Marc mndt
I'll Lock Up
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Disclamer: I know a whole lot more about jackets than I know about shoes so bear with me as I’m trying to write something informative about this pair of Bright Boots.
The brand
As aforementioned in my previous Bright review, here in Europe it’s hard to find a pair of casual style boots to complement our American workwear outfits. Of course there are retailers who stock American or Japanese made footwear but after import and middleman fees are added the price/quality ratio isn’t all that favorable anymore.
This is where Bright Shoemakers comes in. Designed in Denmark, made in Spain. They offer what I would call ‘classics with a twist’: combat boots in fancy colors, classic derby shoes with a western style toe bug or Engineer boots with a cowboy twist (the pair I’m reviewing today).
https://brightshoemakers.com/collec...cts/uncle-bright-engineer-boot-chestnut-brown
I had the pleasure of meeting Martin Vesphael, the man behind the brand, on my latest trip to Copenhagen. It’s fair to say that Martin is as passionate about footwear as I am about leather jackets. We talked about lasts, construction techniques and materials. Europe has many reputable shoemakers which have been in the shoemaking business for decades or even centuries. Why not combine your own – Martin’s – creative vision with those manufacturer’s knowledge and expertise to create something really awesome!?
Martin trying on my latest Field Leathers jacket
Construction, materials and design
These Engineer boots are very nicely constructed using techniques that are common to engineer boots: 270 degree Goodyear welt, double stacked outsole, stacked logger heel etc etc (link to full specs). What is different from traditional engineers are the shafts which are leather lined, similar to cowboy boot construction. Also note the ‘crown’ which is another reference to cowboy boots. Unlike traditional engineers, the straps on these Bright engineers are backed with leather. I don’t think here are any particular pros or cons to this, it does look fancy though. The construction of the boots as a whole looks a bit more fancy than what you'd normally see on a traditional engineer.
If I could name one thing I’d like to change then it would be the buckles. Not that there’s anything really wrong with them, from a functional perspective. But if you chose to use roller buckles then why not use actual roller buckles instead of these solid buckles that are made to look like roller buckles.
Leather lined shaft
Cowboy boot crown vs tradition engineer
Leather backed straps
Roller buckles that don't roll
Fit and feel
One of the perks of a brick and mortar store, being able to try before you buy! I first tried on a pair in size 42 –my regular size- which were easy to get on but I immediately felt they were about a size too big. I couldn’t get my feet into a size 41 without the well proven ‘plastic bag method’ though but once they slipped on I could tell those are my size.
The heel counter is quite stiff so it took about a month of regular wear before they really felt broken in. Now that they are they feel as comfortable as my Attractions lot 444 with little to no heel slip. The ultimate comfort test: last week I wore the Bright engineers on a 12 km walk across the beach. My feet didn’t feel tired at all, I felt like I could easily do another 10 or 12 km. Which I chose not to do, we opted for drinks inside a warm and cozy beach club instead.
The verdict
I love them, they tick a lot of boxes at a very competitive price point. I can easily see another pair of Bright Shoemaker boots in my future. Most likely one of their horsehide offerings. Their combat boot in burgundy horsehide is really something. They used a kind of horsehide I’ve never handled before: very dense yet much more supple than horsebutt or shell cordovan. It’s hard to describe but it felt very luxurious.
Edit: link to the bright website added
The brand
As aforementioned in my previous Bright review, here in Europe it’s hard to find a pair of casual style boots to complement our American workwear outfits. Of course there are retailers who stock American or Japanese made footwear but after import and middleman fees are added the price/quality ratio isn’t all that favorable anymore.
This is where Bright Shoemakers comes in. Designed in Denmark, made in Spain. They offer what I would call ‘classics with a twist’: combat boots in fancy colors, classic derby shoes with a western style toe bug or Engineer boots with a cowboy twist (the pair I’m reviewing today).
https://brightshoemakers.com/collec...cts/uncle-bright-engineer-boot-chestnut-brown
I had the pleasure of meeting Martin Vesphael, the man behind the brand, on my latest trip to Copenhagen. It’s fair to say that Martin is as passionate about footwear as I am about leather jackets. We talked about lasts, construction techniques and materials. Europe has many reputable shoemakers which have been in the shoemaking business for decades or even centuries. Why not combine your own – Martin’s – creative vision with those manufacturer’s knowledge and expertise to create something really awesome!?
Martin trying on my latest Field Leathers jacket
Construction, materials and design
These Engineer boots are very nicely constructed using techniques that are common to engineer boots: 270 degree Goodyear welt, double stacked outsole, stacked logger heel etc etc (link to full specs). What is different from traditional engineers are the shafts which are leather lined, similar to cowboy boot construction. Also note the ‘crown’ which is another reference to cowboy boots. Unlike traditional engineers, the straps on these Bright engineers are backed with leather. I don’t think here are any particular pros or cons to this, it does look fancy though. The construction of the boots as a whole looks a bit more fancy than what you'd normally see on a traditional engineer.
If I could name one thing I’d like to change then it would be the buckles. Not that there’s anything really wrong with them, from a functional perspective. But if you chose to use roller buckles then why not use actual roller buckles instead of these solid buckles that are made to look like roller buckles.
Leather lined shaft
Cowboy boot crown vs tradition engineer
Leather backed straps
Roller buckles that don't roll
Fit and feel
One of the perks of a brick and mortar store, being able to try before you buy! I first tried on a pair in size 42 –my regular size- which were easy to get on but I immediately felt they were about a size too big. I couldn’t get my feet into a size 41 without the well proven ‘plastic bag method’ though but once they slipped on I could tell those are my size.
The heel counter is quite stiff so it took about a month of regular wear before they really felt broken in. Now that they are they feel as comfortable as my Attractions lot 444 with little to no heel slip. The ultimate comfort test: last week I wore the Bright engineers on a 12 km walk across the beach. My feet didn’t feel tired at all, I felt like I could easily do another 10 or 12 km. Which I chose not to do, we opted for drinks inside a warm and cozy beach club instead
.The verdict
I love them, they tick a lot of boxes at a very competitive price point. I can easily see another pair of Bright Shoemaker boots in my future. Most likely one of their horsehide offerings. Their combat boot in burgundy horsehide is really something. They used a kind of horsehide I’ve never handled before: very dense yet much more supple than horsebutt or shell cordovan. It’s hard to describe but it felt very luxurious.
Edit: link to the bright website added
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