Fit expectations for engineer type boots vs lace up boots ?

[Bfd70]

Oh cool! What are those prices like if you don’t mind my asking? Also what model of Nick’s did you try? I have very similar feet to yours, 10D brannock with very low volume/instep. I also broke my right foot 6 years ago and it’s sensitive to toe space now

Unsung were quite expensive. Maybe $1500 (Ordered about a year ago, maybe more?). Good experience. Good communication. Great boots, but like i say, expensive and I think their wait is quite long right now.
For NICKS I tried on their wellingtons in their HNW last which you can request in an engineer. If i knew with confidence they would work for me i would go that route.

 

[Fiedi]

Hi, with EB all depends on the last as with every shoe/boot and your experience in how comfortable an EB can feel on your feet is my experience - beside the kind of leather is important, what feels good on one model surely would not be so on another one in my opinion. In my twenties I wore a pair of Chippewa steeltoe Engineers about 3 years almost every day and I liked them of course but because they were really comfortable with no heelslip for me this time in any weather, with thinner socks in summer and thicker in the colder seasons. Then in my thirties I didn't wear them and let them standing in my closet. I wore them in my forties sometimes but with orthopaedic insoles as I didn't like them anymore without after I had worn by this time a lot of very comfy moccasin style boots i.e. no heel and wedgesoles. As I still liked the EB style I tried in my fifties other brands and bought a pair of Viberg engineers here on tfl few years ago, I wear with sunbed leatherinsoles which make them comfortable. Three years ago I bought a pair of Attraction biltbuck 444 EB and had the same experience as others, they did not fit in my size (lenght ok but too much volume even with insoles in the forefoot, heelslip and hard unconvenient neoprenesoles) - and that even as I liked them when I tried them on in the shop where I bought them - gave them away in the end. Two years ago I bought a pair of Clinch EB in the CN wide last and alike with all of my EB so far really hard to get them on and off in the shop where I bought them and also at the beginning when new but getting better with every wear and if I was in the boots from the first try on very comfortable and now even better. What I want to say is, I think you can find comfortable EB without heelslip not for every but for a lot of feet if you like them, keep on trying best in a shop, where you have different models in different sizes... I think buying EB online always is tricky