Should you get them? – Wilcox Boots Review (Updated)

Wilcox Boots Review – My feet are happy which means I’m happy!

I’ve been wearing this pair of boots since November 2016 so about 3 months at the time of this review and the bottom line is this. I’m a big fan of these shoes. It took me about a year of contemplation before committing to buy a pair of Wilcox boots.

Wonderful winter boots - Wilcox Boots ReviewThe value provided by these boots exceeds the money I paid for them but there are couple of things worth noting. I love how I don’t have to worry about a bit of water when I walk out to my car. I love how I can follow Monty anywhere he goes without worrying about wet socks.

Now at the time of the video review, the boots haven’t gone through their first cleaning or polishing. I’m trying to figure out what to do (conditioner, polish, wax, etc.). I have a gallery on the cleaned up boots at the bottom of the post.

Why I went with Wilcox Boots

I won’t go into detail about the background of Wilcox Boots. I was introduced to Wilcox Boots through Kickstarter a couple of years ago before I seriously needed shoes. Now I’m an entrepreneur and money is generally tight so Wilcox’s marketing message of good, long lasting boots appealed to me. Why? I’ve become quite frugal.

Over the last few years as I’ve been pumping all my spare cash into my other endeavour, Mobile Reviews Eh. I told myself that before I buy a pair of Wilcox boots, I was going to wear out all my other shoes first.

Wrong size - Wilcox Boots Review
Needed 1/2 size smaller

The pair that I got is a rust brown pair of Shiloh boots, size 9. My feet are 8.5 and I’ve always purchased 1/2 a size bigger but the Shiloh boots were too big. I had to add a heel insole on the back of the shoe to improve the fit of the boot.

What I’ve noticed

50+ wears - Wilcox Boots Review
Still looking pretty good

Before doing my Wilcox Boots Review, I’ve worn these boots at least 3-4 times a week for the last few months. It is winter in Calgary right now and the city uses salt on roads and paths so it’s not a friendly place for leather boots. Nothing has happened to them to indicate issues regarding wear/tear.

One of the selling features of Wilcox are the athletic shoe insoles. I’m don’t know if they’re actually for athletes but I will say they are quite comfortable. The extra thickness is noticeable when compared to other shoes.

Rocks and sole - Wilcox Boots Review
Rocky…

Now I do have an issue with the threads on the Wilcox Boots. First of all, rocks tend to collect between the treads so you’ll end up being a amateur tap dancer at the mall. The second issue I have is that soft snow tends to collect along the heel of the boot which makes it the boot feel uneven until you scrape off the bottom.

I’m unsure if these issues are specific to Wilcox as I’ve never owned a pair of shoes with these types of treads. I have a feeling that other boots with similar grips will have the same issue.

Wear and tear

Broken Loop - Wilcox Boots Review
Bummer

When it comes to wear and tear, I haven’t noticed anything that is alarming. The leather wears well which is expected for leather shoes. The last thing I’ve noted is the little loop on the back of one of my shoes started tearing. Which is a bummer.

The last thing I will note is that I can’t wear these boots with short socks. I need longer socks to cover the scar I have from breaking my ankle as the boots do irritate that sensitive part of my body.

My unique look - Wilcox Boots Review
How my boots have broken in

Other than that, I love these boots. As I mentioned above, I love how I don’t have to worry about a bit of water when I walk out to my car. I love how I can follow Monty anywhere he goes without worrying about wet socks.

The true test will be to see if these $280 dollar shoes (I live in Canada) is worth the money. I’ll probably do a follow up review on the shoes after a year or so. So check back then!

About their customer service

Before you get to the gallery with the oiled/cleaned boots, I will talk about Wilcox’s customer service. I had sent a question regarding how to clean/condition the boots early on in January 7, 2017. Wilcox Boots finally replied to it on the day that I’m publishing my Wilcox Boots review (February 14, 2017). A bit late but a reply is a reply.

My Shiloh boots after the first cleaning/conditioning (Updated)

Wilcox Boots’s website isn’t terribly clear on how to clean/condition the boots. I scoured the internet for any thing useful but couldn’t get my head around what I actually need to get to keep my boots in good condition.

What I used to clean my Wilcox BootsThankfully Wilcox Boots’s customer service did come through and they suggested that I use KIWI Saddle Soap. They added that if I wanted add a bit more waterproofing, I could use KIWI Mink Oil lightly with the saddle soap. I ended up using Moneysworth Best Saddle Soap and Mink Oil as KIWI didn’t qualify for Amazon Prime.

The entire process of cleaning the boots was straight forward. After everything was done, I was surprised at how dark the boots got. I know they’re going to lighten up after a few weeks of usage so I’m not too concerned.Wilcox Boots Side After Cleaning - Color Change?

