Magnificent Bastard

Monday, February 17, 2025



clarks

Ask the MB: Crepe Soled Shoes in Winter

J. Shoes Mojave in Bark via J. Shoes, $145.00
J. Shoes Mojave in Bark via J. Shoes. $145.00.
Q: The other day you recommended J Shoes' mojave boots. I noticed they have a crepe sole and was wondering how these hold up in Wisconsin winters. I am interested in a different model with crepe soles for Philadelphia winters.
--Michael


A: Crepe soles were born on British soldiers fighting Rommel in the deserts of North Africa, then in 1950 Englishman Nathan Clark made them for civilians and called them "desert boots." These two facts are both strong hints about the wisdom of wearing them during Wisconsin winters, and intuitively we stow away our crepe-soled boots by Thanksgiving. But just to make sure we asked J. Shoes about it and here's what they said:
Crepe is a rubber latex material that changes with the temperature. It softens in the summer and gets hard in the winter, which means it can be slippery and dangerous on ice.
In our experience, the only footwear not dangerous on ice is a pair of skates, but while we want you in a pair of crepe-soled J. Shoes boots, leave the road slush and ice to footwear that's far more appropriate.

POURCAST

BETA

Polar Vortex

  • 3 oz American rye whiskey
  • 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth (Carpano Antica)
  • 1/8 ounce Fernet Branca
  • 2 dashes Regans' Orange Bitters
  • 1/8 ounce yellow Chartreuse

Shake the whiskey, vermouth, Fernet Branca, and orange bitters. Swirl the yellow Chartreuse in a chilled martini glass and slowly pour in the arctic cold cocktail. Finish with an orange peel.


In-Depth Polar Vortex Coverage:

MB Pourcast: Polar Vortex Cocktails for Everyone

×

Currently in
Minneapolis, Minnesota

-10° Clear/Sunny

Polar Vortex

Enter any city on earth & start cocktailing. (Zip codes work, too.)

Feedback? editor@magnificentbastard.com


recent posts

@magbas


ask mb

Got a style question? We're all ears. And antlers. Ask away.


tip mb

If you know about something you think we should know about, let us know (so we can pretend we knew about it all along). Send a tip.


features


channels