Custom White's Boots ... Thoughts?

[plugugly88]

How heavy is a pair of whites 350 Cutters in black dress leather or chromexcel?

 

[Phalanx]

No USA company would pay for the return of a pair of boots to a customer (or potential customer).
If the boots fit and you liked the way they look you should have lived with the squeak noise or bought yourself a pair of earplugs.

Screw this. I paid over $600 for these boots; they should be amazing.

@Phalanx - Im guessing Baker's assumed a resole would fix the squeak. Often times it will but not always. The $450 number is likely a rebuild which will have to be fwd'd over to White's(Bakers does not rebuild in house). That includes new vamps, etc so you may consider alternate leathers? You might also consider requesting Baker's send them to Franks for the rebuild and see what they say. Franks has some killer custom leathers right now & do a damn good job building a boot.

The boots seem to be doing the rounds at the moment. They've been to Drews, and now they're at White's for inspection (???).

Honestly it's very frustrating. These boots were perfect except for the squeaking and I really don't like the way this is batted away with the "well that's what you get when you use all-leather construction". I think White's (and maybe all these PNW bootmakers) seem to have their priorities wrong. I couldn't give less of a care about the heritage all-leather hand-sewn stitchdown construction; all I care about is the fit and the customisation. If having an all leather construction jeopardises the pair by causing 25% of boots to have squeaking issues, they should get rid of it as far as I'm concerned. Me and my awkwardly shaped feet don't have the patience to keep sending boots across the Atlantic.

It's really frustrating because I was prepared to buy multiple pairs of custom MP boots because of the fit but this squeaking issue has made me so concerned that I might just leave it. IIRC didn't White's offer a cork-sole / goodyear welted boot at one point? Maybe that's what I could opt for instead.

 

[WestLinn]

Screw this. I paid over $600 for these boots; they should be amazing.


The boots seem to be doing the rounds at the moment. They've been to Drews, and now they're at White's for inspection (???).

Honestly it's very frustrating. These boots were perfect except for the squeaking and I really don't like the way this is batted away with the "well that's what you get when you use all-leather construction". I think White's (and maybe all these PNW bootmakers) seem to have their priorities wrong. I couldn't give less of a care about the heritage all-leather hand-sewn stitchdown construction; all I care about is the fit and the customisation. If having an all leather construction jeopardises the pair by causing 25% of boots to have squeaking issues, they should get rid of it as far as I'm concerned. Me and my awkwardly shaped feet don't have the patience to keep sending boots across the Atlantic.

It's really frustrating because I was prepared to buy multiple pairs of custom MP boots because of the fit but this squeaking issue has made me so concerned that I might just leave it. IIRC didn't White's offer a cork-sole / goodyear welted boot at one point? Maybe that's what I could opt for instead.

Not sure about the cork sole, but they do have Goodyear welted models. Their lower priced packers and mule packers are Goodyear welted and I think others are as well. Also some Drew’s models are. But those are actually made by Whites. As an aside, I believe Whites started out making Goodyear welted boots and then went to stitch down construction at some point. I have a few pair of whites and have not heard squeaking, but I think it’s not uncommon. I think it goes away with wear. But honestly, these boots are designed for hard wear in the field and I don’t think you get much squeaking wearing them on soft ground you find in forests, farms/ranches, landfills, …. I don’t know if wedge soles squeak, those seem better for hard surfaces.

 

[Phalanx]

I realised it's White's Main Street Boots which are the cork + goodyearwelted boots. It actually looks like they may be getting discontinued which is a shame because they're obviously very handsome shoes.

 

[Phalanx]

Got my MP boots back from Drew's. It seems that they put the squeak fix in as a resole even though it ended up being a rebuild.
No squeaking so I'm pretty happy. One thing I'm less sure about is that they've given me a Cuban heel for some reason. So I think I might be one of the only people in the world who has a pair of White's MP boots with a cuban heel.
Not sure if I should complain or just leave it tbh. It's been such a faff as it is.

