Custom White's Boots ... Thoughts?

@linafelt
i picked up the 1950 service captoes on the 2030 last 7.5 UK. my whites are an 8D US. right off the bat the vibergs are much narrower, i can only wear thin socks with them at this point but length wise they are perfect. Not a problem now as it is entering the summer season and i don't need to wear anything thicker. Quality wise they are beautiful, great shape and quality throughout. there are a couple of mistakes i have found but i am guessing that's why they were in the sample sale. a little more comfortable out the box because of the lack of arch ease in the white's (arch ease takes a little getting use to but I really find it to be incredibly supportive and comfortable now). The Vibergs only have a handful of wears on them so time will tell.

@okal
Thank you for the compliments. To date they have been the best boot purchase I have made, i have rotated them with other boots but they get the most wear by far. I need to get them rehealed but the soles still seem to be going strong. They have the vibram 705 btw. if they had had the horsehide option when I was ordering that is the one I would have gone with for sure. so beautiful. I am plannning a horsehide purchase at some point in the future but for now I am set workboot wise.

sleepy94 said:

@linafelt
i picked up the 1950 service captoes on the 2030 last 7.5 UK. my whites are an 8D US. right off the bat the vibergs are much narrower, i can only wear thin socks with them at this point but length wise they are perfect. Not a problem now as it is entering the summer season and i don't need to wear anything thicker. Quality wise they are beautiful, great shape and quality throughout. there are a couple of mistakes i have found but i am guessing that's why they were in the sample sale. a little more comfortable out the box because of the lack of arch ease in the white's (arch ease takes a little getting use to but I really find it to be incredibly supportive and comfortable now). The Vibergs only have a handful of wears on them so time will tell.

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Thanks. This is my experience too: Vibergs are more like a half size difference (from US) rather than a full size, and somewhat narrow. I am a 9.5E in Viberg, and thinking I will be 10E in White's.

Vibergs are definitely very expensive (I got mine on a big sale, like you), but the quality really is something else...

Sleepy,

My understanding is that the White's horsehide boots are a Baker's exclusive, and they are only available in Semi-Dress boots, not any other models of White's boots. Horsehide is very nice leather, but it is more of a shoe leather and is not as heavy duty as some other leathers like the oiled leathers and the bullhide. For the uses I plan for the horsehide SDs, I think it will be darn near perfect. I really like the shell cordovan too, but at that price I could almost have two pairs of White's boots in the more normal-priced leathers, and that's exactly what I plan to do.

I sure would like to hear comments from some more folks who have the Packers (especially the Original Packers) about what they think of their boots. I would like to get a pair for western wear and riding when I want more support than pull-on cowboy boots. Any thoughts and tips about sizing, fit, comfort, soles, etc., would be greatly appreciated. Andy B. gave some great advice earlier in this thread, but surely he is not the only guy out there wearing the White's Packers, is he?

Allan



ffatt said:

Do we have a comparison of how CXL ends up as compared to smooth leathers? Would French calf be a good alternative to Burgundy CXL and what is a good alternative to Brown CXL in terms of being the same color and better durability?

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Anyone know alternatives to these CXL colors in other leathers?

I took a California motorcycle safety class this weekend and rode a bike for the first time. Super fun and my boots worked out great while riding AND crashing. I drug my right foot peg during a 30mph 180 degree turn. No injury to the bike or my body short of a small raspberry on my elbow. I'm sure Ill have fun cleaning this one up…

Brian Itzaina said:

I took a California motorcycle safety class this weekend and rode a bike for the first time. Super fun and my boots worked out great while riding AND crashing. I drug my right foot peg during a 30mph 180 degree turn. No injury to the bike or my body short of a small raspberry on my elbow. I'm sure Ill have fun cleaning this one up…

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OUCH! Sorry, Brian. I raced motorcycles and bicycles most of my life, so I have seen and had much, much worse. From your Flickr page it looks like you are a bicyclist too (and a boarder), so I imagine you've spent your share of time on the pavement! Glad there wasn't much road rash on your skin this time, but I hate the scars on your White's. It's easy to see why leathers are so important in motorcycle racing. Just think if your skin had been scraped like your boots were. Too bad they will have scars, but at least you can always get new boots. Besides, the blemishes on your boots can be treated and will only give them more character.

Allan

Allen,

I have a pair of Cowboy Packers that are 15+ years old now and they have been the best boots I've ever worn! I am a former hunting guide and horseback progressive pack trip guide. I have literally slept in my packers for 3-4 days straight without removing them! I wear them everywhere every day, all day; I believe that is about the best endorsement you can get. My feet did/do not hurt, they provide the best ankle support and the Whites arch ease design (in my opinion) is second to none. The only reason I wear pull-ons is at the request of the boss for dressier occasions.

The boots are on their 3rd re-sole (oil resistant composite sole) at the time the vibram mini-lug was not available for that boot. It is now, and would recommend them for additional traction in snowy/slick/rocky conditions. Depending on your foot size/shape, standard sizing (your other cowboy boots) should hold true. The only other thing you may want to consider is which toe to order, I went with the "pointed" toe and this many years later, dealing with age and changes in my foot; I think I would have preferred the original toe. That is not a reflection of the boot, but hindsight on my part not realizing my feet would have changed that much AND I would have a pair of boots last 15 years!

I am in the process of building/ordering a pair of classic work boots from Whites this week, and I'm as excited as a kid at Christmas!

I hope this was helpful.

Scott

Scott,

Thanks for all your 15 years of insights on the packers. They sound exactly like what I am looking for. I would much prefer a lace-up boot to a pull-on boot, because I also prefer the support, like you do. I don't have young feet anymore either, so I like all the help I can get. I have a hard time with shoe fit, and an even harder time with finding cowboy boots that fit me in the heels. My heels are very narrow, but my feet are medium width at the balls of my feet. I had to order my SDs built on a custom last because of the shape of my feet. I hope they fit when they get here. Kyle Baker thinks they will, and so do the guys at White's, so I'll wait and see. I think once I get a good fit in one style, the White's people will be able to tell me the best fit in the other styles, such as the packers. Like you, I think the Original Packers toes will be more comfortable than the more pointed toe, and I will definitely get the mini Vibram for added traction.

No matter how comfortable the packers may be, I don't plan on sleeping in them. Heck, I don't think my wife would let me in the bed if I still had them on! But if they are half as comfortable for me as they are for you, I don't know if I will ever wear my cowboy boots again. I think the packers could become my new western boot of choice. The black seems to be the most versatile, especially when I want them to look nicer. However, the boots are bound to see some hard use with some stirrup time on them. I could never convince myself to hunt off a horse wearing my cowboy boots, even though they are so much nicer to ride in than my regular hunting boots. But I could readily hunt in good lace-up boots like the packers and still have great riding boots on.

The classic work boots are very nice looking. I'm sure you'll like them. It sucks to have to wait 8 weeks or longer to get boots, but that's part of the trouble you go through to get top quality boots.

Allan

i really used to hate the look of whites boots mostly because the eyelets extended too far into the vamp, but I'm starting to think I might really want a pair one day. The ankle technology does seem outdated though...

Hallows, are they lowered tapered heels?

Thanks Allen,

I will post some pictures of the new and the old when my classic work boots come in!

TRIPLE POST.

DOUBLE POST.

Looking for insight on whites nomad engineer boots. I plan on purchasing a pair around Christmas for my motorcycle.
Tips on leather, color and sole?
I'm thinking double mid sole even though kyle at bakers talked me out of it in my SD's and they broke in very quickly.
Thanks!