O.T. Bison (Smooth)

Wow! These boots are fantastic—but I do wish the finish was lighter, as shown in the photos. The leather in person leans more red/brown than the tannish shade I was hoping for. Additionally, some finer touches on the boot, especially around the sole, could be better executed.

That said, the leather is stunning—warm, dynamic, and impressive in both feel and appearance. Now, onto the big positives:

Zero break-in needed. These are the perfect hybrid work boots—rugged and tough yet flexible and mobile.

Balanced weight. Not too heavy, not too light—just right.

Bison leather is incredible. Soft, strong, and flexible, with a beautiful contrast from the white stitching.

Excellent traction. The honey sole handled snow well, and the leather stayed dry.

Soft toe comfort. I personally prefer a celastic toe for added protection, but the thick leather still provides decent padding.

Unique midsole stitching. It looks like a Goodyear welt with an extra row of stitch-down at the toe, which could make resoling easier down the road.

Potential for design improvements. I’d love to see the O.T. version with a small leather heel instead of the Vibram single sole—something like the ***** Overlander—to keep weight manageable while adding a more heritage look.

Areas for Improvement:

Finishing details. The sanding around the sole looks like it was done with 80 grit—rougher than expected. Not a deal breaker, but it makes the boot feel more rugged and unfinished than the polished look in the…

As a land surveyor I see all kinds of terrain from mountains in the middle of nowhere to residential properties. These boots are truely the workhorse of my day and have taken away all of my previous back pain that I used to get from lesser quality boots, and they have far out lasted other boots I've used. Thank you to the men and women at JK that give me the confidence to strap these boots on everyday and know that I can be secure in my foot placement and not have any pain at the end of the work day.

Ordered the boots after using the sizing guide, but they showed up several months later way too small to squeeze into. I called JK and found that there was a store in Redding, CA, only 3 h from me, so I hucked it down the freeway. There Jared (?) resized my foot and we came to the conclusion that the widest toe-box they have would be necessary. He took the pair that had been sent to me, and then he resubmitted the order with the new parameters. I'm currently breaking them in (the leather is substantial, so it's a bit stiff) after oiling them, and the workmanship is top notch. Once they get a bit more supple I'm going to love wearing these things. The Redding store should really get credit for this sale, as I would have simply sent the originals back for a refund if he hadn't helped me out. My only niggling complaint is that the hooks for the laces are a bit small, especially for the leather laces they send with the boots, and it makes getting these laced a bit more of a struggle. Otherwise, nothing about these are poorly made.