Custom White's Boots ... Thoughts?

[chicagoan2016]

I get it, thats a lot of cash...but, and its a small but lol...He's one guy, building about 30 pairs a year and he makes it legit to your foot. Full on bespoke, handmade footwear. Its not tracings but a full on one to one multiple conversations, tweaking and getting it right just for you.
I'm not saying I'd pay 1850$ but I might, knowing what I know and have gone through over the years with different brands of boots.

I also come from the custom knife world where $1850 is a joke these days. Thats a rabbit hole you don't wanna go down lol. andy b knows of what i speak

30 pairs a year? I hope he has other source(s) of income because with the inflation it doesn't sound much.

 

[climbinglife]

FKNA! A knife guy! I do handles and sheaths as a hobby, still want to get into forging at some point. Probably when the kids are older...

NICE. Being a knife guy and hanging one particular knife forum (USN) got me into boots. Fuckking cross over hobbies lol.

 

[climbinglife]

30 pairs a year? I hope he has other source(s) of income because with the inflation it doesn't sound much.

He can't keep up, he's SUPER BUSY. Why the wait ballooned and the price jumped. I've spoke to him a few times. He's a good guy

 

[Jimk4003]

30 pairs a year? I hope he has other source(s) of income because with the inflation it doesn't sound much.

JD Gabbard lives out of a trailer in the woods, pretty much totally off grid. Even the outsole stitcher he uses is pedal powered, so he can work without electricity if he has to.

He's quite a character.

 

[climbinglife]

JD Gabbard lives out of a trailer in the woods, pretty much totally off grid. Even the outsole stitcher he uses is pedal powered, so he can work without electricity if he has to.

He's quite a character.

He def. is. Got a chance to see a pair of his in person...blew my mind. Plus i'm a sucker for his style. Really does make sense when he calls it "folklore boots."

 

[chicagoan2016]

JD Gabbard lives out of a trailer in the woods, pretty much totally off grid. Even the outsole stitcher he uses is pedal powered, so he can work without electricity if he has to.

He's quite a character.

I had/have thought of buying a log cabin in the Pacific Northwest (not far from White's/Baker's) and do remote work.

 

[chicagoan2016]

He def. is. Got a chance to see a pair of his in person...blew my mind. Plus i'm a sucker for his style. Really does make sense when he calls it "folklore boots."

His website says he puts in 60 hours on each pair of boots and he limits to 35 pairs a year.
He sure loves his craft.

 

[Jimk4003]

I had/have thought of buying a log cabin in the Pacific Northwest (not far from White's/Baker's) and do remote work.

A few years ago me and my girlfriend were planning on staying in Tye Haus cabin in Skykomish.

Then some chap ate an undercooked bat from Wuhan market, and international travel suddenly got a bit complicated.

 

[chicagoan2016]

Then some chap ate an undercooked bat from Wuhan market, and international travel suddenly got a bit complicated.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

A few years ago me and my girlfriend were planning on staying in Tye Haus cabin in Skykomish.

Out of curiosity how do UK citizens live in the US permanently?
A few days ago I mentioned moving to the UK for a year or so but US citizens could only live for 90 days and to work we need wok visa.

 

[Jimk4003]

🤣🤣🤣🤣


Out of curiosity how do UK citizens live in the US permanently?
A few days ago I mentioned moving to the UK for a year or so but US citizens could only live for 90 days and to work we need wok visa.

From a UK perspective, you need a visa or a green card. Getting a travel visa for a few weeks to go on holiday is easy enough, but you usually need your employer to sponsor your application if you want a work visa.

If you want to move from the UK to the US permanently, you usually need a green card. Unless you have a US relative or employer to sponsor you, or you have enough money (you can apply for an investor green card if you plan to invest over $500k in the US) it's pretty much just a lottery.

 

[iamntbatman]

You could always do like I did and go study somewhere, then get on the path to residency/citizenship after graduating. Here in Ireland they offer a two-year visa after finishing a graduate degree programme, during which you can work full time and get into a job that will sponsor your visa for long enough to get permanent residency status.

That's bonkers about the Kreosote boots. I remember then being $900, then jumping up to $1,200 and still somehow justifying that to myself as a grail, but $1,800+ is just out of the question.

Speaking of spending too much on things: should I drop $60 on five pairs of Guarded Goods laces? I'm thinking of getting some of their nicer rawhide ones, plus some flat waxed cotton laces and some thin waxed round laces for some dress boots I have. I just got an unexpectedly large paycheck and have money burning a hole in my pocket. Not quite Kreosote money, but maybe just some fancy laces.

 

[theofficialhung]

Clinch is about the same price as Kreosote. Role Club is even more expensive, Brian is starting to charge $2.5K I thought. Not engineers but White Kloud is roughly in the $3K+ range.

 

[iamntbatman]

Clinch is about the same price as Kreosote. Role Club is even more expensive, Brian is starting to charge $2.5K I thought. Not engineers but White Kloud is roughly in the $3K+ range.

Sure, and there are things non-workwear that are even more expensive than that. I would have to be rolling in cash to spend more than about a thousand bucks on a pair of shoes. I'm just a teacher/researcher, so I don't think that will ever be in the cards for me. I'm not saying they're overpriced, just out of my budget.

 

[Jimk4003]

Sure, and there are things non-workwear that are even more expensive than that. I would have to be rolling in cash to spend more than about a thousand bucks on a pair of shoes. I'm just a teacher/researcher, so I don't think that will ever be in the cards for me. I'm not saying they're overpriced, just out of my budget.

I think these uber bootmakers are a good way of giving perspective of where we sit in the grand scheme of things.

There are people on Reddit forums genuinely disappointed that the pair of Doc Martens they bought gave out after a year, because the $150 they spent on them was more than they'd ever spent on a pair of shoes before. It's hard to explain to someone that what they bought is near the bottom end of the market, when that's more money than they've ever spent on footwear.

It's true with us lot too, albeit to a much lesser extent. $600 is objectively a lot of money to spend on a pair of boots, both compared to median incomes, and compared to what many people are prepared to spend.

But we're still in the realm of, essentially, 'better quality, factory made work boots'; and we all need to be realistic about what that gets us. We're nowhere near the actual pinnacle of what's possible, and whilst I think the $500-$1000 range hits the sweet-spot of price to quality before diminishing returns really kick in, the reality is there's a ways to go before you get into really, really high-end footwear.

Like you, I'm not sure I could justify spending thousands of dollars on a pair of boots, but I really appreciate the next-level craftsmanship and artistry that goes into them relative to a factory made product.

 

[chicagoan2016]

But we're still in the realm of, essentially, 'better quality, factory made work boots'; and we all need to be realistic about what that gets us. We're nowhere near the actual pinnacle of what's possible, and whilst I think the $500-$1000 range hits the sweet-spot of price to quality before diminishing returns really kick in, the reality is there's a ways to go before you get into really, really high-end footwear.

That's a very interesting point and I agree that PNW especially White's boots are the best value for money.
A few weeks ago [RonseAnvil] cut Alden Indys in half and shared it on YouTube.
The commotion it caused in Alden social media forums was hilarious. I also think Alden are overpriced and every time I had thought of buying Alden I ended up ordering White's but when Rose Anvil mentioned how Alden is using leather board (or fiberboard?) Alden Enthusiasts started screaming lol.
I suppose we could say 'value' is relative. For me it is the single (or double) midsoles plus real leather and a great arch support, for Alden fans, Indys is an iconic boot and worth every penny.
First world problems!!!