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Note: this item was provided for review.

Desert boots have always been that perfect middle ground – more substantial than a shoe, but lighter than a proper boot. After going years without a pair, I’d forgotten just how effortlessly they fill that gap in your footwear rotation.

When Crown North Hampton offered to send me their Snuff Janus Suede desert boots, I figured it was time to reacquaint myself with this classic style. The wait for these hand-crafted English boots was worth every day – I’ve been wearing them so constantly that I have to consciously remind myself to reach for something else in my closet.

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Materials & Construction

These are a classic desert boot style, two eyelets and unlined. This pair is suede, which Crown Northampton has some thoughts about:

Thought to be one of the best if not the best quality suedes available. This is mainly due to Janus calf suede originating from some of the very best raw material in the world. The hides benefit from a secret combination of ingredients used in the subsequent tanning processes – all carried out by C F Stead in Leeds, England. The end product has a soft, luxurious look and feel, whilst offering reassuring strength and durability. Janus suede may feel delicate to the touch but it contains strong fibres that make it tough, flexible and resilient.

I do not normally like to quote that much, but that statement perfectly encapsulates my thoughts on this suede. It’s very soft and delicate feeling to the touch and when wearing them. At the same time they are holding up exceedingly well — I have no doubts about the durability overtime.

These boots have a stitch down construction on a natural crepe sole. They have a half-lined leather foot bed, keeping things rather simple. They are handmade, to order (they have a long lead time, FYI), in England — by the fifth generation of owners.

The overall fit and finish is fantastic as are the materials used.

Wear, Style, and Comfort

As you might imagine, I receive items to test fairly often, and typically I show them to my wife first. Her responses are really all over, but before I could ask her about these boots, she was already telling me how much she liked the look. Each time I’ve put them on after a few days, she remarks on how much she likes these boots. We could end the review there, doesn’t get much better for me.

Desert boots are really a sleeper hit with boots, as they pair well with denim, with chinos, or even a pair of linen pants. You can wear them casually with ease. At the same time, a well crafted pair (like these), will add a little pep to an outfit to make the entire fit look a little more polished. They hit that perfect spot for someone who wants to be put together without looking over dressed.

What I cannot get over is the comfort these boots provide. I’ve had desert boots before, and I knew that the crepe sole would be nice to walk around in — that was expected. What wasn’t expected was how soft that suede upper is, such that it makes these boots feel like you are wearing a soft slipper. This feels like you are cheating: looking great, while feeling like you could kick your feet up next to a fire in slippers, but they are your boots.

They are boots I have walked a few miles in at a time, and not felt any slight discomfort. Boots I have stood around for hours in, and felt comfortable. And they’ve looked good doing it, and continue to look good.

The only downside I’ve found with these is that the upper is so soft, it requires me to use two hands to put the boots on, as I can’t slip my foot in without holding a side and the tongue as those areas will otherwise fall under my foot easily. This is the only downside.

The coloring on the tobacco snuff is spot on. Comfort is there. They are unlined so they wear quite comfortable in warmer weather — something I am looking forward to this summer. In the mean time they’ve been great riding a bike around the city, walking around in mild rain and wet, and on the odd summer hot days we’ve had my feet have kept their cool.

Overall

Right now, these boots sit at the top of my daily rotation for good reason. They’ve nailed that sweet spot most of us chase – looking intentional without trying too hard, comfortable enough for all-day wear, yet polished enough to elevate whatever you throw on.

The craftsmanship speaks for itself, and I’m struggling to find anything not to love about them. If you’ve been on the fence about desert boots or looking to upgrade from a cheaper pair, these are worth the investment.

Buy here, $336

The first time I saw the Singi 28 backpack in person, it was hanging on the wall in a Fjallraven store. I was immediately drawn to it. The proportions are very nice, as are the aesthetics. Hitting a mark somewhere between traditional outdoor packs, and a more modern pack.

I made a mental note to check it out sometime. Then, months later, Fjallraven put the grey color on sale, and I snatched it up for a killer price.

Since then, I’ve taken it on one trip, and many hikes. I’ve found that it is quite good, and that’s before I consider the value proposition it offers.

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I’ve had this jacket for some time now, and I’ve bought many less expensive clones of this jacket before getting this. So when I tell you that this is end-game for a waxed work-wear jacket, know that I say that as someone who has tried hard to avoid paying the premium and dealing with the sizing, but also as someone who now owns two of these iconic jackets.

No matter how you look at it, Filson’s Short Lined Tin Cloth Cruiser is amazing.

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Note: this item was provided for review.

For those not aware, most of the major sunglasses brands are owned by two companies. Recently (in the last 5-10 years) there’s been more and more brands popping up which are smaller, independent companies — these brands typically make really exceptional products. Shinzo Tamura is one such brand, based out of Osaka in Japan. They sent over their Namba Slate Sunglasses for me to review.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with these. But what I got is easily the best pair of sunglasses I own, and have ever owned. From the optics, the materials, and the comfort — all outstanding.

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Whenever I talk to people in person, that’s the question I get the most: why are you carrying all this gear and what the heck do you need it for? This is a fair question, and depending on how much I want to engage with the person, I have two answers:

1. It’s just my thing.
2. I like to be prepared.

It’s genuinely very easy to be incredulous when you start looking at everyday carry (EDC) posts and blogs. People are carrying a full pharmacy, or they have an auto-deploying mini-gun strapped their inner thigh and spend a lot of time talking about reducing chaffing from the belt fed rounds. Some people very seriously carry two to three knives. The community loves to quip and quote military sayings that they often don’t understand and only heard in a movie.

It’s a big joke, or so it feels like even to me most of the time.

Every year or so I tend to revisit this topic, to defend why you should carry things, and talk about why I carry these things. I go into specifics about why I carry a bag; a knife; a flashlight; a first aid kit; or whatever else the taste of the moment is.

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Note: this item was provided for review.

A good standard, works for everything, pair of slacks has been hard to come by for me. Often I find the cuts to be too narrow, too low rise, or if they are a higher rise, they have a comically wide leg. I wanted something traditional, well made, and easy to wear.

I found exactly that with the Patrick James Garbadine Flat-Front Slacks — so much so that I really enjoy wearing these out and about.

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