First of all, I love the boots, full stop. Kevin has designed a truly beautiful boot which is positioned directly between casual and dressy. I don't think any tannery does better with bison than Law Tannery, and this shows it.
So why not five stars? Two issues, and I'm not sure this is Kevin's problem or simply peculiar to my foot. The first is the fit. These boots have a great, almond shape to it. I wear a wide boot and I did size down to an 8.5 EE, and the volume was excellent...with the exception of my right fourth toe. It hurt. So, I got a boot stretcher from Amazon, and viola, no more problems. So...fixable. But understand these boots are definitely designed for a narrower foot, even in wider widths.
The second thing is peculiar to the Shaw. These really need speed hooks. The eyes on these boots are pretty small, which means you're limited to a thinner, fabric lace. Kevin does a great job giving good, strong laces. But even so, getting the boots off takes awhile, and a lot of loosening. Again, if you know, then you know these are not easy on/easy off boots.
What's great about these boots are the build quality and look. But or me...next the boots I get from Kevin (and I have no doubt there will be more), speed hooks and perhaps counting on stretching them out are a must.
Also...I love where Kevin is sourcing his leathers. My other "go to" brand is Grant Stone, and if you're familiar with their quality, these are every bit as good. Very comparable.
If you like the boots, TALK TO KEVIN about sizing. Then just pull the trigger.