I own 6 pairs of Meermins and very happy with them especially the boots. Correction, the color is "Espresso Antique." 😉 Saying they need a long break-in it is an understatement.

Meermin are becoming my favorite shoes. I have 3 pair and that stiffness everyone laments holds up exceptionally well on 10000 steps a day. They still look and feel great after several long days. Mirror shine and all. They're proving to be awesome shoes and I love the styles. Their Hiro last fits me like bespoke shoes.

"a little longer to break in" it took me 4 months of 3 time a week wear to break in my Meermin oxfords.

Hope there is a video of the polishing of these Meermins, I would like to see them as a Meermin aficionado.

I love the fact that, at that price point, you get a full leather sole and a combination heel. Some even have JR, for under $400! Really can't wait to try out a pair of Meermin shoes.

Aside from the topic of shoes, I have to say that I appreciate the properly structured essays you write to go along with your presentations too. You are definitely multitalented, my brotha.

Check out trickers and mr.olive

Love what you did to these two pairs. Completely different shoes now, way better than they looked when out of the box. You are the best.

beautiful pairs and after the shining they looks wonderful .

Hey, could you maybe review some dutch shoes? Like Van Bommel and Reinhard Frans?

Hey Preston, could you include boots in your review series as well, it will add to the diversity!

Can you please do a showcase of shoepassion, they have almost no exposure outside of germany but have good mid and high end offerings, and are very often on sale unlike most other midrange brands.

I have a pair of Yanko Balmoral Cap toes coming would love to see your take!

I have the exact same monkstrap that i bought secondhand and restored myself! They've held up really well!

Meermin don't outsource to China, they have a factory there that build their shoes, this is a critical difference. They have been in China for 20 years developing the shoes making talent that they wanted, which is why we can get such good shoes at great prices from them.

Thank you for this great review. I guess I have to get some of them too. :-D A brand that I would also would love to see in a review is shoepassion, which I own three pairs of meanwhile. They are absolutely comfortable, are looking great and as far as I can tell after two years, the durabilty is awesome. There were no points that I would have to critisize until now and they are also in an equal price range.

Would love a review on their whole cut Chelsea boots, I can not find a trust worthy review out there also how did you find the interior, Ive heard a lot of people complain about the interior QC.

Wow Preston! You made them look three times better after you gave them your magic touch... I like this brand very much but I got a pair that I just have not been able break in, and I have used them quite a bit by now.

Nothing crass in the stitching? That's a relief!

Can you please make a step by step video how to get a pair right from the box to look as great as at 9:59. Great transformation.

I purchased meermin's balmoral boxcalf flex good-year welted boots and wore them everyday for a couple of hours at home and placed tight fitting shoe trees in them to break them in. It's been two weeks and it still needs some breaking in. To be honest, just because of that, I would pay a higher price for another brand that would take a shorter break in period. Everytime I change shoes before I leave home just because I would like to walk normally. It even irritates me sometimes when I am putting them on. And I am actually one of those people who would sometimes compromise comfort for style, but I gave up on this one. However, they are a decent pair of boots!

I love your attitude and your point about the everyday negotiation between perfection and price is well made.

Hey Preston, could you review Shoepassion shoes? I think that would be a great addition to this review.

I think you should make a video comparing some of the shoes from the different brand's and how they are better from the price to quality and know what is the best for the money. Love the video by the way.....

I really enjoy these shoe reviews. Thanks.

Really astonishing quality and attention to detail for the price.

I think what bags you get depends on what shoe you get.i got the Balmoral boots and they came with 1 soft bag each

Preston Have a look at minute 3:11 at this shoe, and tell me that's a build mistake, I have the same problem with Barker Shoes I bought from them. Why is the shoe not siting on the full heel and only on the front base of it? Its so uncomfortable after a day of wear. What do you think/know about this? Coz of you i bought shoes from TLB Mallorca and since then HAPPY, built quality from them is as you said AMAZING it is indeed.

What color shoe cream would you use on that color if you weren't dying it? Also have you ever heard of a company called Mezlan?

Thank you for the review :) I am still saving up for my first pair of Goodyear welted shoes :) Would there be any chance that you might be reviewing CNES shoes which I recently saw beeing compared to the Meermins qualitywise? Keep up the great work!

