Grant Stone Diesel Boot in Saddle Tan Veg

Sometimes, you come across a pair of boots that you can't go past.

 

Whether simply scrolling through Instagram or Facebook, or peering through boot brand websites, sometimes, you see a picture that you stop at, then go past, then go back to again. And again. And again until you inevitably buy it.

 

This is one such pair of boots.

 

 

The Grant Stone Diesel boot in Badalassi Carlo's vegetable-tanned Saddle Tan leather is a boot you don't easily go past.

 

Click on the image to watch my review on YouTube.

 

 

The design style of the boot falls into what can be classed as a service or even a dress boot, of the plain toe variety.  It has classic, simple, elegant lines.

 

The profile is sleek, and the sleekness creates a little optical illusion, aided by the flange of the storm welt - and makes it look like a very low-profile shoe, but there is plenty of room for your instep and toes in there.

 

Viewed from the top, it has a very anatomical shape, rounding the ball of your feet gracefully into a rounded toe box. Despite the rounded toe box, they don't look "blocky" like Red Wing's Iron Rangers or their Blacksmith plain toe boot.

 

 

Again, while it looks shapely, there's plenty of room in there for my toes, and the toe box shape avoids the pinching of slimmer, dressier lasts.

 

The veg tanned leather from Italy, which I'll go into more detail about later on, comes out of the box quite orange, but as you can see in the images, darkens with wear into a warm honey colour, and when you look down, is framed by the lighter natural colour of the veg tanned welt.

 

All in all, it looks like a very stylish boot,

 

Let's talk a bit about the company that makes these boots.

 

Grant Stone started in 2016 and was founded by Wyatt Gilmore and Josh Lange. They are a direct-to-customer company, in that they sell only through their website, thus keeping prices down. Although, I believe they are now available through the 2 or 3 Standard & Strange physical stores across various US cities.

 

The Gilmore family has a long connection with quality footwear, starting with Wyatt's grandfather who worked for Alden for decades. For many years, Wyatt's father worked with a family in China who owned a factory in Xiamen, and Wyatt himself worked in the factory learning his business for 8 years before the idea of starting Grant Stone started to crystallise.

 

Yes, the factory is in China. 

 

Grant Stone boots are made in China. 

 

But let's get this quality thing out of the way.

 

People may have many objections to items made in China, and poor quality is one of them. If you search the internet, you will find plenty of reviews about how Grant Stone is indeed, anything but poor quality, even though it is made in China. 

 

Nick at the YouTube Stridewise Channel deals with it. Carl Murawski is clear about it. AerosurferLV hits the objection on its head.

 

Quality is not about geography - quality is about the manufacturing process and work procedures, and about specifications provided to the factory. If you specify poor materials and a specific cost limit, you will get a bad product. If you specify good materials and a higher target of manufacturing cost, and you impose QC processes and controls such as continuous inspections - you will get an ace product. 

 

Wherever you are.

 

So let's just say Grant Stone orders their boots with some very clear, quality-based specs and processes.

 

And they make a stunning variety of boots and shoes - 8 different styles of boots and 6 different styles of shoes in the men's collection, and there's a women's collection too. They apply different makeups to their different styles, so that, for example, the Diesel boot design comes in 15 different makeups, varying the leathers and soles - and that's not counting the limited releases that they run from time to time, including exotic leathers like Maduro Shell, Kangaroo, and Ostrich.

 

Here's a link to an interview Wyatt took part in on the Stitchdown website. I recommend you read it to see the vision and mission that shines through, and the work in design and innovation that these guys undertake, and some very revealing facts about how they handle customer service and QC.

 

 

Now, let's take a look at how this Diesel boot is put together. I'll start from the top down.

 

As I said earlier, the uppers are vegetable-tanned, full-grain leather from the Italian tannery Badalassi Carlo, in a colour they call Saddle Tan.

 

 

Let's unpack that a little.

 

There are primarily three ways of tanning leather - vegetable tanning, tanning using minerals, primarily chromium salts, and oil tanning. You either use vegetable "tannins" or chromium salts or fats and oils to preserve the leather when you tan it. 

