Custom White's Boots ... Thoughts?

[Phalanx]

The combination of UK summer heat and WFH for the last 2.5 years means I seldom get to wear my Whites. Anyone else relate?

 

[iamntbatman]

The combination of UK summer heat and WFH for the last 2.5 years means I seldom get to wear my Whites. Anyone else relate?

I guess I really lucked out. Somehow through the entire pandemic, I was never once quarantined, locked down, or even doing the WFH thing. My White's have gotten some good wear the past few years. These days I'm trying to sneak non-boots in as often as I can into my rotation as it's a rare day in Ireland when boots aren't the best choice!

 

[ThatDudeOrion]

Black/Brown Dress vs Black/Brown Horsehide (via Bakers, so assume Horween) - which one is more resistant to creases or creases in a better way than the other?
Debating whether the additional cost of the horsehide is worth or whether the dress leathers are good enough on their own?
I am thinking about a Semi Dress, 55 Last for a pair during this Father's day sale via Bakers but not able to make up my mind on the leather....I do have a Stevens Cap Toe boot / 5050 in Burgundy Horsehide which I do like.
Pleased to hear people's thoughts...

So on the black flavors its less of an apples:apples thing, since the black dress is struck all the way through with the black dye, that leather won’t really patina the same way a teacore black leather like the Horween cxl horse will. That being said, for my taste, I vastly prefer the way the dress leathers crease versus how the horween cxl horse creases. Hopefully the image i attached here will illustrate why, the oxfords are brown dress, and the Mr. Lous I have are from the runs that were still using horween horsehide. The creasing of the dress leather is much finer and tighter, and the creasing of the horse leather is much larger/looser whatever, I have also looked at a lot of white’s in horsehide, and as soon as they get any wear on them, they all seem to crease in the larger looser fashion, particularly on the vamps. After all, the hides come from different animals, but the horween horse is still CXL tannage, and in my experience it has all the same virtues, and unfortunately the same or more of the drawbacks of steerhide CXL (ive seen plenty of steer CXL with tighter creasing than horse CXL) For my money I would choose brown dress (or brown elk tan) hands down. It’s a little more tricky with black, as the idea of a struck through black doesn’t interest me much, but neither does rolling the dice on black cxl (equine or bovine)… Black waxed flesh is pretty dope but can’t really be dressed up like a smooth out leather. Would be hard to get from White’s but I’d be curious what some of the black versions of the W&C veg tan leathers would look like. White’s black French calf would almost certainly crease tighter than anything, but I’m not sure if it’s struck through or not.

 

[shahtirthak]

So on the black flavors its less of an apples:apples thing, since the black dress is struck all the way through with the black dye, that leather won’t really patina the same way a teacore black leather like the Horween cxl horse will. That being said, for my taste, I vastly prefer the way the dress leathers crease versus how the horween cxl horse creases. Hopefully the image i attached here will illustrate why, the oxfords are brown dress, and the Mr. Lous I have are from the runs that were still using horween horsehide. The creasing of the dress leather is much finer and tighter, and the creasing of the horse leather is much larger/looser whatever, I have also looked at a lot of white’s in horsehide, and as soon as they get any wear on them, they all seem to crease in the larger looser fashion, particularly on the vamps. After all, the hides come from different animals, but the horween horse is still CXL tannage, and in my experience it has all the same virtues, and unfortunately the same or more of the drawbacks of steerhide CXL (ive seen plenty of steer CXL with tighter creasing than horse CXL) For my money I would choose brown dress (or brown elk tan) hands down. It’s a little more tricky with black, as the idea of a struck through black doesn’t interest me much, but neither does rolling the dice on black cxl (equine or bovine)… Black waxed flesh is pretty dope but can’t really be dressed up like a smooth out leather. Would be hard to get from White’s but I’d be curious what some of the black versions of the W&C veg tan leathers would look like. White’s black French calf would almost certainly crease tighter than anything, but I’m not sure if it’s struck through or not.

Many thanks for your detailed post and analysis, it is very much appreciated as it is exactly what I was looking for.
Below pic is my Burgundy horsehide Stevens Boot and you can see the looser creasing just under the toe cap on the vamp...this is what I am looking to avoid and that the creases here should be a bit tighter.

In any case I am not proceeding with any orders this fathers day as something else has come up but by Black Friday I should have made up my mind on which direction to go!
Thanks for your insight once again, very helpful.

 

[RockyMountain22]

Does anyone of us own more than one pair of same or similar boots?
For instance, both pairs have medallion toe caps, same outsoles but one pair is black dress leather and the other is black horsehide?

If you mean multiple 6" FR models in various leather, yes.

If you mean multiple10" Packers in various leather, yes.