Have any questions about my Wilcox Boots review? Ask them below! Interested in what else I’ve produced? Check out all the reviews I’ve done for iOS accessories! Follow me on Instagram and Twitter!

 

Understand “Why”

EPT#1  – Understand “Why”

Knowing “Why” is one of the most important things I’ve learned in building my business. Understanding “Why” has been the motivation I’ve needed to endure the tough times in my business.

Which is why it is the #1 Tip in EPT.

“Why” is the reason that you keep pushing. “Why” is the fundamental idea that drives what I do.

“Why” is important because if you don’t understand it, you will lose. The only way I’ve survived at rock bottom is because I understand this.

Without a “Why”, when the moment gets hard, you’ll give up. Without a “Why”, you will not finish. Without a “Why”, you will not persevere.

I believe that discovering your “Why” is the secret sauce to business. It allows you to focus on what’s important. It allows you to look at money as a tool rather than a goal.

I’m going to share with you the life lessons I endured before getting to my “Why”. Hopefully in sharing what I’ve gone through will help you out in whatever you’re doing.

Over the last 6 years, I’ve spent a lot of effort trying to base my business on something that I’m passionate about. As of right now, I’ve created a brand called MobileReviewsEh that does reviews on iOS accessories. It is one of the largest iPhone case review channels on YouTube.

It hasn’t been easy as I’ve persevered through some tougher times Don’t believe me? I lost 30 lbs, not because I wanted to look good but because I couldn’t afford to keep eating the way that I did. The looking good was a side benefit of trying to keep my food costs to $50 dollars a week.

The process in growing MobileReviewsEh hasn’t been easy. It is a grind on a day-to-day basis. But I’ll gladly grind away because I know my “Why”.

What is a “Why” exactly?

It’s an idea. A generic, simple but valuable idea. It means something. This basic idea should be engrained in everything your business does and says on any platform.

For example, your “why” shouldn’t be something like this:

“I will be the preferred global provider of technical, project and operational support services to my customers, using a distinctive culture to create value for them and prosperity”

Who talks like that? All you’re doing is pretending to be something useful. If you talk like that, you’ll fit in well with a company that makes powerpoint slides about powerpoint slides.

“Why” is a simple idea that manifests itself in everything that you produce. The things you build on top that idea will change over time but that simple idea will remain. My concept of “why” was initially inspired by Simon Sinek’s book “Start with Why”.

How long did it take me to discover my “Why”? 20% of my life.

How did I get here?

I wanted to be in control of what happened to me was the main reason I started my own business. I spent many years working in a consulting firm, watching my hard work and effort be squandered. I was getting pushed to the limits and the only people who benefitted where the shareholders. The politics didn’t help either.

In my mind, it was equivalent to spending hours preparing an amazing meal, only to have somebody else take it and leave you with a half-eaten pop tart. It’s like winning a race and having someone else stand on the podium.

I started my own consultancy in 2010 after I was laid off. This occurred two months after I started my MBA. That was unpleasant.
After several months, I realized that despite having my own business, my clients were still at the mercy of their shareholders and their internal politics. Nothing had really changed! When two of my largest clients cancelled their contracts with me (despite renewing them weeks before), I took the opportunity to leave the engineering consulting industry for good.

What was I to do? In business, all I knew was being a cog in a giant money printing machine for shareholders. I needed to find another reason to exist which is how I stumbled upon my “Why”.

I realized that the sole reason for a business to exist shouldn’t be to make money. There are easier ways to make money then starting your own business. But if I wanted to succeed with my business, I knew I needed to create something worthwhile, that would let me keep going in times where there wasn’t any money.

“Why” is the fuel that keeps me going in tough times.

How I’ve used my “Why”

My basic why is “helping people”. That’s it. It’s simple. As of right now, with Mobile Reviews Eh, I’m helping people find the best accessories for their devices.

With my own consultancy, the purpose was to help people see their information differently through information management and apps. I won’t elaborate on why I think the consultancy failed but looking back, I didn’t “hustle” enough.

In my 20’s, my job was to help people see their design data differently through automated alignment sheets. This job ended when I got laid off, several months after I decided that I wanted to make the company better.

I didn’t set this “Why” up. I didn’t say in my 20’s “helping people” is going to be the main reason for my existence. To realize my “Why”, I had to follow the clues in my life.

The clues to my “why” usually occurred during my reflection periods after losing a client or getting fired from a job. I would spend days thinking about what worked and what didn’t. The things that worked usually involved helping people.

I’ve come to realize that what I do doesn’t matter much, just as long as I am fulfilling that “why”. Which is why I’m ok my current business fail because I will have realized that I wasn’t helping people as much as I thought.

So that’s my “Why”. That’s the driving force behind everything I do in my career. It’s all about helping people.

What is your “Why”? Do you know your “Why”?