Just got my first pair of whole cut Meermins. They really are beautiful and at £160 great value. Quite stiff but that's as expected.

I would put any Bridlen shoe up against a Meermin shoe and feel confident that the Bridlen shoe will have better detail, fewer flaws, and look good longer.

8:48 nice shoes ! 8:53 super saiyan shoes !

Excellent touch to the cap

Not as much a fan of the promo videos but that shine is superb.

Great video as always. Looking to get a pair myself. What was your experience with the sizing conversion compared to US sizing (both the size and the width)?

I really like their unlined loafers.

Hi Preston, great review! I love this series you are doing. What do you think of these Meermin Shoes vs. some of the other sub $200 shoes? I know many people compare them to Thursday Boot and Beckett Simonon as they are all at a similar price point but I would like to get your thoughts as to the comparison between the three.

You really do an excellent job reviewing shoes.

Thank you for another great review. Could you please make a review for CNES? I bet it is worth your consideration. I am looking forward to see your new videos!

Hi @TheElegantOxford, really enjoyed the review. As someone looking at potentially buying a pair of cap toe oxfords from the Linea Maestro line I would love to hear your thoughts and see the review you mentioned. Is there a link to it? Much appreciated for all your advice and look forward to watching more content. Cheers.

Hi, thank you for your honest review and job, that you are sharing with us. I have been wondering, what are you thinking about Berwick 1707 goodyearwelted shoes? 🙂 Thank you.

I love your channel Sir. Was wondering if you had any good advice to make a black pair of Johnson and Murphy Cap toes look a little unique. I am wearing these in my daughters wedding and was wanting to do something a little more than just a mirror finish on the toe. Thank you

The shoe bag is not fit to store shoes. I use it to store my shoe shine kit for this pair. The dye also bleeds. Really bleeds out when using Renovatore. Doesn't polish easy. Agree otherwise that they are higher quality than AE, especially for the money.

How about the oldest shoemaker in the world? Trickers shoes please. They have some traditional boots and shoes that are made for walking in the glens of Scotland. Also some of their lasts are perfect for those with H width feet. There is even a shop in Tokyo that is an exact replica of the one in Jermyn street London. Looking at KZfaq there are many reviews from Japan. Maybe the weather in Scotland is similar to Japan?

Thanks for a review! It's not full leather heel stack here, Meermin uses leatherboard which is a robust cardboard in their heels. (Not sure about maestro line)

I can recommend Carlos Santos Handgrade and Yeossal shoes.

Great video! Thanks for the review!

Could you please do a video on Bridlen shoes as well. Would love your thoughts on the shoes they make.

Great work as usual. Meermin is truly value for money. Meermin is the to go shoes for daily wear and TLB Arista are for special occasions. Thats just how i treat those quality brands....hope to see the CNES review. Thank you chief!

What I would like to know and can't find the answer to: are the beechnut shoe trees worth it? Or just get a cedar shoe tree for a pair of Meermins?!?!! Any thoughts?!!??

Mr. Soto, I really appreciate what you do, I’m a retired U.S. Army soldier that love to shine my shoes, question will you consider doing a video on how to take care of dress sneakers, I purchased two pairs of Cobbler Unions UNO - VINTAGE COGNAC and NERO, will I apply the same principle to take of these as I would shoes. Any assistance will be appreciated.

Preston, you didn't mention the *Gentleman's notch"!* 👁️✨

Woooow, the way you polished them they simply became stunning! Is there any way I can ship you my shoes for polish like that?

All I can say is that a good friend of mine found them uncomfortable and overly stiff - even after weeks and weeks of breaking them in. Since this is pretty much in line with what I've heard from other reviewers, I think I won't buy them blindly without trying them on first.

Thank you very much, great information

You did a beautiful shine.

Hey, great video. Needed on help with a decision. I am ordering a bespoke captoe oxford. I am confused weather to have quarter brogue or plain.. I mainly want to wear it for formal occasions/ office/ client meetings. Please advise.

Hey Preston where have you gone, i'm missing your videos!

