The Ultimate Vass (Footwear) Thread (Pictures, reviews, sizing, etc...)

[nickrut]

Wow I like those derbys a lot. That might be my next purchase. That or the Vcap Oxfords.

 

[archangle13]

Does anyone feel that the calfskin that vass uses is rather thin? That's my first thought when I held my first pair of vass, and this is comparing it with the AE independence collection.

How does vass leather thickness compare with EG, Carmina and C&J?

 

[Louis XIV]

I am by no means an expert.
Only I decided not to solely learn about shoes through the internet.
A lot of people on there only judge the design and don't care about ortophedics and construction, they have no idea what is important in a shoe, have never taken a shoe apart and simply don't care for the health of their feet.
I spoke to fritzl and he opened my eyes for a lot of things.
I read a lot of articels on newsaboutshoes and will go see and talk to as many cobblers and shoemakers as possible.
People who know their trade, have (re)build shoes with their bare hands and can tell and show me their experiences in person.
At newsaboutshoes and similiar sites a lot of shoes have been taken apart and it has been proven more often than not that the most expensive shoes are only of slightly better, if at all, build quality than signficantly cheaper shoes.
Also they still only are RTW shoes which can't take the characteristics of your feet into consideration and thus can mean harm to the health of your feet.
Good uppers and sole design don't make a quality shoe.
Instead of spending four figures on a pair of RTW shoes only because they carry a certain name/tag, I would much rather have a pair of bespoke shoes made.
Unluckily I am still a young guy and can't effort either.
Still I will be visiting POSH (bespoke) shoes Berlin later this year for a private workshop and hope to learn a lot about my feet, what I should care the most for, to learn which RTW makers she recommends in general and which maker and last she recommends especially for my feet.

Take a look at the derby that has been posted.
I agree it is a good looking shoe, also I am not able to point out what exactly is wrong, but there are several things I noticed when looking at the pictures when worn and I would be worried about them:

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 

[Ilovelobbs]

Crat,

I would show EG your photos and my photos below and see if EG has any leg to stand on - that's simply poor leather.
Personally - I see no difference in their leather compared to CJ's Handgrade.

Also:
All leather porous - the golden rule is to keep rain away from all types of leather - whether it's Vass/JL/SCrispin/C&J/EG...
The sole alot more porous than the upper, with all the snow, salt and god knows what other chemical they use to clean
the chewing gums and rubbish on the pavement - after several wear ALL shoes will turn into paper mache....unless you have
rubber dainite sole.

BUT - the water drop you did on your EG is NOT right. It looks like you're turning the leather back to the state crust condition
it arrived from the tannery wholesalers.

Look at my JL Chapel & Vass water test....Both came out better than the EG, But Vass was spotless the 10 minutes test, Lobb had a visible black stain
which would disappear after 1 hour....And this limited test was only using Evian water to start with.

 

[Ilovelobbs]

I am by no means an expert.
Only I decided not to solely learn about shoes through the internet.
A lot of people on there only judge the design and don't care about ortophedics and construction, they have no idea what is important in a shoe, have never taken a shoe apart and simply don't care for the health of their feet.
I spoke to fritzl and he opened my eyes for a lot of things.
I read a lot of articels on newsaboutshoes and will go see and talk to as many cobblers and shoemakers as possible.
People who know their trade, have (re)build shoes with their bare hands and can tell and show me their experiences in person.
At newsaboutshoes and similiar sites a lot of shoes have been taken apart and it has been proven more often than not that the most expensive shoes are only of slightly better, if at all, build quality than signficantly cheaper shoes.
Also they still only are RTW shoes which can't take the characteristics of your feet into consideration and thus can mean harm to the health of your feet.
Good uppers and sole design don't make a quality shoe.
Instead of spending four figures on a pair of RTW shoes only because they carry a certain name/tag, I would much rather have a pair of bespoke shoes made.
Unluckily I am still a young guy and can't effort either.
Still I will be visiting POSH (bespoke) shoes Berlin later this year for a private workshop and hope to learn a lot about my feet, what I should care the most for, to learn which RTW makers she recommends in general and which maker and last she recommends especially for my feet.

