Welcome back to our blog. We hope you are all keeping well.
Winter is well and truly underway here in the UK and summer seems like a distant memory. It’s muddy, it’s cold and it’s damp. But it won’t stop us getting outdoors.
This series of blog posts is intended to give you a sneak peak of our upcoming projects and to give you a greater insight into our completed ones. If you follow us on social media, you’ve likely been bombarded by images of our B5 MK1 Trudge boot. Sorry about that, but we think they are gorgeous. We thought it was about time we offered a little insight into why we had this boot made for us. So, sit back, relax and we’ll tell you all about it.
Back when GHC was getting started we reached out to many British manufacturers. We really wanted a 100% made in the UK product. We had dreams of design meetings, marketing strategies and glamourous product launches. Then reality kicked in. As it always does!
Out of all the emails we sent out and there were many, only two manufacturers responded to us. One, who shall remain nameless basically laughed at us. The other, who was more than happy to talk to us was William Lennon & Co.
The frustration of being ignored was over. We could now start on the long road to realizing a dream. Our own boot. It felt fantastic. Whatever the reason might have been for being ignored, we still believe that UK manufacturing remains some of the best in the world and we have some fantastic footwear manufacturers. So, should you be able to support them, do so.
We had done some research into William Lennon, prior to us contacting them. Being honest, when we read about the brass wire and their heavy-duty boots, we became intrigued. Admittedly, a little intimidated too. This construction method was completely new to us. What were these boots? How come we’d never heard of them? During this research, we discovered an almost fanatical fanbase. People who owned a pair of their boots loved them. This after all, is a company that has been in existence for over 100 years. By rights, they should be a household name in the UK. As a company, they were founded on making footwear for quarry workers. So, we did have to ask ourselves; ‘Was this company right for us?’ You see, at GHC we are passionate hikers above all else. Were these hiking boots? Or were they something else entirely? Throwing caution to the wind, we arranged a visit.
The factory is nestled away in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. Even if you aren’t interested in footwear, you should visit this part of Derbyshire. We parked the car near St. Martin’s Church. Wound our way around the nook and proceeded up the bank to the factory. A simple, single wooden door marked the entrance. It was obvious, that this wasn’t just a factory; this was a piece of living and breathing history. Stepping inside, we were greeted by the smell of leather and made our way to the office to meet Libs.
We had already decided that we wanted to go with their B5 design. Our theory was, that a boot whose story started in the trenches of WW1, would be more than adequate for outdoors enthusiasts. There was also a deeply personal love of history, that drove us to make this choice too. The idea that you could wear history really appealed to us. A level of respect also. If this design was good enough for the lads in the trenches, then it would be good enough for us. We were told about how the boot was shaped on original wooden lasts and the leather cut with knives, found many years ago in the factory. Living. Breathing. History. We even tried on the original hobnailed version!
We were advised that these are not hiking boots. That is not to say that some people won’t enjoy hiking in them. These boots are sturdy and offer a stability that we’ve never experienced in footwear. But we knew straight away what this boot was. This was the boot you put on in a morning and regardless of what the day throws at you won’t let you down. This boot was for the people who don’t fear the elements, want something beyond tough and know quality when the see it.
We really wanted to make this vintage beast as ‘modern’ as possible. When we got down to talking about our prototype, we selected resin through soles to rubber Vibram outsoles. We chose the wheat buck oiled suede leather for the upper. This is beautiful leather. We know that as the boot ages, this leather is only going to look better. The leather comes from a tannery in Yorkshire. Hence us saying, an idea from Nottinghamshire, some leather from Yorkshire and graft from Derbyshire. We quietly told ourselves, ‘That’ll work’. ‘This boot will look vintage, but it’ll be modern too’.
