Custom White's Boots ... Thoughts?

[zhenjie]

For those interested in the White's Kinney Chukkas in Suede. Here's an album of shorts, fit pics and comparison to the Alden Barrie last:

Post a review on Reddit /goodyearwelt also

 

[Luscombe]

If the 10.5B MPs fit you well I'm surprised you're going to a 10B in the SD (55 last I presume). My feet aren't quite as narrow as yours, but Kyle has me in a 10.5C in the 55 last (they fit great) and a 10C for the MP boots, which are apparently longer. Just shows how unique everyone's feet really are!

Yeah, I am not sure how to compare to your experience.
When I found out about Whites/Bakers, I sent my tracings to Lyle and he suggested a 10D width on the 55 last. I spoke with him on the phone and he said my right foot was a bit wider than my left and he sized me based upon my right foot. I thought that maybe the tracings were not done correctly even though they were consistent. Yes my right foot is a tad wider than my left.

I wanted to be sure before I plunked down $600 for custom boots. I already had a pair of custom cowboy boots that do not fit in spite of the guarantee and 5 different remakes. After 22 months of back and forth, I gave up.

So shortly after that conversation I saw a pair of new SD 10C on Whites River, Ebay, and bought them. They fit fine in the length but as stated are one size too wide. After I broke them in I called Kyle to talk about another pair before I bought a custom make with HH. We settled on the Centennial Hikers and he suggested a 10.5B on that last. They fit correctly but shaft issues need to be solved.

Next up, last November was the MP's and we had several conversations before placing the order as they were custom made HH and I wanted to nail the size. I had the 10C SD's and 10.5B Centennial's for reference points. Kyle said the MP last runs (THE SAME SIZE AS THE 55) smaller than the 55 and I would be a 10.5B (10B) on the MP's just like the Centennials and a 10B on the 55 last.

That is as much as I know. It is this very kind of thing that makes long-distance shoe buying such a challenge. MY BAD. I JUST CHECKED MY ORDER FO THE MP'S AND THEY ARE IN FACT 10B
I am considering an SD order in the fall and will obviously discuss it in detail with Kyle.
Thanks for your insights.

 

[wordfool]

Kyle said the MP last runs smaller than the 55 and I would be a 10.5B on the MP's just like the Centennials and a 10B on the 55 last.

I guess he perhaps meant smaller as in slightly narrower, because he specifically told me the MP last runs longer than the 55. Go figure!

I just received my 10C MP-M1s today and they are indeed slightly narrower at the ball of the foot (as expected) but length-wise they feel about right and similar to my 10.5C SDs. I actually had Bakers stretch the ball area of the right MP boot since that's my slightly longer foot and it definitely felt a bit tight in that area on the first go around. I probably would have been fine with a 10.5C in the MP, but I think once they've broken in and stretched a bit more they'll be fine.

For you, me, and I suspect many other people it's always a case of whether I size for my left or right foot. Left is slightly shorter, but according to Kyle not short enough to warrant a half size smaller. Left is also slightly fatter, but, again, not by enough to warrant a different width. Still, with every shoe or boot I've ever owned, each foot has a noticeably different fit (usually manifesting in some heel slippage on my shorter foot). So my MPs are sized better for my left foot, and the SDs are sized better for my right foot. C'est la vie!

On another note, the welt stitching on you MP looks pretty consistent and neat. I seem to have terrible luck with the finishing on all my White's boots (sent back two pairs in the last few months) and the stitching on my new MPs is passable but pretty inconsistent (some stitches up to three times longer than others) and worse than on my (remade) SDs. And here I was thinking the MP was supposed to be made to a higher "lifestyle" finishing standard than the work boots.

 

[iamntbatman]

Even though the MP last is longer than the 55, I can also understand why you'd go a half length shorter in the latter - the much more significant arch support in the 55 might effectively shorten the length of your foot.

 

[wordfool]

OK, I'm officially done with Whites orders for the year -- just ordered some black roughtout SDs and can continue selling off/donating all the ill-fitting boots I've tolerated for years, except perhaps my trusty Redwing 8111 (my first GYW boots, now over a decade old). The weather has turned hot and sweaty on the East Coast so at least I won't get impatient -- boot weather is over for a few months, so White's can take their sweet time as far as I'm concerned. I just hope my terrible luck finally changes and I don't have to send these back like my last pair of SDs and BHs.

So what did everyone else order during the sale?

 

[Luscombe]

I guess he perhaps meant smaller as in slightly narrower, because he specifically told me the MP last runs longer than the 55. Go figure!

