Red Wing Heritage Beckman Boots - Leather, Factory 2nds (For Men)

Absolutely beautiful boots. I ordered these in the black, which are marked as style #9014. According to the manufacturer's website, this type of leather (black featherstone leather) is a smooth finish that is used on Red Wing's dressier boots and requires a bit more care to maintain. They suggest boot cream rather than the boot oil that I have already purchased for my husband's boots. In fact, you can type in whichever RW style # you own and the website will give you specific recommendations for care. I know many people have their favorite product, but since I am new to this brand I thought I would follow RW's suggestions to keep these [expensive] boots looking nice.
I was so happy to find RW at STPs great prices. Initially I was worried about purchasing seconds, but I have now bought quite a few pairs for different family members and have yet to be disappointed. As a woman, I really like the looks of the shoes and boots in the heritage line and think they will work out great for work where I am on my feet for 12-14 hours/day. I don't need a true workbook, but I do want something solidly constructed and built to last. Sadly, I have a high instep and a relatively wide foot which makes buying any footwear other than athletic shoes a giant hassle. Luckily, I wear a large enough size in women's shoes that I can switch to men's sizing! Of course normally, I wouldn't consider that lucky at all...
Anyway, I typically wear a size 9.5 or 10 so I have narrowed down my choices in RW men's boots to 7.5 or 8 depending on the style. Apparently, different lasts are used for the various styles, so the fit will not be the same straight across the board. So far, of the styles I have tried, the Rovers seem to have the loosest fit (I actually take a size 7 in these + they don't feel as narrow as the others). The Beckman, IR and Blacksmith all have a similar fit (as expected since they are based on the same last) but these feel a bit tighter than the other two. I have learned a lot from reading all of the reviews here and on the RW website (plus the product information, naturally).
In this style, a size 8 is okay width-wise, but a bit too long; 7.5 is still a bit longer than I would like, but I don't think I would be able to fit into a size 7 as they are quite narrow and also because of the construction of the tongue--it is a bit of a fight to get these on. At first, I found them almost intolerably tight across the foot at the level of the first eyelet, but there is plenty of room for toe wiggle and the ankle was no problem at all. I was only able to wear them for a couple of hours on the first day, before my feet started developing cramps, but every day I keep them on for a while longer and do a bit more and they are gradually loosening up. I am definitely not ready to wear them to work yet. I know they will get there, though--based on my experience with other boots/shoes over the years, I would say two or three weeks of wearing at home before a full day at work--and then they will last for years...
These are a great deal (regular $350.00 so a savings of $200.00!) and I would not hesitate to purchase again or to recommend to others. In fact, I already have my eye on the Black Cherry. Some people may not like the lack of hooks for speed lacing, but it really only takes an extra minute or two so not a problem for me. I know there is some flaw that delegated these to the factory seconds pile, but I have no idea what it might be. The leather and stitching look perfect to me. If I had paid the regular price, I would have nothing to complain about.