If you mean multiple 10" FR is various leather, yes.

Unfortunately, no horsehide, no shark and surprisingly, no black dress ... no bounty hunter nor semi-dress ...

Definitely say these were not chosen for dressy/style considerations.

Cheers,

 

[chicagoan2016]

If you mean multiple 6" FR models in various leather, yes.

If you mean multiple10" Packers in various leather, yes.

If you mean multiple 10" FR is various leather, yes.

Unfortunately, no horsehide, no shark and surprisingly, no black dress ... no bounty hunter nor semi-dress ...

Definitely say these were not chosen for dressy/style considerations.

Cheers,

Awesome 👏
Exact same model and similar leathers?

 

[Hellraysaz]

So on the black flavors its less of an apples:apples thing, since the black dress is struck all the way through with the black dye, that leather won’t really patina the same way a teacore black leather like the Horween cxl horse will. That being said, for my taste, I vastly prefer the way the dress leathers crease versus how the horween cxl horse creases. Hopefully the image i attached here will illustrate why, the oxfords are brown dress, and the Mr. Lous I have are from the runs that were still using horween horsehide. The creasing of the dress leather is much finer and tighter, and the creasing of the horse leather is much larger/looser whatever, I have also looked at a lot of white’s in horsehide, and as soon as they get any wear on them, they all seem to crease in the larger looser fashion, particularly on the vamps. After all, the hides come from different animals, but the horween horse is still CXL tannage, and in my experience it has all the same virtues, and unfortunately the same or more of the drawbacks of steerhide CXL (ive seen plenty of steer CXL with tighter creasing than horse CXL) For my money I would choose brown dress (or brown elk tan) hands down. It’s a little more tricky with black, as the idea of a struck through black doesn’t interest me much, but neither does rolling the dice on black cxl (equine or bovine)… Black waxed flesh is pretty dope but can’t really be dressed up like a smooth out leather. Would be hard to get from White’s but I’d be curious what some of the black versions of the W&C veg tan leathers would look like. White’s black French calf would almost certainly crease tighter than anything, but I’m not sure if it’s struck through or not.

How about black shell cordovan? 😎

 

[chicagoan2016]

How about black shell cordovan? 😎

That's what I am talking about!
That's what I am talking about!

 

[ThatDudeOrion]

That's what I am talking about!
That's what I am talking about!

So i noticed that when Bakers FD sale went live, shell is no longer an option on their dropdowns for leather choices. I haven’t checked with whites directly, but it seems ominous…

 

[hoppy_IPA]

So i noticed that when Bakers FD sale went live, shell is no longer an option on their dropdowns for leather choices. I haven’t checked with whites directly, but it seems ominous…

Bakers supplies Whites customer leathers. Do you think that White's is not gonna a build with Shell anymore or something? I know there have been restrictions on it such as soft toe due to complaints.

 

[RockyMountain22]

Awesome 👏
Exact same model and similar leathers?

Most of the 6" FRs all share the same basic architecture with 430 outsole and different leathers.

There is a 700 sole and maybe one double midsole in that group.

The 10" Packers all have double midsoles and steel toes, but different outsoles and leathers, so scratch those from your list.

The 10" FR are two black leather but 430 and 700 soles, then the third having a double midsole.

Hmm.

Methinks my initial response was one of not enough coffee ...

Cheers,

 

[Sledge42]

Hey.. Where you all been?
Just swinging in to say "Hello" gents!
Started doing some early hunt on the White's Moc Toe and said... "Dang.. Wonder how my peeps are on the styleforum?"

 

[chicagoan2016]

Hey.. Where you all been?
Just swinging in to say "Hello" gents!
Started doing some early hunt on the White's Moc Toe and said... "Dang.. Wonder how my peeps are on the styleforum?"

Yeah fellow members are quiet even one of our legendary members @Legal Eagles

 

[Legal Eagles]

Yeah fellow members are quiet even one of our legendary members @Legal Eagles

I would not say "legendary", but I am still around... I still love PNW boots, and have plenty to last a lifetime... I do not have any experience with the new lasts and new designs, so I mostly read and learn...

 

[chicagoan2016]

Most of the 6" FRs all share the same basic architecture with 430 outsole and different leathers.

There is a 700 sole and maybe one double midsole in that group.

The 10" Packers all have double midsoles and steel toes, but different outsoles and leathers, so scratch those from your list.

The 10" FR are two black leather but 430 and 700 soles, then the third having a double midsole.

Hmm.

Methinks my initial response was one of not enough coffee ...

Cheers,

That's an awesome collection of White's boots. How do you compare 700 sole with 430?
I have ordered only 430 and 100 lug soles.