Paraboot Milly Marche Boot: Michel’s Older Brother
Price: $600 [SOLD OUT; Check eBay for Current Prices]
Why Buy?
The Paraboot Milly has an interesting story and manages to stand out without actually being too far out there.
Why Avoid?
The Paraboot Milly is near impossible to size based on internet advice, and costs more than it should at MSRP.
Specs
| Model | Milly Marche |
| Height | 5″ |
| Size | 46 |
| Weight | 814 g / 1 lb 12.7 oz |
| Materials | Suede, Rubber, Leather |
| Construction | Norwegian Welt |
| Country of Origin | France |
History
Paraboot
Paraboot might just be one of the most storied boot brands that you have never thought about. Headquartered in the French town of Isère, Paraboot started off as a somewhat generic footwear making among a sea of other footwear makers. This all changed after a trip to the United States.
The founder of Paraboot saw Americans who were wearing boots made entirely of rubber – think rain boots. As vulcanization of rubber was still new, and expensive, this was not something anyone back in France had been experiencing.
After coming home, he wanted to replicated this and did something a bit strange. He started laminating his boot. Just his normal leather soled leather upper boots.
This was as bad an idea as it sounds.
However, after yet another country started to utilize rubber boots (this time England), he went back to the drawing board. He figured out that you don’t need a boot entirely made of rubber, just a chunky lugged sole.*
While Vibram is more famous for this invention, Paraboot was doing it nearly a decade before the oft-mis-prounced Italian brand.
Unfortunately, the brand was in for a bit of a rough patch. In 1937, the brand began to get their new rubber soles rolling. WWII put a damper on growth. The brand did make it through, and celebrated in 1945 with the release of the classic Michael.
The patch wasn’t over. Poor financials meant keeping the lights on were tough, and for decades the brand struggled to keep the lights on until finally filing for bankruptcy in 1983. However, after government intervention, the brand regained its feet.
*This is the brand’s story. Many brands, such as LL Bean, were making leather/rubber combo boots by then.
The Milly Marche Boot
The piece of footwear that put them back on the map was, as you can guess, the Michael. It’s so-ugly-it’s-cool vibe played well with the rise of more casual business wear in southern Europe. The brand knew that this was going to be their face moving forward and they had to capitalize on it.
Enter the Milly. The Milly was the taller, boot version of the Michael. First released back in the 1980’s, the boot offered an even more casual vibe, and would be better if you wanted to go to alps. Over time, this style didn’t catch on quite the way they hoped, and as a full offering it was eventually killed off.
However, like many great classic pieces of footwear, the style soon saw a revival via Japan. As stylish young Japanese fashionites began to poor through vintage shops to find them, brands began to notice. Nanamica released a collaboration in all black. It was impossible to ignore. Soon, J.Crew had their own collab.
So, should you consider a little bit more leg protection in the Milly? Or is the Michael the only way to go if you want a kind-of-ugly-in-a-cool-way French shoe? Let’s dive in and find out.
Looks
Upper
When taking a look at the upper of the Paraboot Milly, there is a big difference between the first time you look and the second.
At first, this boot looks like it’s from another planet. What is up with that ridge? And the green tab? However, give it a few minutes, and it’ll sink in that this boot isn’t that different than many chukka boots out there.
Of course, when buying a higher end piece of footwear, the details do matter. On this boot you’ll find a three piece construction – two vamp panels with a combo plug/tongue sewn in the middle. Where these panels meet, another piece of material is used to cover the stitching and provide a bit more water resistance.
The Milly uses a three-eyelet set up, compared to the two most Paraboot styles use. The opening of the boot is surrounded in a padded collar, here in a contrast brown. A small green tag shows the Paraboot branding.
Other than that, there really isn’t much to the design. Kind of surprising when you get such a reaction after the first look.
