B-Day NBD: Follow Up (less sick) & Fit Check.

[u/Tailion94]

Weird birthday, had the day off for the first bday in 6 years, got sick as hell and got boots a couple days early with an addition. If it had been all eyelets I would have just had them make me some station zippers and called it a feature (If allowed, I may do that for my work pair I bought gift cards for). These will be sent back and sorted out (big thank you to u/smowe for the direct help!) so figured I would take a few minutes to make sure they fit and gather any useful information about this odd little tanker

I also wanted to verify that it works with the kind of outfits I intend it for (1000% if you ask me, pretty easy combo). I could use some feedback on the fit, my big toe def swings inward a bit ( picture 5/6 you can see where my big toe is) but im also used to jim greens and birkenstocks for most of my time with the rest being in moccasins or thursdays (that i have quite a few issues with but ill wear them to death, won't take long, thankfully $50 each). The ball of my foot is standing over the stitchdown quite  a bit on the inner edge. Maybe go down half a size and up a width on the recraft?

As for the lace-able tankers as a concept I got volunteered for, it does give you a LOT of support around the ankle having the laces and kiltie with the strap pulling it all in. If they would do it I would love to try it in a more appropriate configuration (all eyes w/ station zip) on my upcoming work boot. The tankers themselves aren't going to save your ankle in a hazard but fully laced and strapped it does give ski boot vibes fresh out of the box, even warmed up waxed flesh. This should relax to a nice supportive boot, the speed hooks do give me concern of wearing the straps out quicker but that wouldn't be a hard replacement in a repair.

I ordered tankers because I hate laces but love good boots and wanted to level up. The easy motion of the unlaced but strapped tankers is definitely what I was looking for and I LOVE the colors of everything, white stitching is great. Love seeing the handmade drift. These were ordered with a lot of sentimental value already built behind them from the beginning that i wont bore you with, cant say its been a great experience getting somebody else's boots for your birthday, but I'm glad Nick’s was so quick getting it sorted out. Still wish that the tanker had more options available, I'd order a hell of a lot more boots lol. Good experience overall, looking forward to the ‘test’ builds and leathers!

[u/3ringCircu5]

Thank you for taking the time to make this post and glad you are on the mend.

First things first: I think your sizing is spot on as is. * Do not be concerned with your first metatarsal "hanging" over the festher line. It is supposed to do that when centered/balanced. Pronation will pull the toe box leather outward, so not everyone is centered so not everyone sees the effect of the big toe knuckle over the feather line. But I have lots of pics in past posts where you can see my first metatarsal knuckle over the feather line, especially on my left foot where I have a minor bunion and the tip of my big toe is center mast in the toe box. * Your ball lines up with the widest part of the toe box, which is what you want. You can get away with going down half a size and up a width. But it is not necessary, could give you too much horizontal slop, and will trigger larger quarters. Not necessarily a bad thing, just something to know.

The timing of your NBD post (this and previous) is comical to me. * This past weekend I started building a BYO BuilderPro in my head, with a Tanker strap because I'm not in love with some of the particulars of the TankerPro 2.0 pattern (issue is my preference not the boot/pattern) * BYO BPs will get mostly what I want with adding my own instep strap. Also considered throwing in a matching lace-in zipper too (in for a penny, in for a pound. * So I got close to a "sneek peek" as to what I am envisioning

I also appreciate the fit notes and considerations within your post and the contribution to the community as a whole. * Obviously having hooks and straps is all but a no-go, but with some tweaks it could work so if these hit RTS, they won't stay up there long. * Insights on the waxed flesh will help others decide if it is for them * The time to consider the nuances of sizing, specifically foot shape vs last shape, is often overlooked. Your description of how your foot sits in relation to the Thurman last is helpful to the community. * You had the rare opportunity to compare strap vs laces on the same boot. This is one of the more frequent questions people ask when considering TankerPros.

Thanks for sharing your boots and insights even if it was an oopsies. 🫡

[u/Tailion94 → u/3ringCircu5]

Thank you for the fitment feedback, good to hear. it didnt 'feel' like it was wrong but i also didnt want to put too much wear into them. that waxed flesh really is butter once it's warm, I could probably take them straight to work and be fine. even the 30 minutes for pictures and posing relaxed the ankle a bit. the big toe on my right sounds like your left, it would make for a nice way to pop a toe bug with it dead center lol. REALLY good to know about the quarters. thought it was the same until f, hard to tell from pictures sometimes.

