Parkhurst Allen Boot in Dark Roast Dublin

 

Parkhurst is a small-batch bootmaker with a foundation plain-toe service boot design called the Allen.

 

This below, is Parkhurst's Allen boot in Dark Roast (colourway) Horween (tannery) Dublin (tannage) leather. The current Parkhurst offerings do not currently offer this tannage so fair warning that this is a review of an older boot. However, Parkhurst have stated on social media that at some stage, Horween's Dublin leathers will make a comeback, so you should probably sign up to their newsletter if you like the boot being reviewed.

 

 

The Allen is one of Parkhurst's flagship styles, along with the cap-toe Richmond. It has been made in a variety of smooth and suede or matte leathers, like the Spruce Kudu. But this version is in Horween Tannery's Dublin leather in a colour called "Dark Roast".

 

Many of today's bootmakers who make heritage-style boots do aim at that service boot aesthetic, so-called because they hark back to the military-style boots from the Second World War. Generally plain toe, Derby-style open lacing system, 6-inch height, and a sleek profile so that the boot can double as a dressier boot, yet built sturdily enough to potentially use as a light work boot if you want to.

 

You'll find the companies that started in the 2010s like Thursday, Oak Street Bootmakers, Grant Stone, Parkhurst, and the now defunct Mark Albert all have a flagship version of this style. They differ from the bulbous-toed work boot styles - whether plain toe or cap toe, like Red Wings' Iron Rangers and Blacksmiths, or the very overtly military styles like Doc Martens.

 

I think you'll agree with me that the shape and profile of this style is very versatile.

 

These were factory seconds. They were discounted because the leather had some loose grain on the vamp and on one of the quarters.

 

 

 

The Allen boot is made by Parkhurst Brand.

 

Parkhurst is a small company started in 2018 by founder, Andrew Svisco, who was driven to make a good quality, American heritage-style boot, with updated aesthetics, at an affordable price. Andrew was also motivated by the general decline of US manufacturing of quality boots - losing generations of bootmaking experience and potentially devastating towns that once had great histories in bootmaking. 

 

As a small company, Andrew partnered with a then-existing boot-making factory in upstate New York, to be a small batch manufacturer. This means that he buys smaller batches of hides, and makes a smaller batch of boots, and when that batch and type of leather runs out, he'll try another type of leather. This makes Parkhurst both frustrating and exciting.

 

It's frustrating because you might see a model you like but if you're too slow, you may find that it's run out, and there's a wait to get the leather again or it may never even be made in that leather again.

 

It's exciting because of the innovative choice of leathers that he will try, and it’s exciting to “hunt" for that different, special boot. Sign up to that thinking and you can find a great community on Facebook called the Parkhurst Enthusiasts group, which celebrates as people race to buy the boots when they drop or celebrate when members find old versions on the secondary market.

 

 

Parkhurst went through the wringer during COVID.

 

Because of Andrew's intent to buy American, even to the extent of supporting local suppliers of imported materials like UK-made Dainite outsoles, this meant that as the industry closed down at first through lockdowns, and then later through business closures, he was left high and dry for supply.

 

Parkhurst enthusiasts watched his website shrink from a regular twenty or so styles and makeups, reduced to three or four.

 

In time, even the New York factory had to close and, left without a factory, Andrew found a Spanish factory through introductions from some of his American tannery and other sources. Since then, production has moved to Spain, with Andrew still finishing boots in his workshop before he sends them out to buyers.

 

Today, Parkhurst focuses on the Allen and Richmond designs, as well as a moc-toe boot called the Niagara.

 

 

 

Let's move on to look at how the boot is constructed.

 

 

I'll start describing the construction from the bottom up.

 

This boot has a Dainite rubber sole and heel toplift. Dainite is a brand of the English Harboro Rubber Company, which invented the Dainite sole in 1910. The company was locally known to run their mills (factories) "day and night" and so the new sole was branded as "Dainite", geddit?

