The Blondo Ida and Kodiak Acadia arrived yesterday. I sized up a bit more than usual and 7 1/2 seems exactly right to wear over socks. Figured out sizing...check!
I could tell right away that The 1 1/2" heel on the Blondo Ida is a bit too high for all day walking for me, but the boots feel fabulous overall and are really nice to look at. The Blondo brand will work for my feet...check!
I am surprised at how much I like the Kodiak Acadia. It's hard to see in the find, the toe and heel areas are leather but the upper is suede which makes it a bit less sporty than I expected, which is GOOD. Super comfy. These are definitely contenders.
I just ordered three more options:
Blondo tula which just came back in stock in my size yay!
Blondo liam
Blondi vila
And as an extra bonus, these boots are all priced around $120 - $150 which seems like a good value to me. I have not bought new winter-weather boots in at least 4 years and all the ones I have are sporty. My one pair of tall boots is not very warm or very good in slippery conditions so I don't count them as winter-weather boots.
I am toying with the idea of keeping the Kodiak lace up ones AND one other....but need to get the three new ones, wear for a few hours at home, and take them outdoors for a spin final decision, and then will wear them on my daily walks to get them broken in a bit.
finds added
1 - the Ugg boots I want to replace or upgrade
2 - Blondo Ida (with too high a heel)
3 - Kodiak Acadia (contender #1)
4 - Blondo Tula
5 - Blondo Villa
6 - Blondo Liam