Well in all honesty for us it didn’t ‘work’. Had we made a massive mistake? Had we tried to fix a design that wasn’t broken? Should we give up? No, instead we thought long and hard about how we could make the boots lighter and more flexible. Something more forgiving. Especially, for those people who aren’t used to wearing tanks on their feet! Make no mistake these boots are made like tanks. We decided on resin, to leather midsoles and a more traditional heel and forepart rubber sole. We were right to make this change and listen to the manufacturer! The boot we now offer is lighter but still insanely strong. Flexes far more naturally and in all honesty looks better too. Our Trudge boot was born; it was simply a matter of waiting for the delivery and what a wait it was.
This isn’t a criticism at all. We were fully aware of how long it would take to put these together. Keep in mind, we had seen every production stage at the factory on our little visit. The attention to detail, the care at every stage and the legendary 3 BUSM brass wire screwing machine! It’s always worth remembering that you can’t rush art! Furthermore, we’d met every person there. These boots had passed through all those workers hands, just like they have done for over 120 years. That to us, is something truly fantastic. That’s living and breathing history. How many things do we own that have passed through human hands? Each boot has its own little story.
The wait was more than worth it. When our Trudge boots arrived with us, we were beyond happy. We could now offer a 100% made in the UK boot and a heritage boot at that!
Mention footwear and WW1 to anyone and the first image that gets conjured up is trench foot! Indeed, there are stories from early in the war where battles went horrendously badly thanks to newly issued boots. Soldiers didn’t have the time to break them in, and we all know the misery that can cause! Under fire and on the run, this must have been truly soul destroying. It’s a humbling experience not being able to walk thanks to an injury. One can only imagine what they went through. With that said these boots will take you a while to break in, but we promise that it will be worth it. Part of the reason we went for an oiled leather was to aid this process and you’ll find that in a couple of weeks the boots will feel fantastic. Should you have any concerns on sizing, just get in contact with us. We are always happy to help.
So how good are these boots in the outdoors? Well, they aren’t bad at all. As you might imagine, this is a no nonsense tough as nails boot. It really won’t let you down. We’ve found that if we are out doing a spot of bird watching or photography, these are wonderful. You stand tall and the support as previously mentioned, really is second to none. It’s quite hard to describe, it’s something you must experience for yourself. When we’ve walked in them, they haven’t felt as heavy as we anticipated and they do offer excellent grip. The soft square toe box feels natural, and your toes don’t feel squished. It’s a boot that can do both work and pleasure. In a pair of wool socks, these boots feel luxurious. Your feet feel protected. They are a perfect boot for a leisurely stroll and a pub lunch; they look smart and go with anything you have in the wardrobe.
Waterproofing. Always an interesting topic for the footwear obsessed. In all honesty, it’s actually very good. We treated ours with a mink oil wax dubbin on the upper and rubbed a little beeswax on the leather soles. This helps create a seal on the leather soles. Don’t forget to do the underneath though. We know that everyone wants a waterproof boot in the autumn/winter months. We’ve worn all kinds of boots that claim to be waterproof. Some have been excellent; some have been laughable. Breathability is always key. Looking after the inside of the boots is just as important as the outside. If the boot has a membrane, you need to keep that clean too. Obviously, the Trudge doesn’t have a membrane. This is a heritage boot. However, premium quality leather means you get excellent breathability. If waterproofing is a concern. We recommend wearing thick wool socks or even waterproof socks with a liner. Just have a think about what you want these boots to do and how much time you can set aside for drying them correctly. Also be aware that waterproof socks aren’t the most sustainable choice.
For some people these are going to be an everyday boot, something they can wear to the office and if they had to venture outside, they could then do so without a second thought. Others may simply want to own a heritage boot and show them off down the pub. One thing is for sure; these boots are going to be with you for many years. This is ultimately our aim. Providing footwear that will last. Can be repaired and supports traditional craftsmanship. Which we still think is the best pathway to real sustainability.
It was a real pleasure working with William Lennon on our Trudge boot project and we hope to be able to work on another project soon. To all those who worked on them, a sincere thank you. You helped us to realise a dream.
We hoped you enjoyed our latest blog post. If you have any questions about our B5 MK1 Trudge, get in contact with us via info@ghcoutdoors.co.uk