The suede used here looks good and feels good, though is a bit thinner than I prefer. The stitching and clicking is just OK for the price. There are no structural issues, but it’s all a bit rough around the edges. Inside, the boot is lined with a tan leather, which honestly feels nicer than the exterior leather they use.
Midsole and Outsole
The bottom half of the Paraboot Milly is that classic Paraboot lugged outsole. Held on with the tan Norwegian welt that features dual stitching (more on that later), the outsole is handsome if a bit plain.
Personally, I think it offers just the right level of chunk. It’s better balanced on this larger boot than it is with the Michael, and in many ways creates an overall piece of footwear that is a bit less in-your-face.
The light colored welt plays well with the medium suede upper and dark brown outsole. It’s not quite hiking boot and not quite workwear, but somehow manages to be both.
Summary
The Paraboot Milly, especially in this J.Crew collab, was not what I was expecting in the style department. When I purchased this pair, I thought I’d be getting something more traditionally European. Something bold that would be noticed.
Instead, my spouse refers to them as “a fancy pair of Timberlands.” I can’t say I disagree with her.
That being said, I wouldn’t say that is an entirely bad thing. For many guys – maybe even most – a purely casual pair of boots is going to be more useful. However, I should be clear, these are a very casual boot. Don’t think this is a svelte, European look.
In light of this casual feel, I find it’s much easier to style them with equally casual outfits. Jeans are ideal.
Fit & Comfort
Fit
Trying to get the right fit on a pair of Paraboot Millys must have been among the most annoying of any pair of footwear I’ve ever owned.
To start off – size charts are all over the place. My EU size is generally somewhere between 45 and 47. Paraboot themselves does not list U.S. sizes, but says a size 46 would be a 12 UK, or around 13 on a brannock. Many of their retailers use this scale. However, the majority of U.S. retailers shift, saying a size 46 would be a UK 11, or a US 12.
Adding insult to injury, some retailers list them as a US 12. Which of the two U.S. 12 options? They don’t say.
The brand also indicates that they believe they run a bit big, so I first tried a size 45/11UK/12US. This would align with what I wear in most brands, and a bit larger than most “run big” boots. These were so small I could hardly get them on.
I then switched to a size 46/12UK/13US. This is my sneaker size and far larger than any stitched footwear I own, and even these are tighter than I would prefer. The toe box on this last is particularly narrow.
I’ve seen every excuse from “the French like less toe room” to “they take your foot’s shape.” However, these are structured toe boots. Your toes will not win when pressed against clastic that is coming down to a point. I would strongly encourage you to go up a full size from your standard US size using Paraboot’s scale, and only buy from somewhere you can return.
Comfort
Assuming you are able to get the right size, the comfort of the Paraboot Milly was surprisingly good. The upper leather, while again too thin for my preference, means that the upper needs no breaking in. The padding around the collar? Thin enough that even if you don’t like this style you’re unlikely to notice.
Under foot, the single piece midsole/outsole combo unit is extremely forgiving.
While limited arch support might keep me from putting these in the “happy to wear all day walking around a new city” category, these are still among the more comfortable pairs of stitched footwear I own.
Materials & Construction
Materials
Paraboot does not list their suppliers, other than that they are primarily local to their factory and all their non-Cordovan leather comes from Europe.
As mentioned above, the suede that makes up the majority of the upper is not the best I’ve ever felt. It’s OK, and should last a long time, but is still a bit of letdown. I believe that the collar lining is leather, though it feels a bit plasticky. Paraboot does not specify it’s material.
Inside the boot, clastic counters are used in both the toe and the heel.
Surprisingly, where most manufacturers have the best material on the outer, the Paraboot only gets better from here. The lining and welt are both substantial and high quality, especially the welt.
Underfoot, the rubber outsole is made by Paraboot themselves using a propriety blend. It feels quite soft. Maybe not Vibram 2060 soft, but softer than most rubber outsoles. This is great for comfort, but I would not expect to get a long life from them.
