In Review: Johnston & Murphy Karnes Cap Toe Boot

There’s something undeniably masculine about pulling on a good, sturdy pair of kick-ass boots.

Whether you’re wearing your boots with jeans, khakis or even a suit, the right pair can instantly make you feel stronger, sturdier and ready to traverse whatever terrain lies before you, both literally and figuratively.

But if you don’t invest your boot-spending money wisely, they can also fall the f@¢k apart pretty quickly.

In this post, I’ll outline what you should look for in a well-made (and good-looking) pair of boots, and explain why Johnston & Murphy’s Karnes Cap Toe offers the best boot for your buck.

And I’ll try not to make too many more puns along the way – boot no promises. (Sorry. Trust me, if I could help it, I would.)

What to Look for in a Good Boot

Sturdy Soles

One of the main reasons to opt for boots rather than shoes is the sole.

Because boots are bigger and usually heavier than shoes, they can get away with having a larger, more protective sole without looking clunky or imbalanced.

The exact type of sole you’ll want depends on what you intend to use the boots for. If you want to wear them with a suit or a more dressed up outfit, stick to sleeker, leather soles. (The Johnston & Murphy Kinley has a lot of the same style advantages as the Karnes, but with a lighter sole.)

But if you’re looking for something that can get you through winter without slipping on your ass or soaking your socks, go for a heftier rubber sole.

Tread

Not all rubber soles are created equal.

If you plan to wear your boots while navigating tricky terrain (whether a forested area or just a snowy/icy city street), look for one with a lot of tread.

In shoe parlance, tread is the varied pattern on the bottom of the sole (pictured above) designed to help grip the ground beneath you and keep you on your feet.

Construction

One of the biggest factors in determining the quality (and often, the price) of a shoe or boot is how well the thing is made.

There are three basic methods for constructing a shoe. In order of fastest/cheapest to longest/most labor intensive, they’re: cementing, blake welting and goodyear welting.

Each has its pros and cons, and you can find an awesome primer on shoe construction over at (the oh-so aptly named) Primer Magazine.

Generally speaking, any boot that’s welted should last you a good long time, but if the sole somehow does start to separate from the boot, you can probably have it repaired.

Cementing is trickier because a sole that’s cemented to the boot can’t be repaired if it starts to separate.

This could obviously present a problem, but cementing tends to work pretty well for rubber-soled shoes and boots. (The Karnes has rubber soles and is cemented – more on its construction below.)

Cushioned Insoles

This one’s easy to forget about because you can’t visibly see it from the outside – but it might well be the single biggest thing you notice about your boots on a day-to-day basis.

If you’re ordering boots online that you’ve never tried on in-person, make sure to read enough reviews to know whether you can reasonably expect the boots to be comfortable.

The good news is that if all the other factors are in place – good style, good soles, good construction, etc. – but the insoles are less than ideal, there’s an easy solution.

You can buy comfortable insoles online or at most pharmacies, and either replace the ones that come with your boots or layer the new one on top of them.

If you suspect you’ll need extra insoles but aren’t sure if the ones in your new boots will be removable, consider sizing up by half a size to make sure you’ll have room to squeeze it in.

Reviewing Johnston & Murphy’s Karnes Cap Toe Boot

(They May be Cemented, But They’re Still Stand-Outs)

Perfect Toe Shape

One of the most striking things about this boot is how sharp it looks, and a lot of that owes to the toe shape.

Unlike other boots in this category, which are rugged but round, the Karnes features a triangular toe that looks more like a stylish pair of dress shoes than a rugged pair of hiking boots.

That combination of sleek and sturdy means you don’t have to choose between looking stylish or staying on your feet when the weather goes to shit – it’s actually possible to have both.

Broguing Details

While not full brogues, the Karnes boot integrates some light broguing around the cap toe and the ankles, which help the boot stand out.

It’s a minor details, but one that helps elevate the look of the boot and separate it its more basic competition.

Waterproof

I’ve had my pair of Karnes for years now and I’ve warn them through three Toronto winters.

If you’ve never been to Canada in the winter, rest assured: the struggle is real. When it’s not snowing it’s raining, and in those precious few interludes in which there’s not precipitation falling from the sky, last week’s is piling up in puddles and slush all over the ground.