Bought my first pair of meermin. The same Oxford in the video but in black. Fit was good but disappointed that shoe had a deeep cut on the leather. Scratch’s I don’t mind as they can be polished. But cuts will get worst over time. Not sure what to do now as returns will cost me $15 for a shoe they sent defective. There is also a hole gap between the heel and leather

Great review! I'd love to see a review of some shoes from Grant Stone.

Verygood shore 38 W

It's crazy to see how many good reviews Meermin gets. I was inspired to try a pair, and was extremely disapointed. I thought it must just be me, or the wrong shoe choice, so I tried several more, but again found the quality extremely poor for the price point. For only marginally more, there are several brands of vastly superior quality. Seriously do not understand how Meermin gets so many good reviews.

Hi. At first: Superb video! One question, is the monk strap version cut deeper at the ankle? Or is it a optical illusion? Thanks

i have two pairs form Meermin. a wholecut and an oxford. good review. please do Earnest Collective (Singapore) and ToBoot New York (USA). thanks!!

Love the content. You should if you haven’t already, do a review on Paul Evans Shoes

What I saw in both pairs of these shoes, gives me pause. When the shoe rests on the floor, the heels on both pairs do not sit flat. The rear portion is floating above the deck. Standing in these shoes will create a line of pressure on the bottom of your foot at the forward edge of the heel. Your body's weight will force the heel to sit flat and the shoes will "hinge" at the fulcrum (leading edge of the heel). I'd pass on this line of foot gear.

At 3:17, I am actually a little concerned about how the heel is leveled: notice how only the inside edge of the heel makes contact with the table's surface; that's a pet peeve of mine, as I really do not like to have the shoe rock backwards when I put weight on my heels. Also, pressure at the inside of the heel then causes the shoe to flex and allow it to push up on the wearer's arches. I wonder if this is consistent throughout all their pairs, or if it was just a one-off issue(?)

Love your shoe reviews! Super practical!

I love gucci. True icon in the shoe world . What a loafer 😀

What's the difference between American EEE and European EEE?

i have a pair of shoes BOSTONIAN CLASSICS black color ,i would like to know how much will charge me for changing the color from black to brown and black or burgundy

Can you review Magnanni's? Are they worth the money? I have a pair which I paid 50% of the original price.

Any thoughts or comparison to John Doe Shoes? Both do a lot of MTO style pieces

Hi. Quick question. Finally managed to get a pair of Alden 403 Indie Boots in my size here in London. Not easy. What cream do you suggest I use for the chromatic leather. Thanks. 🙏.

Question. After you have stripped the wax off of a shoe And have applied the leather stain to your liking. What cream or substitute can you use to replenish the shoes back to a conditioned state? I know there is the saphir medalle renuvator stuff. But is there a cheaper substitute or a more common application to use to replenish the shoe leathers natural form to begin the polishing? Thanks!

First of all i am a big fan of your work ..i have a question if you wold answer it it would be great...i bought meermin shoes in espresso colour and i want to buy saphir cream and wax but i simply don't know which colour should i choose ...if you could tell me which colour would be the closest to those shoes it would be great info...thank you in advance

Mr. Soto Hi. I recently purchased black To Boot New York Cap toe Oxford. They are in great condition. However; one if the shoes has wrinkles not only where the bend occurs but also on outer part near lacing. Not sure how this happened, but it's there. Can I send the shoes to you for reconditioning, wax removal, and polish? Let me know the process. Thanks.

What are the wide sizes? I was recommmended E and G but like to know the scale

During a walk today, I entered the Meermin store in SOHO NYC. I'd passed by before but this time, decided to take a closer look. I have to say, I was pretty impressed with the quality that I saw. I thought, for sure, these were $600 shoes I was looking at. The soles were gorgeous. Some good and interesting takes on some traditional styles. At first I was a little 'bothered' by the 'outsourcing to China' comment. I wish companies would do more of their manufacturing locally. But I read a comment here that Meermin has had a factory in China for 20 years. If true, this isn't just an outsourcing situation but rather an investment in that community. I mean, how many countries outside the U.S. buy from American based companies. Many. I'll be buying a pair or two when the need arises. I found the styling to be superb with the quality truly a caliber of a much more expensive shoe. Those monks turned out gorgeous and may just have to send you pair to do the same!

Shall I order half size down for fitting perfection?

Hola. Los zapatos MEERMIN son de una excelente calidad. Por favor alguna informacion de la marca PEDRO DEL HIERRO. ¿Cual es su calidad?

