All boots look better worn hard and loved deeply.
Not exactly a controversial statement! But we decided to put it to really the test all over again, in the third-annual Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome presented by Grant Stone, Nicks Boots, and Standard & Strange.
The 2023-24 edition of the Dome represents the first time we had 1000 pairs entered—1,116 to be exact. Thunderdome boots hit the ground on every continent other than Antartica, unless someone was just oddly quiet about their visit. One trillion (*approx) steps were taken. Houses were built. Bacon grease was spilled. Soles were replaced midstream—can’t let that stop you. Things were learned, about our boots, and ourselves. Poems were written (and they were honestly pretty solid). All of this is absolutely ridiculous—I mean c’mon it’s a boot wearing contest—and absolutely the best.
At the end, our esteemed judges selected 47 total winners, every one of them remarkably deserving. There will be prizes for each of them, oh yes. Very good ones! But the greatest reward of all is a pair of boots you’ve spent six months deeply connecting with and understanding your pair. And with any luck, absolutely loving them for years and years to come.
Just below sits our celebration of all 47 winners—we strongly encourage you to check out the links to the Patina Project profiles for each boot. It’s really quite fun indeed to go all the way through the 5-/6-month progression and see it all happen, whether to inform your thoughts on what your next pair or leather might be, or just to enjoy some legitimately remarkable footwear and aging.
And our YouTube video rundown of the Top 20 finishers—10 from the Work Dome, and 10 from the Open category—is just below. It’s another fantastic way to get familiar with the winners.
Alright let’s do this! Your winners from the 2023-24 Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome. Enjoy.
Open Dome Grand Prize Winner
Patina Project App Profile: KVanDev
Fortis Boots Tapak 2.0 Engineer Boots
Indonesian Dark Brown Pull Up
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Work Dome Grand Prize Winner
Patina Project App Profile: traceycortez
IG: @tcortez1
Horween Natural Waxed Flesh
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 2nd Place
Patina Project App Profile: reothich
IG: @reothich
Horween Black Horsehide & Black Waxed Flesh
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 3rd Place
Patina Project App Profile: amvoith
Horween Brown Waxed Flesh
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 4th Place
Patina Project App Profile: ahuebner
IG: @aaronhuebner
WM Beijing 1978 French Army Boot
Tochigi Natural Roughout
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 5th Place
Patina Project App Profile: PatinaTechnodrome
Role Club Engineer Boots
Horween Black Chromexcel Horsehide
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 6th Place
Patina Project App Profile: wabi_sabione
IG: @wabi.sabione
Rolling Dub Trio Griffin 8.5 Plain Toe Boots
Black Horsebutt
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 7th Place
Patina Project App Profile: varnu
IG: @varnu
Wickett & Craig Tan Oiled Latigo
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 8th Place
Patina Project App Profile: PatinaTurner
IG: @patina.turner
Horween Natural Crust Double Cordovan
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 9th Place
Patina Project App Profile: OneLastBoot
IG: @onelastboot
Hawthorne Muleskinner Roughout
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 10th Place
Patina Project App Profile: chilly_chonka
IG: @boots_and_bigas
Kustom Kraft Kyle Boot
Kobel Dark Brown Harness
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 11th Place
Patina Project App Profile: akito
IG: @akito510
Akito Boots W01
Unknown Leather
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 12th Place
Patina Project App Profile: sawdustandstitch
IG: @em_saidi
Horween Natural Dublin
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 13th Place
Patina Project App Profile: baschdln
IG: @baschdln
Self-Made LTT
Veg-tan Austrian Cow Leather Waxed Flesh
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 14th Place
Patina Project App Profile: cliff.bar.nett
IG: @cliff.bar.nett
Seidel British Tan Double Shot
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 15th Place
Patina Project App Profile: ccasenhiser
IG: @ccasenhiser
Flame Panda Service Boot, 181 Last
Natural Roughout Horsebutt
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 16th Place
Patina Project App Profile: HealthyPatina
Sagara x Standard & Strange Valiant Boot
Conceria Cloe Crust Horsebutt
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 17th Place
Patina Project App Profile: boootlicker
IG: @boootlicker
NF Bootmaker Fritz
J&FJ Baker Australian Nut Panel Hide Roughout
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 18th Place
Patina Project App Profile: aminnix829
