The Boots Are Back in Town

Almost 3 years ago I bought a pair of Billy Reid Kentwood Ropers from the store in Nashville. They looked sortof like this:

They’ve been amazing boots, and have broken in incredibly well. They’ve been reheeled once and resoled once, but after 3 years of twice-weekly wear, they needed some help. The heels were falling apart again, the sockliner was peeling up from the insole, and the lining was torn at the heel, and the leather reinforcing the heel was completely shot.

So I did what I always do and sent them to B. Nelson Shoes in New York for some TLC. The soles were fine, but the heels had to go, along with some work on the inside. It wasn’t cheap, but for boots that fit perfectly and cost about 2x what I paid for them nowadays, it was worth it. I got these back today:

I’m pretty hard on heels, so Nick recommended J. Rendenbach replacements. They look great too:

But the best part is the super-thick replacement leather at the heel, covering the ripped liner. This isn’t easy to replace cleanly, according to the Internet, but I can barely even tell anything’s been done, much less once it’s on my feet:

All-in-all, excellent work and great boots ready for at least 3 more years. If you buy nice boots and have someone good take care of them, they’ll last a long long time.