Take a look at the derby that has been posted.
I agree it is a good looking shoe, also I am not able to point out what exactly is wrong, but there are several things I noticed when looking at the pictures when worn and I would be worried about them:

Would be interested in your findings?
Still I will be visiting POSH (bespoke) shoes Berlin later this year for a private workshop and hope to learn a lot about my feet, what I should care the most for, to learn which RTW makers she recommends in general and which maker and last she recommends especially for my feet.


I see the issues on your photos and they are genuine issues to be worried about.
You'll gain some credibility If you can elaborate on why you are worried?
Take a look at the derby that has been posted.
I agree it is a good looking shoe, also I am not able to point out what exactly is wrong, but there are several things I noticed when looking at the pictures when worn and I would be worried about them:

 

[j ingevaldsson]

gorgeous

Beautiful......I just love the 7th photo....the picture of the back distinguishes the Gazelle from the Buffaloes.
This Gazelle pure beauty..............

The above 3 eyelets darby is a piece of art. the shoe still looks very sneak with the wide width. Vass does not ceased to amuse me.

+1, those are a beauty, great last for 2-3 eyelets

Wow I like those derbys a lot. That might be my next purchase. That or the Vcap Oxfords.

Thank you guys! Yes, I too believe that the U-last works very well with the 3-eyelet derby modell.

I am by no means an expert.
Only I decided not to solely learn about shoes through the internet.
A lot of people on there only judge the design and don't care about ortophedics and construction, they have no idea what is important in a shoe, have never taken a shoe apart and simply don't care for the health of their feet.
I spoke to fritzl and he opened my eyes for a lot of things.
I read a lot of articels on newsaboutshoes and will go see and talk to as many cobblers and shoemakers as possible.
People who know their trade, have (re)build shoes with their bare hands and can tell and show me their experiences in person.
At newsaboutshoes and similiar sites a lot of shoes have been taken apart and it has been proven more often than not that the most expensive shoes are only of slightly better, if at all, build quality than signficantly cheaper shoes.
Also they still only are RTW shoes which can't take the characteristics of your feet into consideration and thus can mean harm to the health of your feet.
Good uppers and sole design don't make a quality shoe.
Instead of spending four figures on a pair of RTW shoes only because they carry a certain name/tag, I would much rather have a pair of bespoke shoes made.
Unluckily I am still a young guy and can't effort either.
Still I will be visiting POSH (bespoke) shoes Berlin later this year for a private workshop and hope to learn a lot about my feet, what I should care the most for, to learn which RTW makers she recommends in general and which maker and last she recommends especially for my feet.

Take a look at the derby that has been posted.
I agree it is a good looking shoe, also I am not able to point out what exactly is wrong, but there are several things I noticed when looking at the pictures when worn and I would be worried about them:

And can you please share with us what you have learned, regarding the often hidden cuts in materials and construction that the higher grade of RTW-users make?

Appreciate your concern regarding the fit, but can say that most of the things you've marked out is due to a combination of stiff shoes that when the pictures were taken had hardly been worn at all, and a weird standing pose where I bend the legs in awkward ways to be able to take the photos. But two things I give you right about, the lump on the inside of the right shoe looks weird, and that is because I have juvenile hallux valgus which I have been living with all my life, it doesn't get worse but sometimes the lump gets swollen and I have to wear a rubber patch which makes it even bigger which I had when the pics were taken, so that's the explanation for that. And also the laces tighten too much on the left shoe, because of the fact that my left foot is smaller than my right. I intend to take them to a cobbler to attach a tongue pads in leather to adjust the instep, which will solve that.

 

[Swede66]



From what you're saying, you're size is UK8=US8.5=EU41.5.  (AS 87 Last is a very generous country boot Last so you have rightly sized down in it by half.)

So, a photo wearing the shoes. As can be seen the lacing is fully closed with an extra insole. Funny is that the right shoe is not totally closed even though my right foot is the smaller one.

What's your advice? Change them for a size smaller or keep as is?

