Born Axe II

I was looking for a nice semi-dressy boot. One that I could wear to work, around the town, or even to a nice dinner. These are it! The black leather is soft and supple, with just the right amount of give and support. The stitching is a subtle highlight, a shade of red/tan, and gives a dressy feel to them. And they are not to bulky or heavy. The tread is good, although I haven't taken them off-roading, they've been good in all around town wear. Inside, they are very comfortable. I also wear/love Keen shoes, and I've found these to be comparable to them in fit and feel. The insoles are great, not too soft, not too stiff. So, if you are looking for a comfortable boot that is simple, classy, with a touch of "dressy", then these are it.

I only knocked a star of for style because they are pretty plain (right for me though). Obviously high quality construction - you can feel it. The footbeds are a permanent part of the shoes. If you plan to remove the insole to replace with your own, you cannot do it with these shoes since there is nothing to remove. I use Superfeet insoles In all of my shoes. Things worked out well though because my feet are just a little narrower than a normal D width, so when I put my insoles on top of the built in footbeds, they provided the extra filler that I needed to make the shoes fit perfectly for me. I have never heard of this brand before, but I can already tell that I will be buying them again in the future.

Inside these are far cry from what Born used to be. Instead of full leather covering, you get mostly fabric, although critical and prone to tear-and-wear places are leather. Still very classy and comfortable. Top very well made, sole sturdy and flexible. Right after purchase I worked the shoes with black wax and generous amount of mink oil. BE CAREFUL - mink oil might change color of brown colored shoes, but good for black. Overall - great shoes!

These are one of the best pairs of shoes I have owned. I want to wear them every day! My only complaint is that in order to have the laces tight toward the toes I have to tighten them a bit uncomfortably at the ankle. Other than that this is a perfect shoe.

I did not think that I would be able to find a pair of full leather chukka boots that would compare with my LL Bean's. I did. Nice job Zappos!