The All-Inclusive Shoe & Boot Thread

Dropbear said:
Ahhh, ok. Not at that price point!

Not sure if it's really appropriate for this 'all inclusive' thread, but I was issued a pair of Belleville C390 boots for work deployments recently - they are light, comfortable and cool. I'm really impressed with modern military boot technology. A lot has changed since my military days.
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The military issue supplies like Belleville, Reebok, Altama build a decent product the days. I think Salomon Quest 4D (Gore-Tex or non-Gore-tex) are a couple of notches above. Lowa's too
 
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After looking at the new 1k offerings, I pulled mine out of the back of the closet to try to breathe new life into them.

I’ve thoroughly cleaned, oiled and waxed them.

They are comfortable as fuck and still have lots of life in them .... but the color is still a disappointment. Just not sure if it’s enough to justify buying a new, custom, pair.

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Rambo said:
That beckman last is pretty narrow in the toebox. Not a comfortable fit in the EE
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Only Redwing would make a EE boot that is still too narrow!

Rambo said:
i have two myself. its been ongoing for years now that the only two boots in the 1000 mile collection are the basic black and brown 1000 mile standard models. interesting how they're letting you customize it all the way around. good find. i've always wanted a pair of the tan color but it looks like 'squash' is the closest you can get. what combo are you putting together?
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Are your 'basic brown' boots super dark now?

Are you seriously considering a custom order? Do you think these would ever be included in a sale?
 
Is there anything, aside from the name and knowing it’s handmade, to make White’s boots better then Wolverine? I’m digging the MP Service Boot, but it’s almost identical to the 1000 mile.
 
Dropbear Dropbear what's wrong with the colour?

Dropbear said:
After looking at the new 1k offerings, I pulled mine out of the back of the closet to try to breathe new life into them.

I’ve thoroughly cleaned, oiled and waxed them.

They are comfortable as fuck and still have lots of life in them .... but the color is still a disappointment. Just not sure if it’s enough to justify buying a new, custom, pair.

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View attachment 30492
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Dropbear said:
Is there anything, aside from the name and knowing it’s handmade, to make White’s boots better then Wolverine? I’m digging the MP Service Boot, but it’s almost identical to the 1000 mile.
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1000 Miles are good boots if they fit you well, stick with them.

You really need to try Whites on. They have what they call Arch Ease construction which takes a good while to break in and still does not always feel good to some people. You either love it, tolerate it or hate it.

You have people walking in river beds to soak and break them in.

Whites are in another league when it comes to construction. 1000 Miles are not in the comparison group. Whites competition is Wesco, Nicks Boots and the other companies that sell to lineman, lumberjacks and smokejumper.

You can do custom orders with Whites or alternatively Baker Shoes is the key retailer of Whites and do a custom service too.

Now the MP Service boot is built on the Barrie last, a shoe last and has a far less steep arch. Hand lasted and hand sewn not GYW. Note: Whites have altered the Barrie and you don't go 1/2 size down over your other Whites lasts.

In the Whites, Wesco, Viberg, Dayton service boot pool of comparison. Viberg's prices are silly but that's what you get when a brand is "discovered" by SF and the Japanese.

If you like the service boot style I'd say check out Dayton boots service boot (which started the igent service boot craze).

I have 2 pair and they are excellent. You can do full custom or if you want to visit the shop in Vancouver, bespoke too.

They do up to EEE. Last is a Canadian military last along the lines of the Munson last which is a very accommodating last for most feet.

Service boots charcoal new buck and brown oil tanned. The disparity in the Canadian and US dollar would work well for you. Best value in the high end group

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Parade boot

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The Shooman said:
Obviously the soles are still leather, but it seems to be a sole that is of lighter weight.
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In the link you posted, it looks as though the part of the sole that joins on the upper is leather, but it's quite thin and then a thin layer of rubber is attached to that.
 
Journeyman said:
In the link you posted, it looks as though the part of the sole that joins on the upper is leather, but it's quite thin and then a thin layer of rubber is attached to that.
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No, that has nothing to do with the tensile leather sole. This link also has a tensile sole with no rubber.
https://www.johnlobb.com/en_us/22822tl


The tensile is a lighter leather.

I roll my eyes at all of this. Is man so weak and precious that he wants the leather extra soft and light because walking in shoes is so much of a choir. What hot wind. Man has worn leather shoes for over 100 years and gotten by just fine, but now man wants his leather to be softer. Pthh!!!
 
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Wow, Thruth Thruth I just found the Baker's site and the White's options and pricing there looks pretty good. Options and cost is better than going straight to White's!
 
Dropbear said:
Wow, Thruth Thruth I just found the Baker's site and the White's options and pricing there looks pretty good. Options and cost is better than going straight to White's!
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Yup. Plus they are the only one outside of Japan that you can do the Bountry Hunter model with. That's the Smoke Jumper model on the semi-dress last.
 
I'm pretty sold on doing the Classic Work Boot in a semi-dress style, in a CXL8 or tan. I was pretty set on a 5" or 6", but seeing they do 7" or 8" at the same price ....
Edit: Just found another pic - damn these are chunky! This will really be pushing it as office wear.
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Dropbear said:
I'm pretty sold on doing the Classic Work Boot in a semi-dress style, in a CXL8 or tan. I was pretty set on a 5" or 6", but seeing they do 7" or 8" at the same price ....
Edit: Just found another pic - damn these are chunky! This will really be pushing it as office wear. View attachment 30545
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Too chunky. The MP service boots are less chunk and lower volume.
 
