Comparison: Maryam horsebutt vs Badalassi Minerva Box

[PeterHuang]

I am in the middle of placing a custom order and would really appreciate serious input before I finalize it. They offer several leather options, but my main decision is between Badalassi Carlo Minerva Box black and Maryam horsebutt natural overdyed black. I am looking for a direct and honest comparison, ideally from people with real ownership experience.

If this were my first pair of horsebutt, I would go with Maryam without hesitation. However, I already own a pair of Maryam horsebutt from Rolling Dub Trio and I do not own anything made from Badalassi, so I am considering Badalassi for variety. That said, I have some concerns and want to know if they are valid.

My hesitation with Badalassi is that it is cowhide with a looser fiber structure, which may mean lower durability. It will crease rather than form rolls like horsebutt, and long term aging may not be as visually impressive. It also feels less exclusive since mid tier brands like Grant Stone use Badalassi, while Maryam horsebutt is usually reserved for higher end makers. Given that I am paying a premium price here, over 750, are any of these actual issues with Minerva Box specifically? If you have owned or handled Minerva Box long term, I would really like to hear your experience.

I am also wondering whether I am missing out by not owning any Badalassi at all, or if owning multiple pairs in Maryam horsebutt is perfectly fine and not redundant in practice.

Regarding other leather options, I am also considering Shinki shell cordovan. The downside is the price, which would push the total to over 1450. I can afford it, but from what I have read, Shinki shell does not seem to justify the cost compared to Horween or Rocado. If anyone has real experience with Shinki shell boots, especially in terms of durability and aging, please share.

They also offer Guidi horsebutt, which I find very interesting but rarely discussed, and Horween Chromexcel, which I have owned and sold multiple times so I am looking for something different. If you have hands on experience with any of these leathers, especially Badalassi Minerva Box, Maryam horsebutt, Shinki shell, or Guidi horsebutt, please weigh in.

 

[JM021]

I have pairs of Grantstones in Badalassi and Maryam horsebutts from Parkhurst.

The horsebutt developed nice rolls akin to cordovan but without the shine
The Badalassi pair have deep creases and have its own charm.

If I had to choose, I would pick Maryam but the Badalassi leather does smells heavenly.

 

[aorange]

I can weigh in a bit on the shinki shell and the guidi horsebutt.

The shinki shell is quite…shiny/plasticky? I only tried them on briefly in black so I won’t comment on their aging, but I personally don’t think it’s worth the cost.

Guidi horsebutt is far softer than other japanese horsebutt I’ve handled, about the same softness as CXL SHF but without the paper-y texture that I dislike. It’s still stiff like any other horsehide (at least initially). There’s a zebra like wave to the leather patina-wise