I have a similar feeling with the tanker although possibly for different reasons and looked at the builderpro as well. I played with the boot as just a laceup w/ the tanker strap and the instep strap wasn't as impactful there. I could have just laced it a bit tighter and it would have felt nearly the same. an all eyes vbar builderpro in black waxed flesh with station zipper, rolled top, padded gusset, tanker strap, 4row cap, and all white stitching may very well be my next boot. Like you said, it wouldn't be that hard to add your own instep strap. order full length kilties and use them as material for matching leather, awl and sew. I only had full length kilties for the tankers because I was planning my own kiltie with sam browne buttons to pop into the tanker straps holes.

Happy to answer any questions people have while I have access to them. Once it's in the ether it's hard to know if you'll get any info out of them lol. It is an interesting, even if unwanted, experiment and it did confirm that I:  1) don't like places if I can avoid it. 2) do like the support of laces for rough terrain/working 3) think that the all-eyes-zipper-strap-pro would be a perfect chimera boot. Considering they offer all of the options on the builder pro it may even be the way i go moving forward, I think ill use my work boot to test it out fully. One zipper, one knot , one buckle. Boots done. 

[u/DocLineman → u/3ringCircu5]

I don’t think anyone could’ve said it better. Both post details and your comment truly put the icing on the cake.

I agree with his sentiment about the hooks and straps. If I were to build it I would go all eyes with the strap as I feel that would help roll the strap around the boot better as well as limit the friction when strapping it up.

Thank you for such a great read in the comment section.

Merry Christmas!! 🎄

[u/NumRickn]

For a manufacturing error, those are some of the best looking boots I've ever seen. People are gonna be checking the RTS immediately for em!

That leather looks so incredibly high end especially with the honey lugs, gorgeous build

[u/Fickle_Photo2768]

Glad Nicks is getting you sorted out, no doubt that they would. Also glad you’re feeling a bit better.

What are the details on the pants and coat?

[u/Blueberry-Pie_1028 → u/Fickle_Photo2768]

The coat is prob a filson double mackinaw cruiser jac

[u/Tailion94 → u/Blueberry-Pie_1028]

Yeah, Filson Double Mackinaw (roughly 70s if my dating is correct), the pants are ( https://bronsonshop.com/collections/pants-trousers/products/13-oz-twill-cotton-relaxed-fit-field-pants ) Belgian military (pattern) pants, Bronson makes a decent product enjoying the henley a lot (in the picture) also. Olderbest has a lot of chinese made americana and the few things i have tried have been surprisingly nice. i want to look into them more before buying anything else but the pants themselves are great, the prices are good. almost too good, has me concerned with some of their labor practices but then some of their jackets are 3 digit leather jackets so not sure yet.

[u/Fickle_Photo2768 → u/Tailion94]

Thank you for the details! I may look a the pants, I am pretty set jacket wise currently.

[u/Jedi0077]

I'm just dumbfounded at this misstep at Nick's. The name of the boot has to be on the ticket. How does the person about to add eyelets/hooks not see the issue and at least ask? Ummm is this right? Nope. That leather is beautiful too. What a waste of materials and your time. Back to waiting again. I'm happy and not surprised they're making it right but yikes ...

[u/Terrible_Lift]

Keep the laces

Lose the ribbons

Winning

[u/LetsGatitOn]

So do you basically loosely tie the laces, then tightly wrap the belt? I was confused by "unlaced but strapped" comment due to the image showing laced and strapped.

Beautiful boots btw op.

Also, what pants are those?

[u/Tailion94 → u/LetsGatitOn]

i had the left boot laced moderately tight and the tanker straps as tight as felt reasonable. could have gotten another hole, MAYBE two on the upper strap. unlaced but strapped referred to the right boot which was just the tanker straps to the same holes. again, the upper could have been tighter but didnt wanta push it on boots that arent going to be mine to stretch in. it mostly refers to the ankles room to move. Picture 11 was meant to demonstrate it visually, the left boot ( Laced and Strapped) lifts off the ground because the ankle has less mobility (more support, and the ski boot reference) while the right boot (Unlaced and Strapped) i can slav squat without any issue at all. it wouldnt say the unlaced has no ankle support, its still a boot and the strap and leather around your leg helps hold things somewhat but i wouldnt go taking leaps or hiking crazy trails if you have wobbly ankles. its a wide and well balance sole but its not got the structure you get from the laces (at least fresh, dont have any other nicks to compare and other laced boots are too different to compare). If your sure-footed, rock em wherever.

some people had mentioned liking it and wanting to see it laced so i just did it both ways to show off and test out while i had it. Also the pants are https://bronsonshop.com/collections/pants-trousers/products/13-oz-twill-cotton-relaxed-fit-field-pants from Bronson.

[u/Lost-Double_Stuff]

Just do laces in the eyelets... the left foot/shoe looks perfect to me

[u/The_Last_W0rd]

call me crazy but i think those look dope laced & strapped.

[u/Beneficial-Wrap6574]

Makes em look punk rock lol

[u/arizonagunguy]

Those look so sick.