Thruth said:
Too chunky. The MP service boots are less chunk and lower volume.
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Much better - I thought it was the same boot until I found that pic in all its chunkiness. The Nick’s Roberts and the Bounty Hunter are also too chunky for chino-level dress irl, right? Thanks for your help!



I think I’ve found my next boot. I’m just checking with Baker to see if they can offer the same options as the factory (not a fan of the cap toe) with that White’s service boot.

walker said:
Dropbear Dropbear what's wrong with the colour?
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Nothing really, it’s just a bit blah and similar to other boots I own. Unoiled, it has a nice, rich tone - but with a bit of oil, pollish or age, it darkens to a mud brown. Nothing really wrong with it, but all the excuse I need for a new pair of boots!

edit: that’s a hell of a boot:

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I’m still looking at White’s boots. What started out as spending a couple hundred to replace my Wolverine 1k’s has turned into spending $1k on a couple of custom boot: a cxl8 service boot and a casual hiker. 🤣

Maybe something like this:
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Thruth Thruth : what are your thoughts on 5” vrs a 7” or 8” height? For someone wearing them under jeans, in the city, not fording rivers and living in tropical heat? The short boot sounds more sensible, though the extra height (same price) makes them so much more substantial.
 
Dropbear said:
Thruth Thruth : what are your thoughts on 5” vrs a 7” or 8” height? For someone wearing them under jeans, in the city, not fording rivers and living in tropical heat? The short boot sounds more sensible, though the extra height (same price) makes them so much more substantial.
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7 eyelet boot is appropriate for the model. 5-6" height is good.
 
Pimpernel Smith said:
These are my non-winter good to go ankle boots, Alden reverse leather with handy oiled leather soles:
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What sort of trousers do you wear them with? The reverse leather looks very casual, so I can't imagine they would work with anything very formal.
 
Rambo said:
Dropbear Dropbear saw this and thought of you

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Fascinating how they taper off the welt to the waist, and how rough the tapering down looks.

Looks like the boot is goodyear constructed (can see some inseaming) with a combination of a `rapid' construction at the waist of the boot. Wow, i've never seen anything like it before, combining rapid with goodyear while gluing the inside of the upper to the waist of the shoe. That makes no sense at all....no reason to do that, why not just continue the welt along the waist of the shoe! They must have encountered a problem to make them like that, it would seem they are not a traditionally trained bootmaker, and it shows. The closing and making skills are quite crude.

Where are these boots made? Grand Potentate Grand Potentate
 
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I like this post. What-is-the-best-value-shoe-maker-you-know?
What is the best value shoe maker you know?

People talk about shoes being good value based on a cost ratio, but human beings are not robots. Good value IMO is really about the pleasure you get out of wearing the shoos. For me BIG Johnny Lobb and Vass and a few others give me great pleasure to wear,and no matter how good value AE and others may be per wearing, that means nothing to me because satisfaction is the real meaning of value for me. Much of it is about lasts and patterns and colours and quality, and if l can get it handwork is highly appreciated too.
 
I’m still researching White’s boots - figuring out what I want and waiting for a 1911 to sell so I can buy two pairs at one (Bakers’ 10% off first order coupon).

I think I’ve settled on one pair of semi-dress and one 8” bounty hunter. I was thinking CXL8 and Brit Tan, but they are both oily pull-up leather. Then I started looking at horsehide for the semi-dress. Then burgundy CXL for the tall boots? But then they match my leather jacket.

Thoughts on cxl and horsehide leathers and colors, Thruth Thruth ?
 
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Dropbear said:
I’m still researching White’s boots - figuring out what I want and waiting for a 1911 to sell so I can buy two pairs at one (Bakers’ 10% off first order coupon).

I think I’ve settled on one pair of semi-dress and one 8” bounty hunter. I was thinking CXL8 and Brit Tan, but they are both oily pull-up leather. Then I started looking at horsehide for the semi-dress. Then burgundy CXL for the tall boots? But then they match my leather jacket.

Thoughts on cxl and borsehide leathers and colors, Thruth Thruth ?
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That Brown Dress leather is pretty popular in the Semi-Dress models. Actually, I think it is the stock leather for non-custom orders (not that they do many of those). It's thick and takes a shine, apparently. It is so dark it looks almost black.

A lot of the SF crowd seem to be against pull-up leathers, though I've mostly had good experiences with them. I have no experience with horsehide though - and I see that getting a whole lot of love in the White's Boots thread.
 
walker said:
wow, the alico wins all relevant categories hands down, amazing.

plus no respective loss to eat on a boots sale ..., easy peasy
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Alico makes quality boots. An Italian outfit owned by Sierra Trading Post which is about the only place you can buy them.

Of course you cannot compare the two directly as the Alico's are hiking boots and the White's are built on a shoe last.

Dropbear Dropbear can't wear the Alico's to the office
 
Dropbear said:
That Brown Dress leather is pretty popular in the Semi-Dress models. Actually, I think it is the stock leather for non-custom orders (not that they do many of those). It's thick and takes a shine, apparently. It is so dark it looks almost black.

A lot of the SF crowd seem to be against pull-up leathers, though I've mostly had good experiences with them. I have no experience with horsehide though - and I see that getting a whole lot of love in the White's Boots thread.
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What issues do the experts have with pull-up?

Horsehide seems to be the current fave these days.

LelandJ LelandJ didn't you have some horsehide Guidi's?
 
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