Clarks Desert Boots
It’s that time of year when I rummage through the wardrobe and dig out the old Desert Boots. These are my go to summer shoe, they’re lightweight and keep my slabs of meat incredibly cool, which is why I don’t wear them during winter.
Launched in 1950 by Nathan Clark, the Desert Boot was inspired by a rough boot from Cairo's Old Bazaar. An instant hit, it became the footwear of choice for off-duty army officers. With crepe rubber soul and unbacked suede upper, they've remained quite a simple design to this day.
Although they’re called ‘Desert Boots’ they don’t have a gusseted tongue, so sand leaks in quite easily, and suede isn’t that waterproof either, but they do seem to dry out quite quickly, and once you've gone over them with a brush, they look good again.
The great thing about Desert Boots is that they can be worn with just about anything; jeans, shorts, Chino's or even a suit, in a way they remind me of an old Land Rover, they're classless and look better with age!
However, after around 3 summers of use, the sole has begun to deteriorate and appears to have broken down internally under the sole where it flexes, which leaves me with sore feet. My goal now is to figure out if they can be fixed, because as you can see, the rest of the shoe is in perfect condition.
Website: www.clarks.co.uk
Price: RRP £95