 

[Louis XIV]

I will gladly share with you what POSH told me once I return from Berlin.
Of course, some of the information will be useless to others because it will be exclusive about the characteristics of my feet.
To begin with, you might have a look at the following links (in German but with a lot of drawings):
http://www.newsaboutshoes.de/showthread.php?t=249
http://www.newsaboutshoes.de/showthread.php?t=10
http://www.newsaboutshoes.com/showthread.php?t=55
http://www.newsaboutshoes.de/showthread.php?t=73
http://www.newsaboutshoes.de/showthread.php?t=1104

Now let me specify what I would be worried about in the derby.
In the first picture, there is a strange curve in the heel of the right shoe right above the sole, it seems the heel of the wearer does not fit the shape of the shoe.
The creasing on the heel of the left shoe does look to excessive to me and once again let's me think either the shape of the shoe does not fit the feet of the wearer or his gait is off and should be taken care off.
In the second picture due to the closed lacing one can see that the instep of the wearers left foot seems to be too low for this very shoe and from the gap that presents some of the lining leather to us, that the shoe is too wide in waist and/or heel. Probably this is the reason for the excessive creasing in the heel.
Back to the first picture and the right shoe, one can see that the part I marked in the following picture pushes through the leather, the shoe seems too narrow in the forefoot, which can cause what POSH explains in "Spreizfuß/Hallux valgus/eingewachsener Nagel/Nagelpilz"

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Being too narrow a shoe for the wearers feet is also recognisable in the second picture, the left foot is pushing beyond the natural lines of the shoe.
Finally, have a look at the sole, there is no gap between the tip of the shoe and the ground, the ball line is off and wearing a shoe like that will hurt the wearers feet like describe in topic " Definition der Ballenlinie".

EDIT:
Swede, return them, the lacing is much too closed for a shoe not broken in.
As soon as the leather stretches out the shoe will sit loose on you not only from too much length but also width.
Better don't hurt your feet.
Also, I have already learned that oftentimes one's shorter foot at the same time is the wider one.
Seems to be true for your as well.
Forgot what the reason was, will ask POSH once I am in Berlin.

 

[Roguls]



So, a photo wearing the shoes. As can be seen the lacing is fully closed with an extra insole. Funny is that the right shoe is not totally closed even though my right foot is the smaller one.

What's your advice? Change them for a size smaller or keep as is?

Tongue pad.

 

[Swede66]



Tongue pad.

Is that working well?

 

[archangle13]

Is it common to find 'soot' in the brogue 'pits' and along the upper stitching for new Vass shoes?

 

[rikod]

I think I can't wear any of them for the next few days because I broke 2 fingers in my left foot yesterday, but I enjoyed cleaning a couple of them and taking some pics this fine sunday morning.

This group all in the F last

6319 Cognac calf

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Black calf

Oxblood Calf

Black calf

Antique Cognac calf

Dark suede

Saddle cordovan

Bordeaux cordovan

Whiskey cordovan

Hope this help someone undecided

 

[ThinkDerm]



My first Vass delivered. OE with quarter brogue, single sole, mid brown suede, F-last.

Sligthly disappointed regarding finnishing and the sole lack a bit of refinement (seen from the side that is), a bit of a 'clumsy' look especially thick under the mid foot.

Also run on the large side (size 42), laces meet fully even with an extra insole. Afraid that this will be a problem when the shoes are worn in a bit. Not decided if I should have them exchanged for a smaller size. Don't feel like waiting another 5-6 weeks...on the other hand, I expect to wear them several years, and too large a shoe is no good.

On the positives it has a solid, well made feel to it, and a rich and velvety suede.

these are classy. Love em

 

[RogerP]

Impressive lineup rikod - that antique cognac is such a gorgeous colour, as is the saddle cordovan. Not to mention the oxblood - my personal fave. Very rich. And I love the lines of that black calf derby.

 

[sdolina]

I think I can't wear any of them for the next few days because I broke 2 fingers in my left foot yesterday, but I enjoyed cleaning a couple of them and taking some pics this fine sunday morning.

This group all in the F last


6319 Cognac calf


Black calf



Oxblood Calf



Black calf



Antique Cognac calf





Saddle cordovan





Bordeaux cordovan





Whiskey cordovan



Dark suede


Hope this help someone undecided

Very impressive collection Rikod!
Love these suede shortwings, thanks for an idea for the next Vass MTO. Could you post some mor pics of this pair?