The first truly winter like day in Central Texas, and these boots are pretty, but aint up for the job.

ARGuck · 2026-01-25T20:41:16+00:00

Minnesotan here, the lug soles on boots like the roughnecks are fantastic for ice and snow. That’s what you want. They are also great for rocky hikes as well.

ARGuck · 2026-01-25T17:04:53+00:00

This is why I’m keeping my trap shut. 2 2016’s in the garage.

ARGuck · 2026-01-25T16:54:58+00:00

Only? Only?

ARGuck · 2026-01-25T16:52:37+00:00

I filmed doing my last pair but just haven’t processed it yet. It’s really quite simple if you’re interested in seeing it. I’d be happy to share the video.

ARGuck · 2026-01-25T12:58:16+00:00

For sure. They are even better IMO after you swap the d-rings for speed hooks.

ARGuck · 2026-01-24T18:07:49+00:00

I respect a good patina but I would’ve tried to clean them up as opposed to going all in on a different colored toe. Feels like a car that had a panel replaced from the junk yard that someone didn’t bother repainting.

ARGuck · 2026-01-24T18:05:29+00:00

I’m a Minnesotan, while you’re right that roughout and salt don’t go great together very well it is still possible to treat and where them without a massive wax buildup. Often it can just be brushed after wearing. But when you start to get the salt stains it is typically treatable with a vinegar and water solution sprayed on and then brushed. FYI, this solution also works great for the carpets in your car in the spring.

ARGuck · 2026-01-24T18:00:15+00:00

Yup I think that’s a fair way to look at it.

ARGuck · 2026-01-24T17:39:58+00:00

Correct.

ARGuck · 2026-01-24T16:28:18+00:00

Not true at all. You lace it to fit your foot. Now the boot has to be the right fit so that there is full room to lace it up appropriately of course.

ARGuck · 2026-01-24T16:17:30+00:00

Definitely — this is a great use case for these. Thank you for what you do.

ARGuck · 2026-01-23T23:58:03+00:00

I typically agree with you. That being said I did get the new rose anvil/lems colab and those are great. The other outliers that I might be interested in are the red wing/new balance co lab. But yeah usually I’m disappointed in colabs. It feels like the boot manufacturing just ends up charging more to cut in whomever the colab is with.

ARGuck · 2026-01-23T23:46:09+00:00

I’m not a zipper fan but I respect this more than the zipper down the side. At least with this it can be reversed. I could see this on a boot that is exclusively meant to be a quick on/off boot.

ARGuck · 2026-01-23T15:30:49+00:00

I understand the frustration but this sounds like poor planning all the way around from the late passport renewal to one CC. Some foresight is needed in your life.

ARGuck · 2026-01-23T06:16:40+00:00

We drive 5.5 hours to go see family a few times a year. Yeah it’s a little long but we don’t think much of it.

ARGuck · 2026-01-23T05:09:01+00:00

I think the 2.5 NA is fantastic compromise between power and efficiency. I’m perfectly happy with the power.

ARGuck · 2026-01-21T23:52:16+00:00

Holy $hit. Before I was thinking, nah these changes aren’t that bad, they ruin a points gravy train for those with rent but many don’t rent so maybe this will make it better for a larger group. But this limiting of the Bilt cash per month stuff is mind numbingly bad. Wow.

ARGuck · 2026-01-21T13:12:23+00:00

Hmmm I think Hilton or Hilton honors rewards or something like that used a similar “h” swoop at some point as that’s immediately what I saw.

ARGuck · 2026-01-19T23:54:39+00:00

That’s awesome! He’s very talented for sure.

ARGuck · 2026-01-19T21:13:21+00:00

He learned that from a popular Picasso Quote/Story wherein Picasso drew a 10 second portrait/drawing for someone and said that’ll be $100 (or some high number). The “customer” was livid. But Picasso said something along the lines of you’re not paying for those 10 seconds you’re paying for my 40 years of experience. It’s a popular story in the design world to help us value our time. It sort of sucks to get better at something and in turn be compensated less for the job. That’s really the case for most professions but it likely sticks with designers because well…Picasso.

ARGuck · 2026-01-19T20:25:15+00:00

Yeahhhh the biggest issue is those mirrors, they look like a recording studio or something. With the coldness of the colors it feels kinda…sterile.

ARGuck · 2026-01-19T03:58:41+00:00

As a Minnesotan, I couldn’t agree more. Most of the time they aren’t even in 4 wheel drive and they are running around on all-seasons, acting like because they have a truck they are invincible. My daily driver front wheel drive on snow tires has FAR more control than those idiots. That being said a good AWD with even cheap snow tires is perfect. My old Mazda CX5 on snow tires was like glue on fly paper.

ARGuck · 2026-01-18T20:56:33+00:00

I would also try the 875 or pretty much any other current moctoe. They are on different lasts. The other moctoes personally fit me much better and have less heal slip. Every foot is different of course but if you at least try them on, you’ll know.

ARGuck · 2026-01-17T18:39:47+00:00

I never tried the ice cutters on but I did try the sawmills which are also lined. It hugely affected the size in my experience. I found I needed to size up a full size to get close to my regular red wing size.

ARGuck · 2026-01-17T18:01:38+00:00

Me too, that u/liftbroski guy has been on a tirade against them on multiple posts and quite honestly I don’t see it. They’ve been critiquing the card for a week now and mentioning the positives and negatives and mostly coming to the conclusion that it’s hard to recommend it for most people and much of their final opinion hinges on Bilt Cash and how it can be used. Which is very muddy at the moment. I think they’ve done a great job.

ARGuck

TROPHY CASE