 

Sometimes, the leather goes through two or more processes and that's referred to as "combination tanning".

 

Obviously, veg tanning is a more "natural" way, and is arguably kinder to the environment. Veg tanning takes longer - could be up to several months in fact - and tends to produce "tougher" more rugged leather, often used in making saddles for example. In this case, Badalassi put their hides into a huge barrel called a "Bottali" and cycles the hides for 30 to 35 days. The leather that comes out is tough and smells like well, saddles! 

 

It's a gorgeous smell and if we had a smello-blog, even after two years, you'd be able to appreciate this earthy, natural, leather-like smell.

 

In this particular Saddle Tan colour, it's a very light orange-coloured boot when new, so develops light and dark hues as you wear it and as rain and weather get on it. You can see from the images that on the vamp, it rolls as well as breaks with wear, and the later images show the darkening of the leather with wear, into a warm honey brown.

 

 

This is a patina machine and I look forward to keeping on the development of the patina!

 

It's fully lined - even the tongue, which is semi-gusseted up to the second eyelet, which helps to avoid the slipping tongue syndrome you get in some ungusseted tongue boots, where the tongues slip to one side with wear.

 

The lining is full grain American cow leather, and together with the Badalassi leather combines to a thickness of nearly 4 mm. That's pretty thick, and when you put the boot on, you know it's sturdy.

 

It has the characteristic Grant Stone dulled brass hardware of four large eyelets and three speed-hooks. In my view, this is the perfect combination of hardware to help you put on and take off your boots quickly.

 

Grant Stone gives you two pairs of laces, a flat cotton pair and the leather laces I'm showing in the images. One thing - Grant Stone laces are long.

  

Coming down the boot, there's basically only the vamp and tongue, the two quarters, and a two-piece back stay - very simple panels, and very elegant. 

 

 

The stitching is very even and secure - triple stitching on the quarters and double stitching on the backstays. The stitch density per inch is even and perfect.

 

The toe box is structured, I believe using real leather stiffeners. That's almost unheard of these days with the increasing use of reconstituted leather board or thermo-plastic Celastic stiffeners. The heel counter is also real leather, sandwiched between the lining and the uppers, and capped by the two-piece backstay.

 

If we start to move into the sole construction, this boot uses a veg-tanned leather insole, and under that is cork filling and a steel shank.

 

A shank is a piece of material, usually steel as in this case, that is inserted between the heel and the ball of the foot as a stiffener and arch support so that when your feet compress into the sole, it supports your arch and doesn't sink into this gap under your arch, and stopping you getting tired flat-feet arches if you're standing all day.

 

The midsole and outsole are also veg-tanned leather, attached to the uppers using Goodyear welt construction.

 

A welt is a strip of leather that's sewn on the inside of the turned-in uppers, and the outside edge of the welt is then Goodyear stitched through the midsole and outsole. A Goodyear welt-constructed boot provides the ability to resole the boot where you can simply undo the stitches in the welt, peel off and replace the outsole without damaging the welt or the uppers. It's also reputedly more water resistant than other methods of construction because the welt forms a barrier between the outside and inside.

 

In this case, it's even more water resistant because of the use of a storm welt where part of the welt is flanged up against the outside of the uppers creating an extra barrier.

 

 

Again, the stitching and the stitch density in the Goodyear stitch is phenomenal.

 

And if you have one or get to see one, check the welt joint.

 

A welt, being a strip of leather around the edge of the boot has a beginning and an end. Usually the joint is placed on the inside of the boot, against your arch, to hide it. Often you will be able to see the joint, and sometimes the ends even overlap.

 

In this case, you can play the Spot The Welt Joint Game because Grant Stone does it so well that it's nearly impossible to pick where the welt joins.

 

 

As I alluded to earlier, overall quality control is excellent.  The factory obviously goes through pre-set Standard Operating Procedure QC processes - as would have been dictated by Grant Stone - so they know the level of performance required. Back in Grant Stone's Michigan warehouse and distribution centre, each shipment is looked over again when received from the factory, and just before each individual pair is sent out, there's a final inspection and a brush and polish.