Paraboot does not use a shank in their design, but does use cork to fill the void due to the style of construction. As someone who is regularly going through metal detectors, I really appreciate the lack of a metal shank. If you plan on scaling ladders or felling trees you might not like it but, let’s be honest here, you’re not doing either of those in a pair of Paraboots.
Construction
One of the standout features of the Paraboot Milly is the norweigen style construction. Also known as Norvegese, it actually originates in Italy as a way to make particularly waterproof footwear. It might be easiest to think of it as a mix of hand welting and stitchdown.
First, the welt is sewn directly to the upper, unlike on goodyear welted footwear where the welt is attached to piece of fabric glued to the upper. Then, a separate stich is sewn through the lower half of the welt to the midsole. Finally, an outsole is glued onto the midsole.
There is a lot of hoopla about norwegian welts, with many claiming they are so much more water proof than goodyear welt. While it is true that there is a small period of time where a goodyear welted boot will get wet before a norvegese will, this is a bit overdone. The real difference is that water doesn’t have a small channel to settle in.
While a hundred years ago this might have mattered, in 2024 any serious hiking boot is going to be cemented. Having no welt or stitching will be superior than any welt.
All that being said, norwegian welting is still incredibly labor intensive. The beauty isn’t in the practicality, but knowing the work that goes into it. This type of construction is something to be celebrated as more and more brands shift away from this more old school craft.
Ease of Care
Taking care of the Paraboot Milly doesn’t require anything out of the ordinary. At least for the most part. To ensure the suede stays looking nice, and clean it up when it doesn’t, you might want to consider a suede eraser and brush combo set. They are pretty cheap and can work absolute wonders once the suede starts to matte down.
If you are planning on wearing these in poor weather, you also might want to consider a waterproof spray. This will keep the suede from developing a patina – though some people think that’s a good thing.
For daily wear, you will want to make sure you use a pair of shoe trees. Woodlore makes a nice-looking pair, but any wooden shoe tree will work as well for the core purpose – keeping the shoe from curling.
When the sole does wear out, any cobbler should be able to sand off what’s left and put on a new one. If you want to get that original compound back, official Paraboot retailers can order them on your behalf.
The big rub comes if you have to replace a midsole. While it isn’t impossible, resoling a norwegian welt is different than a goodyear welt. Personally, I’d only trust a well-known cobbler such as Bedo’s. Expect to pay a good bit more than the guy down the street.
How Much does the Paraboot Milly Marche Cost?
As the Paraboot Milly is currently only available via collabs, the price point is a bit all over the place. This specific pair retailed for $600. However, other retailers who have pairs price them higher – around $700-800. As they are generally limited runs, your options for retailers are going to be equally limited.
The good news is that Paraboot does not hold their value well on the secondary market. At time of writing, there are several pairs available priced between $299 and $499 on eBay.
Personally, I find it a bit hard for Paraboot to justify a $600 price point for this boot. That puts it in the same range as brands like Crockett & Jones, Carmina, and Alden. I imagine that most people who purchase these do so around sale times, and the resale price reflects a more accurate valuation for the brand.
Are the Paraboot Milly Marche Worth It?
When I ordered the Paraboot Milly, I really wanted to like it. There are a lot of things going for it – the unique country of construction, the funky style, the really cool construction method.
However, I can’t feel a bit let down by the product in hand. The unpolished finishing and occasional corner cutting on materials is something OK for a brand focused on value – but a $600 boot is a premium product. Sure, the norweigen welt is more labor intensive, but it’s easier than a pair of White’s – and those are priced nearly the same.
All that being said, if you are able to find them for around $300 that is a slightly different story. I would say that their build quality and leather selection is very similar to Red Wing. Different purposes for sure, but a similar value proposition. If you think the style works for you and you’re able to pick up a pair in this range, it’s a worth a shot.
Just be sure you can return it in case you get the wrong size.