IG: @aminnix829
Unsung House U 22-2 Engineer Boot
Horween Natural Chromexcel Horsehide Roughout
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 19th Place
Patina Project App Profile: amara
IG: @harkweberstudio
Amara Hark-Weber Custom Model
Wickett & Craig Natural Glazed Harness
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 20th Place
Patina Project App Profile: William
IG: @williesleathers
Willie’s Handcrafted Boots Boondocker
Maryam Olive Horsebutt
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 21st Place
Patina Project App Profile: roger___af
IG: @roger___af
Flame Panda Boondocker
Shinki Black Teacore Horsebutt
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 22nd Place
Patina Project App Profile: yorkpahomes
IG: @yorkpahomes
Horween Natural Chromexcel
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 23rd Place
Patina Project App Profile: CarmineJackLeather
Franks Boots Wilshire
J&FJ Baker Natural Oak Bark Tanned Harness
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 24th Place
Patina Project App Profile: sampson1980
IG: @sampson1980
Tricker’s x Division Road Super Monkey Boot
C.F. Stead Storm Waxed Kudu
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Open Dome 25th Place
Patina Project App Profile: storybook.oak
IG: @storybook_oak
Jack & White Brothers Letterman ZERO
Badalassi Carlo Mosto Minerva Liscio
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Work Dome 2nd Place
Patina Project App Profile: nobnix
IG: @nob_nix_
Seidel 1964 Tan
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Work Dome 3rd Place
Patina Project App Profile: Lazy Spread
Unsung House U 22-2 Engineer Boot
Horween Burgundy Workshoe Butt Roughout
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Work Dome 4th Place
Patina Project App Profile: ImaGoat
Nicks Boots HNW MTO
Horween Orange Predator
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Work Dome 5th Place
Patina Project App Profile: 32ozDenim
Seidel 1964 Brown Roughout
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Work Dome 6th Place
Patina Project App Profile: River
White’s Boots x Baker’s Boots Bounty Hunter
Horween Cinnamon Waxed Flesh
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Work Dome 7th Place
Patina Project App Profile: chhh1984
Seidel 1964 Brown Roughout
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Work Dome 8th Place
Patina Project App Profile: a1moyer
IG: @jmp19862002
White’s Boots x Division Road LTT Logger 375
Horween Black Waxed Flesh + Natural Chromexcel
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Work Dome 9th Place
Patina Project App Profile: Longshot
S.B. Foot Oro-Iginal
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Work Dome 10th Place
Patina Project App Profile: thechadthetnbootguy
IG: @diezelchad88
Nicks Boots Heritage Tanker Pro
Wickett & Craig Slate Double Stuffed
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Work Dome 11th Place
Patina Project App Profile: arriaga214
Horween Brown Chromexcel
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Work Dome 12th Place
Patina Project App Profile: SKopp
Badalassi Carlo Saddle Tan Minerva
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Work Dome 13th Place
Patina Project App Profile: Bigcountrybonsai
Horween Tan Waxed Flesh
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Work Dome 14th Place
Patina Project App Profile: Zeonic
White’s Boots x Baker’s Boots Bounty Hunter
Horween Brown Chromexcel
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Work Dome 15th Place
Patina Project App Profile: jfanstill
Fudge Crazy Horse
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Exceptional Grant Stone Pair
Patina Project App Profile: cuffcheckdenim
IG: @cuffcheckdenim
Badalassi Carlo Saddle Tan Minerva
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Exceptional Nicks Boots Pair
Patina Project App Profile: Briansbootpage
IG: @briansbootpage
Seidel 1964 Brown
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Exceptional Brooklyn Clothing Pair
Patina Project App Profile: Hi.Im.Ron
Viberg x Brooklyn Clothing Service Boot
Maryam Col. 1060 TPR Horsebutt
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Exceptional Tricker’s Pair
Patina Project App Profile: farroyo81
IG: @leaf_and_skin
Tricker’s x Division Road Burford
Horween Java Waxed Flesh
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Exceptional Oak Street Bootmakers Pair
Patina Project App Profile: Brian_Lee
IG: @brianlee_photo
Oak Street Bootmakers Trench Boot
Horween Natural Indigo Chromexcel Roughout
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Exceptional Division Road Pair
Patina Project App Profile: SierraLizard
IG: @SierraLizard
White’s Boots x Division Road MP-Sherman
New Rosewood Waxed Elk Unicorn
Six Months of Wear
Day One
Exceptional Standard & Strange Pair
Patina Project App Profile: Nonbread
Hand Dyed Black Italian Horsebutt
Six Months of Wear
Day One
