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[TAG8] ($298)

NOTE: These boots are currently 30% off through tomorrow, 10/31/23. Earlier this season they were excluded a couple of times, but it looks like they’ve now been green-lighted for at least most 30% off codes and promos. They could drop to 40% off (as good as it gets for J. Crew before they may move to the final sale section)… but who knows at this point.

• Style: Heritage Work Boot
• Fit: True. 10.5 fits a pair of normally 10.5D feet just fine
• Wide Widths? No
• Sales? Yes
• Origin: El Salvador
• Construction: Goodyear Welted
• Sole: Vibram mini lug

Boots. Fall boots. Couldn’t be more of a fall boot unless you drank a pumpkin spice
latte out of them.

If you think “Autumn/Winter Smart Casual Boots”… these should come to mind. They’re the menswear-definition of this style which so many of us love. They’re such a classic “Autumn/Winter Smart Casual Boot” that if you conjured up that phrase years ago, well before J. Crew was even making them, they still would have come to mind. If you’ve always wondered what 90’s Pop duo Savage Garden meant when they crooned “I knew I loved you before I met you?”

…clearly they were talking about these boots.

SING TO THE BOOTS, CHRIS KATTAN.

(that is not Chris Kattan.)

Classic carpenter-style / heritage work boot shape.
Flat waxed laces with speed hooks at the top.

These are not a pair of USA-Made Alden Indy boots. But they sure are inspired by them. Goodyear welted and Made in El Salvador, these are some solid boots, especially considering the price. For the sake of comparison, they look and feel like they could have easily come from the leather and shoe/boot-making hub of Leon Mexico. That’s where much of Huckberry’s Rhodes brand sources their boots, and many of us have had great experiences with the feel and craftsmanship of Rhodes. The J. Crew Kenton Pacer’s materials, finishing, and overall quality can absolutely compete with Rhodes.

Apron toe that isn’t too high or clunky.
Much more versatile than a pair of, say, Red Wing moc-toes.

The color of the thick pull-up leather is a deep reddish-brown which can look significantly different depending on lighting conditions. J. Crew calls this shade “rootbeer,” but it’s less sarsaparilla-brown, and instead more deep-cherry-cola, (!!!) It also pivots to having caramel undertones in bright sun. That’s one of the tricks pull-up leather can pull. Pull-up leather looks really “deep” and can shift shades thanks to all of the oils and waxes that have been marinated into it during the tanning process. With wear and time, those oils will rise up from the deep, giving the boots a one-of-a-kind look with wear patterns reflecting the owner’s usage. The glossy (but not shiny) waxy leather will pick up light scratches and dings and bend marks and what not over time. It’s supposed to. That’s what pull-up leather does. Part of the charm.

Dark cherry in most lighting gives way to caramel undertones in bright sun.

They’re lined in leather and are comfortable out of the box. They will require a little break-in time to truly loosen up, but that’s a sign of the quality of the materials and construction J. Crew is using here, and not a warning sign that they’re gonna be uncomfortable. Fit seems true, as a size 10.5 D fit my normally 10.5 D feet (across most brands and lasts) just fine. Laces are a sturdy-feeling flat-waxed type, and the boots come with brass-tone eyelets with three pairs of speed hooks at the top.

Made in El Salvador. Leather lined.

Sole is by Vibram, and it’s one of their well-loved “mini lug” options. You’ll get traction and grip, but the lugs aren’t so tall and toothy that they’d look out of place with a sportcoat, dressier watch, button up, and jeans or cords. They’ll also do great with beat up chinos, a t-shirt, and a field-watch. The sole provides traction without looking like a monster truck tire. That’s perfect for those who like to dress well, even when dressed casually/for relatively crummy weather.

Goodyear welted. Ready for fall and winter.
Mini lug sole is subtle but provides traction.

They’re really nice boots. Goodyear welted, and made with materials that are high enough quality that years down the line you’ll actually want to have them resoled. They’re a versatile shape, an interesting and versatile color, and they go on sale enough that you can get them for less than half of what a pair of Alden Indys would cost.

Many will probably not just like them… but love them.

Truly. Madly. Deeply.