Dr. MartensMen's Crazy Horse Oxford

I wore a similar Doc Marten shoe years ago, and decided to get a new pair. When researching, I really liked the classic 8053 design (might even be the same design I wore before). Then, I noticed this SNOW version... water resistant, special sole designed for traction in snow and ice, and an added interior lining, and so I thought, these seem like good improvements for only a few bucks more in price. But I couldn't find many reviews...so I am sharing my feedback!First - right to the point - these seem to be really nicely made shoes. I've now owned these shoes for a week - it has been snowing, wet, and cold outside. I've worn them every day, so I feel I have a good baseline experience.1) Fit - I ordered my standard size - and these fit perfectly. Not too big, not too small. No real need for break-in either, and I'm sure they will only wear better the longer I own them. Very happy.2) Comfort - Very comfortable! I really enjoy the shoe, and feel it has a comfortable padding and just a little bit of arch support. No, it's not an athletic shoe, but you shouldn’t expect them to be like that kind of shoe, but for this type of shoe, I am very happy. Note that these shoes, by design, are a little heavier than your normal shoe. I don't find this to be an issue, nor really noticeable when I wear them, but I felt you should know. (All Doc Marten shoes are this way). Frankly, the weight is a key part of the design, helping keep you grounded, so I wouldn't change a thing.3) Looks - This is subjective, but I'll share my 2 cents. See the picture - that's what you get. In my opinion, these shoes have a good look when worn with jeans or pants in the winter. Dressier than athletic shoes, for sure, but still casual and comfortable. I need to note that the brown leather is exactly as shown in the pictures. That is, because this is the SNOW version, they use a water-resistant version of their leather upper, it's a solid, dark brown color. While the 'normal' version of the 8053 Doc Marten Shoe comes in a lighter brown leather with what I would almost call a 'patina' to it, this brown is not the same. It's darker, and again, solid. I just wanted to share this because I wasn't sure if the pictures were accurate. They are. That said, it's a nice look. I'd prefer the 'traditional' brown leather look, but I understand that this color is part of the decision to get the weatherproofing.SNOW version differences - Okay, so this is what you need to know - again, per the shoe description, there are three different 'upgrades', to the SNOW version of this shoe. I will review each in detail:1) Water resistant upper leather - So again, the leather is a darker, solid color. This works great because, if you ever see brown leather shoes when they are wet, they turn a darker shade of brown. These shoes don't do that, because, hey, they are already darker! As far as actual water protection goes, while I have not waded through a creek or anything, I have been in rain and show and my feet have stayed dry and warm! Also, after getting wet, once they dry again, there is literally zero change in the color or look of the leather so far. So I think the water resistant feature seems to be working as designed. Happy with this!Shoe traction - It's clear when looking at the bottom of this shoe what Doc Marten did - the tread pattern is different, and the bottom sides of the tread use a slightly different rubber with some 'sipes' on them that is designed to help in cold and snowy conditions. (It's actually very similar to automotive tire design, if you want to research that). Anyway, bottom line, it works! I have experienced zero traction issues walking in snow and ice... zero. How much better are they better than Docs without this feature, I can't say, but I CAN say that they seem to do the job as designed.Interior Lining - I was worried about this, because I didn't know how thick the lining would be. Would it be too warm, fuzzy, etc. Never fear, the interior lining is actually quite thin, just enough to add a layer of winter protection, and help keep your feet warm, but not so much that it changes the wearing experience. You wouldn't know it had a lining when wearing them, except perhaps, they are a little bit softer and a little bit warmer than normal Docs. And in my opinion, that's perfect!Conclusion: So, if you want to go mountain climbing, this isn't that shoe. What this shoe is, however, is a slightly upgraded version of the traditional Doc Martens 8053 shoe design, with changes made for those who will be wearing them in cold winter weather. For me, these will be winter shoes, worn from October to April every year. Where I live, we have snow and ice most of the winter, therefore it's a clear decision for me to choose the SNOW version of this shoe. Now if you don't live in a snowy climate, this is not the shoe for you, but then again, you probably are not shopping the SNOW version of this shoe anyway. Overall highly recommended!Following up - Shoe has worn very well over the past few years. However, I noticed this review may now be under the traditional version of the shoe vs. the winter version, fyi.

Perfect fit!

Came as if it were coming from Doc Martin website! Very cute!

These Doc Marten's are a great value due to made-in-China pricing with adequate British QC. The color is a lovely "mottled" brown that adds to the handmade look, although they may have been cranked out in some shoe factory in unknown lands. One of the shoes arrived with a color-scratched-scuffed mark near the toebox, revealing pale leather, which is an example of rough handling someplace before the item got boxed up. This defect was easily corrected with a simple wipe of some Meltonian #12 Red Mahogany boot polish. (This stuff also fixes up scuffs on your Ecco reddish-brown boots and any darker brown-red shoes, just fine.) I expect to thoroughly scuff up my D.Marten's over their useful life.The insoles are a leather-like material over some back half of the insert, with a woven tough looking smooth fiber in the forefoot zone. The tongues are double-thick leather but not padded. The edges of the shoe opening on this model are padded with foam covered bysomething that resembles vinyl, so it may not be real leather. Sizing info is stamped into the inside of the shoe, but see-through plastic stickers with icky glue are stuck on some inside surfaces to tell you it's "MENS" and country of origin for some components. Be prepared to swipe some Goo-Gone over those spots when the stickers slide around in the near future. Underneath the inner cover there is a full length plastic inner sole "frame" (can you call it a frame if it's flat?) that gives the shoe its rigidity. This piece is ensconsed within the brown, jelly-like synthetic rubber outer bottom sole which "resists oil, fat, petrol, alkali" and maybe even McDonald's dipping sauces.This is a good looking shoe. But keep in mind it may be a high-maintenance shoe over time. It is not waterproof, so you have to occasionally rub it down thickly with some waterproofer every damp season. (Do this AFTER you apply your shoe wax that maintains the color and hides the scuffs.) Use mink oil or other waxy-like substance. The price of Doc's chemicals seem outrageous if you use it often, it's like buying ink cartridges for your cheap printer.... Just kidding; you only need a glob for each shoe, each winter or rainy seasonFitment: popular comments say to buy slightly large if you must choose to round off. This is good advice My "normal" size is 9.5, so with the 10 M US, I fit perfectly into the 8053 shoe and have room for thick, comfy socks. Would fit even with thin socks, but I'd just tie 'em a bit snugger. If your normal size is 10 M US, and your feet do not "swell up" after a long day, you will fit the 10 M US just fine.The walking action on these shoes is noticeably quieter when compared to my Ecco shoes with bumpy trail treads. The tread on this shoe is a series of shallow (about 1 mm or 1/16") tall strips angled about 20 degrees side-to-side. I expect these design affectations to wear down to flatness relatively quickly. But the relatively thick soles should last quite a long time before losing useful life or shape.