Love these boots so much, and the combo bison with black leather boots you shared on instagram awhile back. It will be a few months before I can order a pair but looking forward to when I can!
I've been following your Facebook page for years now and have always wanted a pair will hopefully be getting a pair this year. So glad your company is getting some well deserved recognition and hopefully your business continues to grow
The only thing is that it’s so sad to watch one of your expensive, hand-crafted boots get destroyed. I can’t afford your boots, so I’m literally crying watching him do this to your boots.
Problem is that it's really hard to prove a negative claim. This style of footwear probably makes sense in a tough, work environment, but would you want to wear them as your casual shoes? Probably the best feeling in the world when you get them off your feet after a day.
@Jari Perho I've worn the same pair of nicks hotshots for 2 years now, nearly every single day working and relaxing. They are the most comfortable thing I have ever put on my feet. They become a part of you, and you can sometimes forget you're even wearing boots. They're just that comfortable.
As a European with no specific familiarity with the history of the US, this was a really intriguing watch! Great boots and a history 101. There’s a great novel about the US forests through the times, by the way, called „The Overstory“ by Richard Powers. Worth a read, I think!
@@s-zo5641 I'm a boot aficionado, from Europe as well, and i came across loggers several times both in Amsterdam and Stuttgart. And you can easily order them online; ebay, amazon, etc.
@@MarkGelderland it is just too bad that by the time u get them they will be 1000€ 🤣 oh well a decent price to pay for not having ttip... not all US made products r of this boots top notch quality.... fer sher dood 🤣
Forestry is still alive and well in the east. Just looks different (thankfully) than 150 years ago. I'm a forester and I've mostly worked in the central appalachian region. Not as high altitude bit definitely not flat, very steep. The tall heel is super useful for digging into steep slopes with loose soil, snow, or leaf litter. I wear drew's, they don't get the attention that nick's or whites but they've been around just as long and are solid boots. They have a new boot that they're selling for only $350. I'm excited about them but skeptical, I'd love to see you cut a pair up and look inside.
Thanks for taking the time to do this historic video. I live just outside Bangor Maine and worked in the logging industry for 20 years. I still wear these boots as a truck driver. My family was in logging for 4 generations. Much appreciated
I live in Spokane and growing up it felt like everyone had a pair and that it was a normal thing to own. Really cool to hear someone appreciate it elsewhere!
I worked as a Power line Electrician and the high heel to lock in the climbers and the outstanding arch supports for standing in the climbers for hours at a time were a must. In other words the need was there and the price is what you pay for the best and longest lasting boots. TADA!
I just started a new career as a lineman, trying to figure out who makes the best climbing boot before shelling out a huge amount of money. Any thoughts from your experience?
@@aidenstefanson2175 try the boots on... If they don't have a steel shank completely disregard. And a 2 inch heel if you actually climb, if you are a bucket lineman than 1.5"
@@aidenstefanson2175 Sorry Aiden, I wor4ked for KG&E in Wichita, KS at the time and they carried the boots they recommended and we purchased them through the company. I cannot tell you what brand, that was in 1975, I was a new Journeyman and we were sent over to Missouri that winter after an ice storm where we worked 20 hours a day to stay on triple time. My Journeyman partner on the truck was 62 and praying for one of the older foremen to retire so he could move up to foreman before he retired. I looked at him and asked myself if I wanted to be in his position in 30 years and said no, so I quit my job and went back to school and got accepted to Medical School and have done much better with an indooor job. (just my personal preference you know). Anyway I cannot help you other than to wish you the best in the world for your future and bless you for doint that job so I don't have to..
My uncle makes handmade moccasins I currently own 4 pairs. Have handled and seen hundreds. Own the first pair for going on 10 years and the others a few years intervals between. My parents have owned pairs over the years. So I feel fairly accurate and prepared to say Bison looks the most impressive and different to start off with. But in terms of aesthetics ages the worst. It is true it’s heavier, thicker, but much more spongey and capable of flexing and stretching. But as I said it basically just gets dirtier over the years it does not have much patina, wear, change. My deer and elk do that in spades but are also much more worn out over the years. Of course how thick each hide is varies, vegetable or chrome tanned, is it filled, dyed, glazed, combinations; change the leathers. So of course you can probably find a magic elixir that makes bison stiffer, harder, or age more beautifully. You can probably find super thick elk or deer out there. But in general elk and deer age and patina much nicer, but don’t last as long, bison and moose are thicker, heavier, but also more spongey and pliable, but do not in general age as nicely.
