Ready to Ramble

Let's take a closer look at the Rambler leather, from our good friends at C.F. Stead Tannery in England, and learn what makes this leather so unique.

Legends of Tanning

First, let's talk about C.F. Stead. This legendary tannery has its roots in the late 1800s, seeing its way through biker bad-boy culture, both world wars, and the punk and hardcore subculture movements; presently situated as expert leather artisans specializing in suede leathers.

Shrunken Fiber Suede

Rambler is a shrunken fiber suede, which is to say the hide is shrunken by 30% to achieve a very tight grain structure, giving the leather a much higher water resistance. This also increases the strength of the leather and results in a reduction in creasing. Rambler leather is an exercise in embracing the natural markings of the hide; when the fibers shrink, veining appear slightly raised on the surface, making each pair of boots one of a kind.

Waxing

This shrinking process alone makes the Rambler leather nearly waterproof, but it's the stuffing and application of wax that really makes this leather sing. From a leather care standpoint, we're talking easy. Real easy. We clean ours up with plain water and a clean brush, and very occasionally will apply more wax if the leather seems dry. If you want to go wading through a river fly fishing, you're barking up the wrong tree, and you won't find any boot in this realm that will be a solution. However, if you're looking for something that can survive downpours, highway spray, or a quick step through a creek, this leather is ready to ramble.