b.o.c. - Mens - Kirby Black

Shoes are right size fits good until you get to just behind the toes tight across foot and narrow in front of foot area

In my 57 years I have never had a greater fitting, greater feeling pair of shoes. Thanks

I am going to attempt to set aside the fact that I paid a bit more than these shoes now sell for because I was under a time crunch. And I would also like to note that as a heavy set individual that walks everywhere, I am extra hard on shoes.These shoes are very comfortable and have a cozy rustic aesthetic. A few scuffs here and there seem to just add a touch of character.Due to the soft material these shoes will not hold their shape for long. I don't think this is a negative as it makes them more comfortable, but it does make them definitively casual wear.It is also worth noting that even on day 1, a light rain or a misstep into a shallow puddle leads to a day of soggy socks. I can't get too upset about this. They never claimed to be waterproof.So here is where any recommendation I might have provided for the shoes starts to fall apart.2 months in one of the laces wore down until an ugly white center to the shoestring showed through. So I replaced the laces as you'll see in the photos.Shortly after replacing the shoe laces I noticed that the soles had worn down to an uneven hollow core. While these shoes appear to have pretty thick soles you can burn through them in 3 months. It appears to be a combination of soft material and a deceptively thin outer layer to the soles.And now for the unforgivable issue that likely encouraged me to write this review -- the sole's stitching is not functional. 3 months in the soles began separating from the shoe, at first it was so slight I couldn't figure out what was going on, but now that it has gotten worse it appears that the stitching is not actually connecting the sole to the shoe. The stitching is only for show. The sole is actually only adhered to the shoe using glue -- glue that is rapidly coming apart. I've included a photo to help illustrate this deceivingly poor craftsmanship.Perhaps my frustration is amplified by a memory from my childhood. My dad was helping me pick out shoes and he taught me to look for the stitching as a sign of quality. A recommendation that has helped inform my shoe purchases to this day.They aren't the worst shoes I've ever see, but it feels like someone perfected the art of creating a product guaranteed to fall apart after 3 months. If the shoes were more durable I would be looking to buy another pair, but the rapid speed at which they degrade is inexcusable.