 

If we keep moving down the boot, we see the heel is a full leather-stacked heel with a rubber dove-tailed insert for a bit of grip and shock absorption.

 

 

This brings us to comfort, fit and sizing.

 

Some people are wary of leather-soled shoes. Of course, they can be very slippery, especially when new and before it scuffs and creates their own high-friction surface. But once they scuff, they start to look a little ugly, and even dirty. They also show wear more dramatically - some people put toe taps on the tip of the toes to protect wear on the toes.

 

I like leather soles.

 

I feel they "feel" better, that there seems a level of natural shock absorption. I'm careful when I walk on potentially slippery places like wet pavement or well-polished shopping-centre floors. I've worn leather soles since I was a kid and as long as you're aware of them I've found them safe.

 

One thing with these though, is that they are made up of multiple layers of leather, cork, and more leather - pretty thick - and they took a while to break in and flex naturally where my foot flexes as I walk. Nothing too dramatic or painful, just awkward until the leather was relaxed.

 

 

That by the way was all the break-in required.

 

These Diesel boots were a great fit and comfy out of the box. Grant Stone's "Leo" last with the wide toe box is anatomically perfect for my feet. My heel and middle of my feet feel hugged and snug, while I have space to wiggle my toes up front. 

 

The tough thick uppers did need a bit of flexing, like the sole, but a couple of days' wear did it.

 

All that leather and cork does provide a reasonable level of shock absorption and arch support. But these are not soft sneakers though - you know you're wearing a boot. Your feet are gripped. But each step feels comfortable, there's no jarring, and the arch support stops your feet from getting tired at the end of the day.

 

The veg tan leather squeaks a little - like you imagine a saddle would as you sit on it. I don't find it a problem - I find it, like the gorgeous smell, just a characteristic of the saddle tan veg-tanned leather. It's real leather after all.

 

As for sizing, like almost all my American heritage-style boots, I ordered a half size down from True To Size,  assuming that true size is as measured on the Brannock device that you stand on in shoe stores.

 

I'm US 8 and a half in a D width in US sizing, and I bought these in an 8D, which is perfect.

 

If you're in any doubt at all, I'd contact Grant Stone, by phone if you're in the US or at least by email, and chances are you might well speak to owners Wyatt or Josh, but whoever it is, you'll find them extremely knowledgeable and informative and helpful about the sizing.

 

 

OK, so it's a tough boot. When and where would you wear it and what would you wear it with?

 

Well, firstly, because it's a tough boot, setting aside the slippery leather sole, I guess you could wear it as a work boot. I have no doubt it would take it, and certainly, even with the leather sole, I reckon you could wear it as a workboot in a shop like say a hardware store where you're moving and kicking boxes, or a carpentry or furniture workshop or something like that.

 

I personally wouldn't though - mainly because it's such beautiful leather. 

 

Having said that, I think it would be fine if - depending on the ground surface - you wear it out bush on a hike. Only don't try to wade through a stream with slippery mossy rocks underfoot, but across sandy, soft terrain, it would be fine.

 

OK, that's the tough guy, macho "hey it's a boot, just wear it, dude" mob satisfied.

 

To me, it's a casual boot. As far as I would go, it's smart casual and maybe a stretch to business casual. So my use case scenarios include going to my professional services office, going shopping, to friends for dinner or a barbecue, drinks and meals at the pub - even nice date night dinners.

 

 

So, I wear them with smarter jeans, brown and grey or black jeans, any kind of chinos, and topped with a polo shirt, button-downs and button-ups, flannels, sports coats, blazers, bombers and leather jackets.

 

 

Funny, I don't see myself wearing them with blue jeans and a T-shirt - they're casual but not that way in my mind. Because of the leather, I think they're dressy casual.

 

I have even worn them with a suit - grey flannel - but dressed down with a chambray shirt.

 

 

 

Now, let's look at looking after these boots. Instruction Number One - brush, brush, brush with a good horsehair brush.