But in all the time I’ve spent sloshing around this city in my Karnes, not once have I felt my socks get soggy – even when I’ve been caught in a downpour.

Now, after a lifetime spent in this kind of weather, I should confess that I’ve become a pretty expert puddle hopper; water may be everywhere, but I’ve gotten pretty good at avoiding it.

For those less seasoned in puddle-avoidance, I don’t think this boot is going to keep you dry if you step directly into ankle-depth water.

But for just about anything short of that, these things have held up beautifully.

Quality Leather

Part of the reason why my Karnes have lasted this long and continue to look so good is the quality of the leather used by Johnston & Murphy.

There are few if any signs of stiffening and cracking, which happens with a lot of leather boots after exposure to the elements.

Even after they get fully soaked, the leather dries well and, with minimum maintenance on my part, continues to look healthy and soft.

The Soles

Karnes are cemented, but you’d hardly know it. After years of wear and tear, mine show no signs of separating – if they did, there’s no way they’d keep my feet this dry.

Plus, the classic tread pattern on the bottom has proven more resistant to slippage than any other pair of boots I’ve owned.

In a city prone to ice storms and slick streets, the Karnes have helped keep me off my ass for three years running (knock on wood!), a feat which, I can assure you, owes little to my balance and much to my boots.

Comfy as Hell*

*And by Hell I mean a marshmallow perfectly shaped to my foot.

And last but not least, these things just feel good.

I’ve walked countless miles in my Karnes and felt no ill effects. They’re soft, supportive and easy to wear all day – even a day spent walking around the city.

Make no mistake, they’re heavier than even the sturdiest of shoes. But the cushioned insoles have shaped nicely to my feet, making these not just my most comfortable pair of boots, but one of my most comfortable pair of shoes, period.

Where to Buy Them

The Obvious Choice:

Johnston & Murphy

Pick them up online and keep your eye out for sales – in my experience, they tend to go on sale after Christmas and stay on until the end of what the fashion world considers “winter,” which apparently occurs some time in February.

That still leaves you a few months to get a lot of use out of them before you pack them away for next fall, when you can wear them everyday (at least, I do).

The Alternative Options:

Amazon

The Karnes Cap Toe is Now Available on Amazon.

When I first published this post back in 2017, Johnston & Murphy had a number of models available on Amazon, but the Karnes wasn’t one of them.

Fortunately that’s changed, so if you prefer to shop through Amazon (a lot of people already have a Prime membership and swear by the benefits), Jeff Bezos would be happy to ship your Karnes directly to you.

Nordstrom

Nordstrom also sells a unique (and particularly dapper) version of the Karnes in navy blue leather.

Billed as part of Johnston & Murphy’s J&M 1850 line, the blue leather makes for a particularly stylish touch that helps elevates the Karnes even further.

As someone who already owns (and loves) them in brown, I have to admit I’m tempted to pick them up in blue as well.

More Resources ↓

More Advice on Men’s Boots and Shoes from Irreverent Gent:

• The Most Stylish Men’s Casual Boots to Wear with Jeans
• 9 Stylish & Comfortable Dress Shoes That Feel Like Sneakers
• The Absolute Best Men’s Shoes for Standing All Day
• The 25 Best Men’s Summer Shoes
• The 8 Most Stylish Types of Men’s Shoes
• The (Absolute) Best Casual Shoes for Men
• In-Depth Wolf and Shepherd Shoes Review
• The Best Men’s Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis
• 17 of the Best Men’s Chukka Boots
• The Best Men’s Sneaker Boot Hybrids
• The (Absolute) Best Cap Toe Oxford Dress Shoes for Men
• The (Absolute) Best Shoes to Wear Without Socks
• In Review: Beckett Simonon Shoes
• How to Wear Rock a Blue Suit and Brown Shoes
• The Most Comfortable Work Boots on the Market
• In Review: Thursday Boot Company’s “Captain”
• The 9 Best Boot Styles for Men
• The Most Stylish Shoes for Men to Wear with Jeans
• The 21 Best Shoes to Wear with Shorts
• The Must-Have Boots All Men Should Own