 

Dainite is a very popular outsole used by a lot of bootmakers because of the combination of sleekness and grip. It is low profile when viewed from the side. So you can see this being used for smart shoes, or for boots that are designed to be versatile as either a casual or a dressier boot. At the same time, it has inset studs that provide the grip. The low-profile studs don't pick up dirt like the deeper commando lug soles so - back to allowing shoes and boots with Dainite soles to be under dressier indoor shoes. You can visit your spouse's parents without them cursing that you've dragged mud inside and onto their carpet. 

 

 

I've worn them in my urban style life - so, that means concrete in rain or shine, grass lawns, carpeted floors, pub timber floors, shiny shopping centre tiles, and I haven't slipped yet, except once in the rain on polished tiles outside a hotel.

 

The outsole is connected to the uppers using a 360-degree Goodyear Welt construction.

 

Let's just unpack that.

 

Goodyear welt construction is one way of attaching the uppers of a boot to the sole construction. 

In this case, it's 360 degrees, because the Goodyear welt stitch goes all the way around the circumference of the boot. In some cases - check out Red Wing Iron Rangers or the R M Williams Craftsman - they are 270 degrees, that is, the stitching goes three-quarters of the way around the front of the boot.

 

The Goodyear welt construction takes a welt - a thin strip of leather - and stitches it to the turned-in bottom edges of the uppers leather. The outside edge of the welt is then stitched through the midsole and outsole, thus connecting the soles to the uppers. One way of telling - because there are faux stitches out there - is to look for the stitching on the outside edge of the welt, and match it to the stitching on the outsole, ensuring that they are in line and not askew of each other.

 

In this case, there are further variations to the basic Goodyear welt. On top of the outside edge of the welt, you can feel ridges along the welt. This is called a "wheeled welt", meaning a wheel is run over the leather welt creating a ridged effect. Also, the inside edge of the welt seems to be turned up against the outside of the boot. This is called a split reverse Goodyear welt.

 

 

The inside half of the welt is split, then the bottom part of that split is sewn to the uppers as usual, while the upper half of the split welt is flanged out and pushed against the outside of the uppers when the welt is sewn on.

 

This reinforces one of the advantages of Goodyear welted construction. It's touted as being very water resistant because there is a welt between the sole outside and the innards of the boot, acting as a barrier and, the flange there should make it even more water resistant.

 

The other stated advantage of the Goodyear welt is that it makes the boot re-soleable.

 

If you had a fashion-oriented shoe with a cemented construction - where the sole is glued to the uppers - when your sole is worn, you can't really peel it off and glue another outsole on without damaging the uppers. In this case, you can cut through the stitching at the welt, peel off the Dainite outsole and glue and stitch another one on without doing any damage to the midsole or the uppers.

 

On this boot, the midsole between the rubber outsole and the welt is leather.

 

The heel block is real leather. On some other boot makers' construction, the midsole may be rubber or another man-made material, and the heel block could be something like wood with a leather veneer.

 

Moving into the invisible inside of the boot, if you think about it - if you have a piece of 5-millimetre thick leather going all the way around the edge of the sole, you'll create a 5-millimetre cavity inside. This cavity is filled with cork, and embedded into the cork is a fibreglass shank.

 

A shank is a strip of hard material, usually steel, that bridges the gap between the heel and the ball of the foot. It gives you rigidity in that area under the arch and so gives you arch support as well as torsional stability. In this case, it's a fibreglass shank, which Andrew chose because he believed it has advantages over steel, being sturdy, long-lasting, helps easier break-in, and does not rust, flake or crack.

 

I appreciate it because it certainly doesn’t set off airport security. I travel a lot for my work and my Parkhursts are my preferred travel boots!

 

 

Inside the boot is a leather insole, and on top of the heel area, another leather heel base. All of these leather pieces in the sole construction are veg-tanned American leather. This real leather, cork, more leather, and rubber combination makes for a sturdy and firm yet comfortable boot because it breathes, wicks moisture, and compresses to the shape of your feet, making them more and more comfortable the more you wear them.

