Contentment by design - Living

It was my first hike wearing a pair of custom hiking boots made by John Calden of Estes Park, CO. John has been making mountain boots for more than 30 years. In this age of ruthless mass production, the care and passion he brings to his craft is heartwarming.

It was thrilling to wear, for the first time in my life, boots that actually fit my unique feet (wide forefoot, narrow heel, high midfoot). Before this, most boots just didn't fit at all because of my wide forefoot or my midfoot. Of the few that I could get on, I'd either have to live with cramped toes or a loose heel.

I had expected the boots to be well made with good quality materials, but John surpassed my expectations; his boots are works of art. Perhaps the feature that most surprised and delighted me is the butter soft leather lining hidden inside the rugged exterior. It's like putting on a pair of fine Italian gloves.

John has a long waiting list—it took a year and a half before I was finally able to pick mine up earlier this past week—but it was definitely worth the wait. The boots have only a few miles on them so far, but I already can tell I'm going to enjoy them for the rest of my life!