Dark Olive Chromexcel Plain Toe Boot

Dark olive is an unusual thing to ask of Chromexcel, and this plain toe boot is the pattern with the least going on, so the colour has room.

Horween tans the Chromexcel in Chicago. It is a resilient leather with a lot of character, and the hot-stuffed tannage leaves natural oils and waxes in the hide, which produces the pull-up effect and the supple feel. These are natural aniline leathers: creasing and colour variation are expected, and each pair develops differently because every hide is unique. The lining is full-grain kip leather. Underneath, vegetable-tanned leather makes the insole, welt and midsole, with cork filler over a steel shank and full-grain leather heel counters. Goodyear-welt construction on the Leo last, a 360º split-reverse welt, antique brass eyelets and speed hooks. The lug rubber outsole is medium density, built to handle all seasons and to combine traction with durability.

Olive sits somewhere between a neutral and a colour, which makes it a useful boot rather than an occasional one. It works under almost anything muted, and the lug sole means you can take it outside and mean it.