Myth: suede is delicate. I don’t know how the myth got started, it’s entirely false. Real suede is an incredibly durable leather. It doesn’t show surface scratches or stains very much. It can get literally soaked and bounce right back. It’s incredibly easy to care for; it’s receptive to neglect and papering. Oak Street Bootmakers +7yrs of wear These blucher mocassins from Oak Street Bootmakers are over 7 years old and they’ve been worn quite hard.
A manufacturer makes full grain leather of whatever thickness by slicing off the upper part of the leather where the grain is. The vast majority of the strength in leather is in the grain. The remaining thickness is a loose collection of fibers with nowhere near the density, strength or water resistance of full grain leather. That’s suede. That stuff is far less durable than leather with the grain in it.
The suede referenced in the article isn’t suede by the traditional definition because it has the grain on the backside. The manufacturer description says it is, “A production of selected, young calf skins with a luxurious silky suede side and a natural full grain, aniline reverse.” It’s more of a rough-out leather, which is absolutely a durable and long lasting product.
I had some suede shoes for years. It stains/gets matted by shit pretty badly in my experience. Got a little bit of grease/oil on them and I could never get the spots to disappear completely. It’s not “delicate” but liquids I can just brush off with a wet paper towel of most things are going to leave permanent stains.
I have a few pairs of suede shoes. I’ll probably get a pair of suede boots at some point. Totally agree that suede is a rough and durable material.
That said, if you ever walk through grass and live in an area prone to dew you’re going to inevitably wind up with wet toes and a line where the wet patch ended after your shoes/boots dry. I’ve found that the wet/dry line sticking out fades after a few days. As my shoes get worn more it isn’t as noticeable to begin with either.
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