 

A horsehair brush has really fine and soft bristles that remove dirt and dust, move the waxes and oils around, and the heat of the brushing brings out a lustre in the leather. Brush after every wear or at least, once a week.  Don't let dirt and dust accumulate on the seams and welt.

 

Definitely put shoe trees in them after every wear - shoe trees help them to retain the shape and stop curling up into an ugly toe spring, and shoe trees can help to reduce the rolls and creases on the vamp.

 

If dirty, start with a damp cloth and wipe the dirt off. If you really have to, use a mild leather cleaner like Leather Honey, and if you really, really have to, if they have got real muck and grease on them,  a mild saddle soap - but read the instructions! 

 

You don't want to be stripping the leather of its natural oils and waxes.

 

A word of warning, when you wet them - because it is veg tan leather, the moisture may seep in and make the boots look dark and blotchy and give you a heart attack at first. Persevere, but then let it dry naturally, for over 24 hours if you have to.

 

It's a smooth, full-grain leather, so when you feel the need to apply conditioner, my go-to conditioner for smooth leather is Venetian Shoe Cream - in neutral. This will not only condition and moisturize the leather but will also buff to a nice sheen. You can check out my Buy Stuff page on this website for links to cleaning and conditioning products.

 

Once the Venetian Shoe Cream dries to a haze -  at least 10 minutes, better if 20 - brush to a nice sheen, and you can also use a polishing cloth to buff it some more. If the leather feels really dry, apply more Venetian Shoe Cream before you brush and leave it for a couple of hours, if not overnight to absorb, before you brush and buff.

 

With this leather, I would avoid boot oils and mink oils - I think that would really darken the leather and turn it into a brown shoe.

 

 

Now that you've got it nice and clean and buffed, let's look at the value.

 

I bought these boots for US $360 dollars in July 2021. Since then, they have gone up to list at US $380 at the time of writing, which isn't bad considering all the supply chain issues we've been getting over the "COVID years".

 

At the time I bought them, it was converting to a little over $500 Aussie dollars. For Australia, that's not cheap, when you consider the number of fashion brands producing boots at AUD $200 or less. But those are fashion brands. Those are constructed in a "wear in, wear out, and throw away" manner - cement construction soles and cheap, corrected - that's sanded to you - leathers that are black or brown or artificially burnished and have no real character. 

 

Sniff a fashion boot and it won't smell of leather - it will smell of chemicals.

 

I wouldn't really compare them with Thursday boots as much as I love my Thursdays. Thursday are entry-level boots. They sell for US $200 or about $300 Aussie.

 

The real comparison is with quality boots like Australia's R M Williams Chelsea boots that sell for nearly AUD $700. American heritage boots like Red Wing and Wolverine sell here in Australia for over AUD $500. Parkhurst, another of my favourite brands, costs around $500 Aussie as well. If you bought Alden from a US website - it would cost close to a thousand Aussie dollars landed.

 

So, if you agree with me that Grant Stone boots are quality boots, then it is in the ballpark with those competitors.

 

But, I can't stress this enough - I think they are excellent quality - some people have compared the way they are made, their attention to detail, the stitching, and QC as being Alden or Viberg quality, without the recent controversy of leatherboard in Alden Indy's.

 

I agree with them. 

 

I think Made In China and Direct to Consumer obviously play a role in pricing because, quality-wise, I think these are worth another $100 to $200 dollars more. I'm not going to shout that from the rooftops - I like their pricing and at that pricing, I'll keep buying.

 

 

So that's what I think about the Grant Stone Diesel Boot, in Saddle Tan Veg. 

 

Would you buy a pair? Check this website's Buy Stuff page for a link to Grant Stone.

 

The pros include the price-to-value ratio, the design, the quality of the materials including that outstanding Italian veg tan leather, the quality of construction as shown in the stitching and attention to detail, and the last which is a comfortable fit.

 

As for the cons, not a lot except if you don't like Made in China for other reasons, even if the factory is privately owned. You may not like that it's not a work boot but there are other boots you can buy if you're looking for a work boot. And some of you may just not like the leather sole.

 

Overall though, in my opinion, this is an excellent boot and well worth a look. You'll be hooked!