I just received my 10C MP-M1s today and they are indeed slightly narrower at the ball of the foot (as expected) but length-wise they feel about right and similar to my 10.5C SDs. I actually had Bakers stretch the ball area of the right MP boot since that's my slightly longer foot and it definitely felt a bit tight in that area on the first go around. I probably would have been fine with a 10.5C in the MP, but I think once they've broken in and stretched a bit more they'll be fine.

For you, me, and I suspect many other people it's always a case of whether I size for my left or right foot. Left is slightly shorter, but according to Kyle not short enough to warrant a half size smaller. Left is also slightly fatter, but, again, not by enough to warrant a different width. Still, with every shoe or boot I've ever owned, each foot has a noticeably different fit (usually manifesting in some heel slippage on my shorter foot). So my MPs are sized better for my left foot, and the SDs are sized better for my right foot. C'est la vie!

On another note, the welt stitching on you MP looks pretty consistent and neat. I seem to have terrible luck with the finishing on all my White's boots (sent back two pairs in the last few months) and the stitching on my new MPs is passable but pretty inconsistent (some stitches up to three times longer than others) and worse than on my (remade) SDs. And here I was thinking the MP was supposed to be made to a higher standard than the work boots.

During my cowboy boot fiasco and after the 4th rebuild, I bought a boot stretcher similar to this one.

Amazon.com

I still have the stretcher and used it to stretch my right MP in the toe box area as there was less room in it than the left boot.

I totally get the quality concerns and wanting the stitching to be consistent. For me, I just want the darn things to fit properly.

Years ago, I was so excited to learn than Russell Mocassins would custom make a shoe or boot to my foot tracings. I traveled the 100 miles to have them measure my feet and make me a pair of shooting shoes. They fit pretty well but were a little wide. No problem, Norm put a full liner in them for me. I still have the shoes and they are in great shape after 30 years. Over the next few years, I had many more pairs made for me. They were all hand made and every pair of them fit differently even though they were made from the same tracings. Some of them caused foot pain after several hours of use (too short) and eventually, I gave up on their product, as the QC or hand made variances were too much to deal with. I kept only 4 pair that fit correctly.

So for me, proper fit trumps quality of stitching since I am so hard to fit.

When I get to ordering the SD's I will get pretty specific with Kyle of the size.

 

[Luscombe]

Even though the MP last is longer than the 55, I can also understand why you'd go a half length shorter in the latter - the much more significant arch support in the 55 might effectively shorten the length of your foot.

I think this is exactly the case.

 

[Luscombe]

I miss spoke my MP size in my previous post. It is a 10B not a 10.5B. I did correct the posting but wanted to make sure there was no confusion for future readers. Kyle told me that the MP last was the same as te 55 last for my size.

Sorry for the confusion.

 

[barbellhacks]

So what did everyone else order during the sale?

I have enough pretty boots (MPs in cinnamon waxed flesh and brown shell & BHs in brown HH and natty CXL). I needed some beaters that could work equally well doing mountain stuff (hiking, camping, shooting in the middle of nowhere) and winter-y stuff, but still look nice for casual restaurants, etc in town.

After much debating, I went with lace to toe Bounty Hunters in natural waxed flesh on a honey Vibram sole. Was really hung up on leather choice (was between distressed RO and waxed flesh) and lace to toe vs standard.
These are a huge departure from my other Whites. I'm excited, but also...not quite sure what I've done.

 

[smartbrother]

So what did everyone else order during the sale?

7” BH, all nickel eyelets, half gusset tongue, cap toe with single row stitching, soft toe, roll top, no pull tab, double midsole, lower block heel, brown edge dressing, Dr Sole half sole, sending in my own leather I purchased from Horween

 

[justsayno]

I'm assuming you got your De Soles yourself? How much did that set you back?

 

[smartbrother]

I'm assuming you got your De Soles yourself? How much did that set you back?

I do order the soles myself. The leather itself was about $170 for the side (19sqft), but White’s only needs about 12.

 

[Mghart]

@smartbrother Do you ship the leather to Bakers or Whites themselves? I've still debated about getting my own leather for a boot, but the inherent risk of a build going wrong keeps me from pulling the trigger for now even though I know its probably slim at most.

 

[wordfool]

half gusset tongue

good idea. I might see if the BHs I’m having remade are not too far along to request that. No need to wrestle boots on and off when I have no real need for a fully gusseted tongue.

How did you come across that leather? Is it a pull-up leather?

 

[smartbrother]

@smartbrother Do you ship the leather to Bakers or Whites themselves? I've still debated about getting my own leather for a boot, but the inherent risk of a build going wrong keeps me from pulling the trigger for now even though I know its probably slim at most.

Yes, Baker’s asked for the leather to be shipped to them, not Whites.