I just wrote a comment about my moccasins being bison soled. They also have elk uppers, which are yellowish but now stained from spilling coffee on my feet over the years. They look beat up, but they are still in really good physical condition and are insanely comfortable. I went through a million pairs until I bought nice handmade ones. The others would roll on my foot and / or quicky fall apart. The handmade pair fits like a glove. Respect to your uncle.
@@yentingchen wow somehow I never got the notification for your comment and now 3 months later I’m answering haha. Honestly the difference in water “natural” water resistance in my experience is overhyped. Because the single biggest factor is how leather is tanned and finished. Bison that is tanned and finished with lots oils and waxes can be just as resistant as any leather. If it’s a leather with a finish, paint, sealant applied it will be just fine. So I haven’t ever really noticed a difference between, elk, steer, goat, deer, and bison in my collection. The biggest thing I’ve noticed in water resistance, wear, aging, patina is the tanning and finishing.
I just ordered my first pair of JK boots after wanting them for a few years. I ordered a pair of ready to ship OT boots and when I received them they were a half size too large, after a VERY helpful discussion with Nathan the sales supervisor I decided to send them back for the correct size and let’s suffice it to say he went over the top to assist me and even a sweet upgrade to the same boot shown in this video . I am now a customer for life. Thanks JK!!
Keep making these amazing videos, mate! It is super valuable to preserve this heritage and spread the word. Every second of watching this video was absolutely worth it! Thank you !!!!
I got a pair builder pros about a month ago. Not for work but because I like the style. I wasn't sure about the heel at first but after a month I can say I've never going back to mass-produced footwear. Fresh out the box it's the most comfortable footware I've ever warn. And walking up and down the hills in my area is so much easier with the heel.
Good posture from heels is true. I started getting my dress boots lifted by half an inch or a bit less a few years ago at the cobbler, and they always become more comfortable.
You're not wrong about em fixing your posture. I didn't realize it until I got my new boots, but I was legit walking around looking like a cooked shrimp lol
That center cut score should be increased due to the difficulty you had cutting the leather. This coronal (cross-section) cut is remarkable. For the boots that either highly impress or greatly disgust you, I vote for future cross-section cutting.
I just ordered a pair of JK logging boots the other day .custom-made in 18 inches tall full brown, rough out leather and lace to toe . I agree the logging boot is one of the best styles of boots out there . I wear logging boots all the time being I’m in the tree care profession. JK makes the highest quality boots I’m very excited to get them.
Hey, I want to see the Thursday Explorers cut in half. Since Nick's tactical boots seem a bit similar, could you do a comparison between the two? Also, I love the channel. You helped me make many decisions on what I should buy. Thank you.
Great video, love the quick history lesson at the beginning! Quick question for you about the raised heel - you mention a couple of times that the posture produced by a taller heel is more "natural" - but we didn't evolve with tall heels, right? Why is a tall heel more "natural" than a flat footbed?
I guess it allows for even distribution of weight while being leaned forwards? Allows what is essentially a heel strike while mechanically doing a forefoot landing. I'm just having a guess here but that's the only way it would make sense to me. Also elevates your heels which might be beneficial for carrying loads including the weight of the shoe itself. We didn't evolve with taller heels but I don't think we were made to be wearing shoes or standing for extended periods of time without walking/running. Again. If the first half sounds like nonsense it's because I have no idea if what I'm saying is true or not
You forgot to mention that lineman have been wearing logger style boots for a long time, the larger heel helps keep the climbing hooks I place. Along with the steal shank.for support.
These aren't real work boots, they just supposed to look like it for hipsters with too much money that dress up in skinny jeans and flannels like homo lumberjacks
Must dissagre with their explanation. I am sure that high heel is comfortable and needed for some jobs. But if high heel was soo good for our posture and our joints, evoultuion would make it that way in few million years of our evolving. In the long run, with high heels you are shortening your calf muscles, and putting pressure from wrong direction on your ankles, knees and hips. I would say use it for job if it helps you, but use flat/almost flat shoes for your time off.