 

The inside of the boot at the vamp is lined with more veg-tanned leather, and is reputed to be a heavier, thicker leather than in most other boots. In fact, many heritage boots at this price or even up to $200 more, don't use leather lining, instead using canvas or other synthetic material.

 

The inside of the shaft, however, is not lined and it has that nappy feel of the flesh side of the leather. Some people like that throughout inside because it's more supple without a full leather lining, and they say it breathes better. My preference is to have a full leather lining, like in all Grant Stone boots. I don't really feel that it's any hotter with full lining, and an unlined shaft with really rough throughout on the inside tends to grab at my socks as I push my feet in. During the first few minutes of walking around, my socks are gathered and are pushing my toes up, like a foot version of a wedgy.

 

The shape of the toe box and the cup of the heel are structured and kept in shape by using a Celastic heel counter and Celastic toe puff. Celastic is a synthetic thermoplastic sheet that you can cut and shape when heated to form a firm supporting layer of structure and firmness at the toe and at the heel.

 

The heel counter is covered by a one-piece backstay, that cups the heel counter and extends up the back of the shaft. You'll find the Parkhurst Allen boot has variations in the backstay. Sometimes in some models they have this same one-piece backstay, in others they have a two-piece backstay being the piece that cups the heel and encloses the heel counter, and a strip that goes up the shaft.

 

 

 

The shaft is a six-inch shaft, and the collar is reinforced with another strip of leather on the inside.

 

Stitching is single, double and triple stitching, depending on need. For example, the reinforcing strips at the collar and protecting the hardware is merely single-stitched since there's not a lot of stress there, but the backstay is double-stitched because of the flexing of the ankle, and the quarters, which need to be more sturdy even, is triple stitched.

 

The hardware is 8 brass eyelets - no speedhooks. Again, to create subtle variety, Allens may come with all eyelets, or changed up with 5 eyelets and 3 speedhooks.

 

The tongue is semi gusseted up to the fourth eyelet, to help with keeping water out. It certainly holds the tongue in place and helps to avoid tongue slip, where the tongue slips to one side as you wear the boot over the course of the day.

 

The upper is from Horween Tannery in Chicago. They make the famous Chromexcel combination tanned leather.

 

This is their Dublin leather. Dublin is a vegetable-tanned leather - no chromium salts - tanned with a lot of natural waxes. As a veg-tanned leather, it's tough, and stuffed with waxes, the colour is deep yet shows the leather's natural grain.

 

It is a pull-up leather, but not with as much pull-up as Chromexcel -  in this "Dark Roast" you can see the underlying grain which I love.

 

 

 

Now, remember, they are factory seconds and supposedly have too much creasing at the quarter panel, but really, if this were worn regularly, and being veg-tanned leather, would you really notice?

 

It still smells incredible, even after two years later and it feels supple, waxy, and has a terrific feel under the hand. Just like real full grain leather should it has patinated in some beautiful ways in my opinion!

 

 

 

So that takes us to leathercare.

 

With most Horween smooth leathers, all you need is to brush them regularly. If they get dirty, wipe them with a damp cloth - and then let them air dry - and, brush them a lot more! Brushing with a horsehair brush with fine horsehair filaments will warm the leather and move the waxes in the leather around.

 

Some people say to condition them as soon as you get them - which I used to do - because, they say, the leather could have sat around for a while, and the finished boot may have been in a box for a while longer hence drying them out. But I've become wary of over-conditioning boots. Also, they'd have to have been stored in some dry air, desert warehouse for a long time for these rich oils and waxes in the tannage to dry out.

 

When you do have to condition them - when the leather starts to feel dry and less waxy to the touch, I don't think you can go wrong with Venetian Shoe Cream. Just apply a couple of thin coats, allowing to dry in between, and then brush, brush, brush!

 

I don't advise shining with a cream or wax polish. This is not shiny dress-shoe leather. It will mark and scuff, it will shift in colour variations, it will patina with use and age.

