White’s Fulton Moc Toe boot. Great boot, but it’s not meant for construction work. It’s a better hiking/farmhand boot than it is for construction. For context I work a lot outside in mud, dirt, gravel. And I am not standing on ladders all day, I’m walking an average of 10-12 miles a day on varied terrain.
Got a pair of OT's last year to replace some wearing out Danner Bull Run's (not the moc-toe version). Feel great, but getting through some ingrown toenail issues, so haven't worn as much as would like. Got them as a mid-duty boot, so your review isnspot on. Keep up the good work!
I did research for over a year, I have a pair of the 300x for everyday stuff, I am buying a pair of the OT Boots soon. Love the build and comfort of the JK Boots.
I love your video! It's always nice to see a great new one. But I have a question. Will you ever make a video for the best boots and / or gear for the apocalypse? I really think that a lot of people would love to see that, and it will be very intertaning to see how you categorize the different requirements for each apocalypse.
I'm "that guy" with this boot. I have had 2 different OT's (safety toe Redwood/honey & Grey/V100) delivered to me, and promptly returned them before ever wearing them but inside the house to try on. The QC and customer service in my experience is horrific. Additionally, these are extremely expensive for what they are. If they were at $350 price point, I could understand; definitely not at $575 plus. The leather temper seems soft compared to other PNW boots and they typically have poor stitch lines. The boot in the video is a seemingly perfect example, but not what I've seen myself. Your milage may very.
Thumbs down on their customer service and lack of knowledge to understand customer needs and concerns on feet and boot sizing, no time to communicate with customer, sent me what I think was an odd size boot JK300 weird fit, never had a boot that was so oversize by the ankle and calf which I believe it was made for another customer and sent it to me. I gave them my size to the "T" based on their sizing instructions I followed. They acknowledged the weird fit from the pics I sent, asked me to ship it back and suggested for me to spend over $600 for a different boot, hmmm? I don't understand that concept! Personally, I'd go with White boots, great boots, great service, they understand "lasts" and have been around for over 100 years now. You can actually talk to a person when call, no messages and phone tags.
The problem I have with these is that lineman shank. I have a pair of whites ramblers with that shank in them and it greats a massive pressure point on the outer edge of my foot where it doesn’t flex. Logger heel boots have the outer arch more toward the heel but my ramblers were right in the middle. It’s been 1.5 years and they still haven’t fully molded to my foot. I would definitely need to try the OT on before purchasing them.
I think Frank's also offers some customization where you can get this type of sole without sacrificing that extra arch support but I'm pretty sure you don't need to oil the rough part.
I do building maintenance for a living so I am hell on boots. I’ve wore out Danner, Chippewas, red wing and bates linesman boots. And every pair the midsole crumbled from being worn in wet weather conditions. I’m tired of paying $300 plus in boots and not getting 2 years of use out of them so I don’t need anything light duty. I should make my own reviews I have the worm out boots to back it up.
Hey Carl you should review the mongrel work boot from Australia top boot I have been wearing it for a year and have not lost a stitch yet. Solid boot and great price point for us aussies
I own some jks, first pair was made wrong and I’m currently waiting for some remakes. Their super duties are fantastic, and personally would never opt out from a complete midsole.
it sounds to me like I might actually prefer the super duty. I'm an archaeologist so finding the right boot is hard. "work boots" usually assume construction sites. I spend my day hiking(in often rough conditions, currently the Virginia swamps), kicking a shovel several hundred times a day, and carrying about 20 pounds worth of equipment.
Carl, You have more boots than anyone out there! In your opinion, what is the F-150 of boots? If you were going to have one pair for work, cutting firewood, riding a dirt bike & shooting a deer, what are you going with?
I'm going to say the Jim Green Razorback. Originally I thought maybe the Red Wing Iron Ranger, but that can't really do much work since the sole is basically smooth. The Razorback is affordable, durable, and good looking in a utilitarian way.
@@CarlMurawski nice choice, although I have never had a pair. Mine would probably be the Lowa Camino. Thanks for your fun and great content. My wife and I both love the channel. Have a good day!
I’ve been “shopping” for a year, not buying because Id like to invest in a pair of boots, the right pair of boots. 60ish yrs not the best feet and 350 lbs 1/2 days working 1/2 days driving and office time and live in western Az desert. Believe we should be walking on natural product like leather, I’ve worn out my share of Anderson Beans. I like these but, are they the boot for me ? It’s only a lot of money to someone who made the wrong choice and can’t wear them do to pain, ask me how I know. Thanks for your advice
@@CarlMurawski I have their Vibrams, Pole Climbers, Insulated Powerlines, and an older pair of Fireboss (discontinued). They have some minor QC issues at times, like left and right boot look different, but mostly cosmetic, not structural. Tough and comfortable once broken in, if a bit heavy. But if you get a good pair they are beautifully crafted and purpose-built. Fair price point too. Solid thumbs up imo. Cheers and thanks!
As an ironworker no one is doing rebar or walking on rebar and a pair of those stilettos. Wedge sole with a shank. All those high heel boots are completely impractical for us. I don't see how people wear those
Hey Carl, I'm a RR conductor who's used to walking on rocks all day, what would be a good boot for that? Also, I worked as a lineman for a telephone company years ago, and you're right, standing on a ladder for eight hours is brutal. Good video.
Oh man, ballast stone is MURDER on boots. When I worked for Metro North Railroad I wore my roughout BuilderPros. They held up really well, but I like a lower heel for walking on ballast so opt for the non-logger heel version.
I work in tree trimming, planting, and removal. I wouldn't have any qualms about using that boot. Truth be told, these boots no matter the brand are so expensive, i only know one guy that has a pair of Nick's. Everyone else has just ok boots.
Since my comments were deleted on the rose anvil video hopefully i can post here. these boots look great but i dont like the fact that westin charges 20k to shill for any company that will pay him. how can you have a video saying that a new boot is your favorite pnw boot and it also happens to be sponsored by that company????? the facebook boot groups exposed this shill for what he is. plus removing comments that point it out is even worse.
I usually find if I use leather conditioner like Bick 4 on the tongue and leather laces the squeaks on my new boots go away. I figure new boots need conditioned anyway since they might have been sitting in a warehouse for yonks. Some say baby powder, but meh. I guess give it a try and let me know if it works.
i need 1" midsole. to sit at my desk job for 10 hours then maybe play some video games for 3 after work. in my herman miller ergonomic chair in my well air conditioned office. its rough in here i tell ya.
What was the wait time on these. I’m looking at buying a pair but hearing that people have had to wait 6-8 months. Can’t really afford to wait that long