Sometimes, youtube just amazes me. I'm not at all interested in boots. But I love seeing someone passionate about a subject explain something in detail. Maybe I should check out the 379$ boot...
I could not wait to see these boots get cut. I saw them in the other JK vid a while ago. I have a pair of JK Bison Forefronts, I have to say, the leather is beautiful. Nothing I've ever seen before. Stunning quality.
Would love a series on healthcare worker shoes. Most are sneaker and rubber/foam for disinfecting reasons but some popular ones like dansko clogs, hokas, gales+ etc
Lost my thorogood boots in a car accident. (Boots in the rear seats. Rear window shattered and I guess they flew out.) Going to check out JK boots and see if I'll replace the thororgoods with some JK boots . That's why I love this channel less popular brands get to have a spotlight.
That's interesting. I aways thought heels were on boots to accommodate how much shorter the ligaments and muscles are in most European decended peoples legs.
Wore boots like this when I worked for the Bureau of Land Management. Kept twisting my ankle in them until moving into a boot with a shorter heel and had no issues after.
Several weeks ago I was taking out the trash wearing a pair of logger-heel boots. My front yard was soggy as it's been raining here, well, seems like darn near forever. Instead of slipping on the muddy grass, the heel dug in, giving me great traction. Without that heel, even with the same aggressive lug sole, I would have been slipping around. Love the logger heel.
best advice I ever got for breaking in this type of boot, get em wet, like soaking wet, then wear them until about half dry, or fully dry (it takes awhile to dry em out) and they will be about 90% broke in. The other thing I'd advice is to go ahead and have them custom made to your feet, especially if you've ever had a broken leg/foot or weird stuff... Life changing in foot wear.
I’m 50 & I’ve worn logger boots since my mid teens…I love them. They are surprisingly comfortable..if I had to run a 100 yard dash I’d have my loggers on lol
That part about posture is ironic considering a heel actual lifts your heels so that your ankle becomes more tight over time. Heels in boots and women's high heels is some of the reasons we can't do full squats easily.
is that true? because if you learn about squat mechanics, a raised heel allows for more forward knee travel, meaning deeper squat. no high level oly lifters high bar squatting in flats?
@𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐨𝐧 heels, chairs, and other things I can't remember. Every person is born able to do a deep resting squat. But not a lot of Americans can retain the ability into adulthood. I can't do a resting squat without heavy weight pulling me down to it. It's been a while, but it has something to do with the alignment of the foot and weaknesses being formed by that.
Yeah and if you wear loggers on flat surfaces like these hipsters will be doing standing around on some brewery they will be crying about their knees after a few hours.
As a huge history nerd, the look of those is like a beefed up (pun intended) version of the WWII era paratrooper boots, which I loved for all of the support reasons you've mentioned, Time to save up a few more paychecks for these guys.
Although I have to admit, I'm not fond of the logging industry considering the fact that some of the most majestic trees that have ever existed in this country were probably torn down without a care in the world, but I am a fan of JK boots. They were my preferred boot during my many years in the military, and today working on my homestead.
I’ve worn Chippewa loggers for almost 30 years now. Although I don’t wear them while big game hunting they are my go to boot. I wore loggers while in the military serving overseas. I’ve never tried a pair of JK boots.
JK is my first pair of PNW boots. I picked up a pair of forefronts which are crazy comfortable and much more rugged than my Red Wing moc toes that they replaced.
I managed to walk my redwings through the rubber until i felt a draft on my foot. I checked and sure enough i had a hole and paper thin rubber beneath my foot. Never going back, i only had the damn things for less than a year
In the Eastern USA, the forested cover reached a nadir around 1900. In the West, the nadir came after or near 1950. Since then, forests have increased. Today, there is less forest than in 1700, but a lot more than at the nadir.