 

Love those changes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

OK now to sizing.

 

Parkhurst are a direct-to-consumer company which means you can only buy off their website. To many, this is off-putting because you can't try them on for size.

 

Well actually, you can if you live near or are passing by Buffalo, New York, because if you contact Andrew through his website contacts, he's almost sure to be able to organise a try-on in his warehouse.

 

But for those who live on the other side of the country or, like me, half the world away, let's try to help you out.

 

Since this is an American boot I'll talk about my US sizing. Bear in mind UK or Australian sizes are one number down from US numbers. that is, a US size 8 is an Aussie size 7.

 

The first thing is to know your true size or Brannock size. A Brannock device is the aluminium machine you stand on at a shoe store. Go and get yourself measured, because even if you need to email Andrew, at least you'll know your true size.

 

So, my true Brannock size is a US 8 and a half, and I'm a medium, or D width. Like many US boot makers, Parkhurst says to go half down. I bought these in a US and they are a perfect fit for me.

 

Andrew designed his own last: that's the foot-shaped mould that the factory builds your boot around, pulls the leather around the last to make the boot this shape. This is built on the the Parkhurst 602 last and this and the Grant Stone Leo last are the best for my feet.

 

 

The 602 last is built snug around the heel and waist and opens up at the ball of the foot, and then curves around the toes in a rounder shaped toebox rather than into a sharper almond shaped toe box. I feel no pinching or squeeziness anywhere.

 

If you are at all concerned about the size, contact Andrew, especially as Parkhurst does not offer wide fits. If you have a wider than average foot, ask Andrew as you may have to size up.

 

Because the last is great for me, and because this leather is so supple - and also because the leather/cork/leather sole construction is not particularly stiff, I had zero break in. As for the comfort factor, it's totally comfortable to wear for the whole day. For my feet though, the arch support is only ok, and I would prefer a little more support under the arch itself. You can request the arches be built up in your order, so if you think you need it, talk to Andrew.

  

 

 

These are casual boots. While they are versatile and do look quite sleek both in profile and from the top, I think they go dressy as far only as smart or business casual. The dark roast leather is aniline dyed, so the colour shows a lot of the natural grain through. So, they don't go with a suit - even though I have worn them with a suit!

 

 

I have worn them business casual with chinos, a button-up shirt, and a blazer.

 

 

I've also worn them as smart casual in dark or black jeans with smart button-up shirts and a bomber or Harrington jacket or a rough textured sports coat, or just with a jumper.

 

 

They also definitely go with denim jeans of any style but I think slim fit is better than wide or relaxed fit. I'd also probably stay away from light wash denim because they are a dark brown, but I fully expect that once they get way more patina and scuffing, T-shirts would be great!

 

I have worn them - as business or smart casual - to my office, but I usually wear them when I'm out of a weekend, date night, going to the pub, going to a barbeque - that sort of thing.

 

 

 

 

Let's take a look at the value. I bought these factory seconds for US$ 268. Factory firsts were then on the website for US$338. Currently, Allen models sell for the high three hundreds to the mid four hundreds, depending on leather selection, two years and a pandemic later.

 

So at today's price range what do I think of the value?

 

Personally, I think Parkhurst really offer a big bang for your buck, especially when you consider the consistent QC that you are getting from their current Spanish factory, the quality of the 602 last design, and what you get in terms of different, adventurous, and innovative leathers. You would have to go to a Viberg at the US$ 700 and above process, or a Truman at the five hundreds to get some of the Kudu, Rambler, Moose and waxed suedes.

  

With over 90 pairs of boots in my collection now, my favourite mid-range price boots still remain Parkhurst and Grant Stone for different reasons.

 

Parkhurst 's customer service is great - Andrew personally checks every boot out of the factory - and if there are any problems he deals with them for you very, very quickly. To me, the combination of innovation, Andrew's passionate drive, the leathers they're made in, the quality and fit and design, all add up to good value.

 

I'd keep buying them!