Custom White's Boots ... Thoughts?

[Percivilla]

Yep, phasing out hand welted methinks.

Probably keep it as a hefty upcharge for us cork sniffing boot snobs...

I'll speculate that it's probably also a challenge to keep enough trained bootmakers around that can hand welt and are physically capable of the job. The guy I've seen doing it in the videos is built like a brick $hithouse.

Doesn't hurt my feelings, stitchdown is fine with me, especially if it keeps prices and QC problems down.

 

[wordfool]

White's particular implementation of 'hand-welted' is a variant on stitchdown; the upper is folded out underneath the welt, and then the outsole stitching goes through the welt, the upper, the midsole and the outsole. It's like a welt on top of a stitchdown.

In practical terms, I don't think the non-welted boots will be functionally any different from the welted versions; other than the outsole stitching being slightly cleaner looking, and potentially being slightly more water resistant thanks to the lack of a welt seam. They're still fully re-soleable and re-buildable; and stitchdown boots are just as tough, as anyone who wears Nick's, Wesco or Viberg work boots would testify.

I can't help but feel White's are deliberately trying to make their stitchdown boots more appealing than their welted counterparts, given that they're much more realistically priced and on shorter lead-times.

Sounds like stitchdown is in some ways preferable to the rolled welt, but sadly there seem to be few customization options for the stitchdown boots. No stitchdown Bounty Hunter to build with all sorts of funky leather options, for example. Perhaps that's all part of the plan, as you say -- become a higher-volume producer of easier-to-build boots and leave us fanatics to pay extra for our weird and wonderful requests.

 

[Jimk4003]

Sounds like stitchdown is in some ways preferable to the rolled welt, but sadly there seem to be few customization options for the stitchdown boots. No stitchdown Bounty Hunter to build with all sorts of funky leather options, for example. Perhaps that's all part of the plan, as you say -- become a higher-volume producer of easier-to-build boots and leave us fanatics to pay extra for our weird and wonderful requests.

More customisation may come with time. It's not unheard of for White's to limit custom options on new products until production is fully up and running, and then allow more modifications over time. For example, when the MP boot was first released White's didn't allow much customisation, but more options were added as time passed.

 

[chicagoan2016]

Glad I already have enough pairs of White's to probably last my lifetime

Same, waiting on a few pairs that will make collection large enough to last me until I die 😂

 

[jmiller123]

Placed an order for these stichdown cruisers as my first pair of Whites. I did give them a call to see if they could do a stitch down unstructured version with a cap toe but was told no alterations were possible. Still, looking forward to them & for some reason they do look sleeker than other cruisers I've seen, although maybe that's just the angle.

 

[Skell6009]

Is the 55 last the same as the semi dress last? I have a pair of bounty hunters from 2016 on the semi dress last, and I recently bought another new pair delivered earlier this year on the 55 last. I'm having a much harder time with the break-in on the arches with this new pair though. The arches feel noticeably higher on the 55 last pair. The sizing is also a little different, with the 55 last feeling slightly longer than my 2016 bounty hunters in the same size.

 

[Moss Derringer]

View attachment 1851531

Placed an order for these stichdown cruisers as my first pair of Whites. I did give them a call to see if they could do a stitch down unstructured version with a cap toe but was told no alterations were possible. Still, looking forward to them & for some reason they do look sleeker than other cruisers I've seen, although maybe that's just the angle.

You're going to love them! Still breaking mine in.

 

[jmiller123]

You're going to love them! Still breaking mine in.

Almost went for the British Tan. Those look great!

 

[Moss Derringer]

Almost went for the British Tan. Those look great!

These are the Baker's "Centennial" Cruiser in Toscanello Horsehide

 

[brunell]

H
I want to take my first pair of White's boots, specifically the smoke jumper distreased roughout last 55 model. What size do you think I should take? my current boots are iron ranger 8111 in size 8EE and John lofgren in size 8. the seller recommended me smoke jumper in size 7.5D, do you think it can work?

 

[andy b.]

Glad I already have enough pairs of White's to probably last my lifetime



I noticed the custom MP boots on the Baker's site are now $700 along with the Bounty Hunters. Weird to think that just a few year ago I bought some custom BHs and SDs for less than $500 (albeit in a sale).

My first pair was only a little over $400 and was not a sale. LOL

 

[chicagoan2016]

My first pair was only a little over $400 and was not a sale. LOL

Good times!!

via GIPHY

 

[klugtrane]

Is the 55 last the same as the semi dress last? I have a pair of bounty hunters from 2016 on the semi dress last, and I recently bought another new pair delivered earlier this year on the 55 last. I'm having a much harder time with the break-in on the arches with this new pair though. The arches feel noticeably higher on the 55 last pair. The sizing is also a little different, with the 55 last feeling slightly longer than my 2016 bounty hunters in the same size.

My understanding is that the 55 is the default SD last, and it certainly seems the same between my BH and SD, but I do think there's a non-trivial amount of pair-to-pair difference, perhaps due to the hands that made them, etc., which seems weird because they're all built on similar lasts.

 

[Hellraysaz]

You're going to love them! Still breaking mine in.

This leather, combined with the Stitchdown construction, ideally on a soft toe, would make for a hell of a Stevens boot makeup.

Viberg-esque would I dare say....

 

[climbinglife]

Is the 55 last the same as the semi dress last? I have a pair of bounty hunters from 2016 on the semi dress last, and I recently bought another new pair delivered earlier this year on the 55 last. I'm having a much harder time with the break-in on the arches with this new pair though. The arches feel noticeably higher on the 55 last pair. The sizing is also a little different, with the 55 last feeling slightly longer than my 2016 bounty hunters in the same size.

The 55 and the Semi dress last are the same last.