Wesco boot in Oregon makes a nice boot as well. I have a few pairs. Note the ones for going up trees or poles have metal tabs at the heel and along the toe for those spikes. None of these boots are cheap but they will last you a lifetime for casual use and if you are a professional then you just flat out need something solid. Most inexpensive boots e.g. CAT or georgia boot and so on will wear out the upper and lower right about the same time and then the whole thing is a throw away. Not bad for casual use where you might get a year or two out of them and they weigh less.
I've had a pair of LL Bean bison leather duck boots for around 7 years now and they have held up wonderfully. I also have had a pair of Itasca Leathergoods indoor/outdoor moccasins with bison soles for many years, and aside from holding up, they are the most comfortable piece of clothing I've ever owned. Bison leather is worth the money.
Great to see! I appreciate your enthusiasm. I am currently wearing a brand new pair of Wesco Highliners around the house to break in before putting them to work climbing on spurs. These have a steel shank specifically for that and they are very comfortable.
the high heel also acts as a brake if you do logging with oxen & need to stand ontop of the to get them to move try and get 8 yokes or more going in unison, you'll find out
I have Achilles tendinitis from not wearing a heal while clearing land in the California Sierras. It is totally worth the extra money to not have damage to a very hard tendon to heal.
You need the high heel to wear climbing spikes. Otherwise the spikes would dig into the ground (and get dull) if you did not take them off as soon as you are not on the tree (or utility pole). The heels are no better for you than wearing high heals (Very bad for your back and hamstrings if you wear them too much. )
The only reason for the heel is to make walking around and working in the tree easier by getting the gaffs on your climbing spikes higher off the ground. Your cited advantage of walking uphill would also cause a major disadvantage while on a downslope. Going up a mountain isn't just up up up. Also, logger boots have a high upper to protect your inner calf from its opposite side's gaff.
To be fair, you find big heals on modern mountaineering boots as well which are specifically for going up and down hills. The logic is that the 'step' in the sole acts as a break to slow you down on steeper terrain. On rocky ground it catches rock and on softer ground it digs in. Personally I'm leaning towards barefoot shoes myself these days but my trusted mountain boots do a real job. Horses for courses, I think.
I had a pair of boots with the logger heel's. I found them to be the most uncomfortable boots ever. I had them re,soled with standard heels, they are fine now
The high heel for posture should not be promoted and in reality, it shortens some muscles over time. Those muscles not having their full range of motion is what make a heel more comfortable. Most people have stiff/shortened leg and foot muscles, so most people think a high heel is better instead of solving the actual problem.
I had to cut the boot off of a guy that had a severely dislocated knee (to make sure he had a pulse in his foot, so i wouldn't have to realign it myself). I used my leatherman raptor trauma shears and it cut the boot quite well.
There's something maddening about watching a brand new pair of boots being cut in half as I struggle to get my well worn boots on lol. The inside ankle material in my boots always rips apart from the inside heal of boot making it impossible to slide my foot in without catching the material in my toes. All my logger boots have done it. Some just do it within a few months and it's another $200 down the drain
I'm thinking of a myriad of reasons to justify to the missus why I need these boots. Something that may involve her getting something compensatory. I'll make a list after the video.
Loggers are great for outdoors in the rough, the high heel helps keep climbing spikes from hitting the ground. But their use in the trades is limited. High heels & heavy lugs are hazardous on ladders & scaffolding because they catch. For me anyway I've found I got fatigued more quickly w/my heel jacked up 2" compared to flatter & wedge soled boots. I'm sure JK makes other supreme models better suited to construction. There's reasons why guys wear "boots" designed like sneakers w/little or no protection now a days. One being everyone wants it done yesterday & time travel is best in comfortable foot wear.
You're wearing ill-fitting boots then. My Redwing LoggerMax boots are as comfortable as walking around in tennis shoes. Especially on the job site, the added protection from construction debris is a huge plus. Guys are wearing tennis shoes (or boots that may as well be) to jobsites now because they're turds, not because great, comfortable worksboots aren't available. 😄
I wish you would do a tour of these facilities. I wanna know how JK has such a better connection for Bison leather than anyone else. No one, has a better Bison leather than JK.
@lu tomson maybe I should have specified, in looks. I guess no one knows if it'll hold up as long as ur Bison boots. However, it is fantastic looking leather.
