Grenson 'Ryan' Boot My All Time Favorites

A trusty pair of boots is a lifelong companion that is a blessing indeed.  These Ryan boots from Grenson are a perfect case in point.  As I recall, I purchased this pair from Coggles.com back in July of 2014 in a rather plane light cognac color, that I thought looked pretty smart when I ordered them but was not a huge fan of the color upon their arrival.  No matter, a bit of leather dye and burnishing has really brought out their potential.  These boots are extremely versatile in my wardrobe looking equally great with denim, tweed, Corduroy and Tweed trousers.

Sadly, the Ryan boot appears to have been discontinued by Grenson.  I do hope they bring it back, because to my reckoning, it's about the perfect low boot.  Modeled after the WWII service boot, it's got a larger toe box that typical, giving it a great profile on the foot and offering supreme comfort and the fact that it's only got a height of 5 inches with 5 eyelets, make getting them on and off very easy indeed.   Shown in these photos with Olive Nylon indestructible laces from Bondi laces, which I wear on most of my shoes and boots because they not only look great, but really, really last. 

The first thing I do when a new pair of leather soled shoes or boots arrive is to deliver them to my shoemaker to add some non-slip rubber caps on the sole and heal.  This, I find especially crucial here in Germany with all our wet weather, leather sole shoes are sorely tested.  But with rubber sole caps and consistent care of the uppers, my shoes and boots will essentially last forever.  The occasion for this review is my getting these back from my shoe maker having replaced the non-slip rubber sole caps for the first time since they were initially installed back when new in 2014.

These boots are the ones my feet find their way into most regularly, resulting in some very large miles indeed.  Equally great looking for in town or country walks as well as for work, these boots have held up remarkably well over the past 4 1/2 years of steady wear.  And while the calf leather uppers are thin for a boot - more what one would expect on calfskin Oxfords, they don't scuff easily as you can see from the accompanying photos.  Also, the leather is quite supple providing great comfort with no break-in period needed.  These boots as with all Grenson boots are Goodyear welted, so comfort does get better as the cork footbed takes on the impression of your feet.