I accidentally store my suede shoe inside plastic bag in other country, what to do to restore it and if it has fungus? please help me(i left it around january)

Awesome review!!

Hi Preston. Greeting from Mexico City Question. If I would like to give a mirror shine and I do not have any Shapire pruducts, but only those under the mexican brand "El OSO", should I use color wax or neutral wax to get the shine? Thanks in advance and I hope to be sufficent clear with my inquire. Have a good one!

The major weakness about Meermin is the sole which wears out at the tip extremely fast. Adding a sole protector is inevitable and that costs money. Workmanship and material quality are acceptable.

I gave up on meermin. The leather was just insanely stiff on every single pair and just refused to ever get any more comfortable. There's no excuse for it really when brands like Carmina seem to get access to decent calf leather on the same island! I've gone up and down the shoe grades, from basic Loakes up to Gaziano & Girling, and in reality, you generally get what you pay for. However having done this for years, I can safely say that while their lasts aren't particularly wild, Crockett & Jones seem to use consistently excellent leather. It wears well, creases well, and becomes comfortable quickly. It's interesting comparing different areas of value in middle ground shoe makers and the following would be my observations: Loake - Well enough made but generally unexciting. I wouldn't purchase below 1880 line as this is where the leather gets decent. Their 1880 Legacy and Export grades have excellent uppers though, and some slightly more interesting lasts. Cheaney - Similar lasts and styles to Crockett & Jones but I'm consistently disappointed by their leather choice. Loose grain, poor creasing and susceptibility to picking up marks. I have a few MTO cheaney / Hackett collaborations and they have better quality uppers than mainline cheaney. Crockett & Jones - The lasts aren't wild (though they have a few interesting ones) but the leather is excellent. They age superbly and really stand up to the test of time. Of all my oldest shoes, the Crocketts are the ones that have held up over the years. Handgrade gives you more elegant waists and better fitted heels. The leather doesnt seem much better than their standard shoes. Handgrade is really about the quality of the finishing, the delicacy of the soles and the slimmer waists. Alfred Sargent Exclusive - These are a genuinely slice of bargain shoemaking. Having learned from working alongside G&G production, the exclusive line picks up a lot of that high end look. Incredibly slim waists and finishing not as far away from Gaziano as you'd assume for the price. My 724 lasted Alfred Sargents are almost identical in fit and shape to TG73 by G&G. Where AS fall down, is the leather is not quite as good. It ages well enough, but its a touch stiff. Gaziano & Girling - Superb finishing, excellent fitting qualities and great lasts. But you pay for it. The leather is superbly soft, folds and creases gorgeously. I suspect it may not have the longevity of my crocketts though. I've dabbled in meermin and found them uncomfortable. Carlos santos (not quite as well finished), Berwick (cheap but decent looking and on par with Loake).

im only here because his voice is relaxing ahhaha

Would like to see you compare these to a pair of Beckett Simonon!

I actually went to Madrid to buy two pairs of their shoes. For me , the shape is a little bit bulky..and they are all Made in China

Was just about to order one, until you mentioned that they are made in china 🇨🇳. Unfortunately I don’t buy anything made in China. Really sad because I was impressed.

how does it compares to brand like carmina?

I got two bags for my Chelsea's 😉😉

Good job😅😅😅

Perfect is relative.

OMG, I cant believe the lustre after polish...

Weird first impression concerning Meermin. I nearly bought a pair of norvegese welted shoes from them online, but couldn't get my head around spending that amount of money without seeing them ( around $400 ). I therefore went in to one of their shops and was really surprised by how " cheap" everything looked. Maybe it was the design of the shop, or the way the shoes where presented, but something felt wrong and I didn't feel the desire that I felt seeing them online. I know that most of their volume is gonna be around the $200 mark but still, at that price Bexley makes imho shoes that look better in real life. We must not forget that Meermin was born digital and that they know how to display their shoes. Also, window shopping at Crockett and Jones just before might have introduced some bias in the equation.

Do the brand Morjas

Great review

I found the best deal of the year. At my local Ross dress for less I found 1 pair of Cole haan Washington grand Lazer wingtips with the purple insole for 32 dollar with tax.