 

[PACostag]

Got my MP boots back from Drew's. It seems that they put the squeak fix in as a resole even though it ended up being a rebuild.
No squeaking so I'm pretty happy. One thing I'm less sure about is that they've given me a Cuban heel for some reason. So I think I might be one of the only people in the world who has a pair of White's MP boots with a cuban heel.
Not sure if I should complain or just leave it tbh. It's been such a faff as it is.

not to mention also being on the 430 outsole. A whole bunch of unique going on with this pair

 

[milkbaby]

Got my MP boots back from Drew's. It seems that they put the squeak fix in as a resole even though it ended up being a rebuild.
No squeaking so I'm pretty happy. One thing I'm less sure about is that they've given me a Cuban heel for some reason. So I think I might be one of the only people in the world who has a pair of White's MP boots with a cuban heel.
Not sure if I should complain or just leave it tbh. It's been such a faff as it is.

They look really nice. Honestly I feel your curved heel is much better looking than the squared off block heel.

I don't understand why White's doesn't implement a layer in-between leathers in their bottoming to help avoid the squeaking issues. I think Nicks and possibly some of the other PNW brands have it standard.

 

[meyer1son]

Got my MP boots back from Drew's. It seems that they put the squeak fix in as a resole even though it ended up being a rebuild.
No squeaking so I'm pretty happy. One thing I'm less sure about is that they've given me a Cuban heel for some reason. So I think I might be one of the only people in the world who has a pair of White's MP boots with a cuban heel.
Not sure if I should complain or just leave it tbh. It's been such a faff as it is.

I would be pissed if that’s what I got back.

 

[Jpto]

They look really nice. Honestly I feel your curved heel is much better looking than the squared off block heel.

I don't understand why White's doesn't implement a layer in-between leathers in their bottoming to help avoid the squeaking issues. I think Nicks and possibly some of the other PNW brands have it standard.

Based on some videos I think White's does use some fabric layers now, at least around the shank. Nicks has issues with squeaks too

 

[Neognosis]

These are just the standard, stock Semidress in brown dress. Honestly.. these are amazing to me. I’ve had a pair in tan bison for a long time, but I felt like I wanted the stock, classic semidress, and these do not disappoint…

 

[kenl14]

about to place an order at baker’s father days sale

what is the most oil packed leather to choose? the regular oil leather? dress leather? or the chromexcel?

most other leather like the horsehide are chrome tanned? i suppose

 

[chicagoan2016]

about to place an order at baker’s father days sale

what is the most oil packed leather to choose? the regular oil leather? dress leather? or the chromexcel?

most other leather like the horsehide are chrome tanned? i suppose

Kyle baker is the person you want to ask this question.
I own CXL, horsehide, work leathers and If I understand your question correctly the most oil packed leather is CXL

 

[Netvine]

Ive read the MP last is a bit narrower and shallower than 55 but generally people had been told to stay at the same size. Im a little concerned and thinking about going up a size in width or a half size in length to make the shoe a bit wider. Anyone have any first hand experience going from 55 to mp last? Thinking about one of the close out kinney chukkas and often wish I had an E width instead of a D.

 

[HomunculusTheElder]

Anybody have experience with the Stevens Boot? I think it is probably one of the most handsome models they make. If I understand it correctly the back half of the boot is a 55 last, with the arch support that that entails, and the front part is the MP last with the sleeker toe. Seems to me the best of both worlds. I wonder if they also weigh 2.5 pounds per shoe like the MP or Semi-Dress (believe me, this would be a plus).

 

[GentlemanJeff]

Ive read the MP last is a bit narrower and shallower than 55 but generally people had been told to stay at the same size. Im a little concerned and thinking about going up a size in width or a half size in length to make the shoe a bit wider. Anyone have any first hand experience going from 55 to mp last? Thinking about one of the close out kinney chukkas and often wish I had an E width instead of a D.

If you have a 55 size you like, you should probably take that size and go up a width for the MP. That's the general advice and based on my own experience seems to work.