Custom White's Boots ... Thoughts?

[Rymanocerous]

I'd say a good 8-10 hours so far. Darn Tough light cushion. Although, even in thinner socks like dress socks they still feel a bit too restricting on my ball and toe area. At this point I guess if the E width doesn't work out, I'll just go with a different boot altogether.

Alright well at 10hrs you’re really making very little progress. After a week or two of wear you should feel the footbed collapsing and little and the boot feeling a little more roomy. Just keep plugging away. You can try throwing on thicker socks for a few hours of wear to help hurry it along and you can tie your laces looser while your break them in. And remember, you’re going to have to walk around in them for them to give.

 

[hoppy_IPA]

Good evening gents. I washed my MP’s off with the garden hose and took a few random pics to share. These were my first pair of White’s & have been rebuilt once from size 13D to 12D. White’s graciously did this for free to compensate for my stupidity in ordering the wrong size. Such great people.

 

[Glass shoot]

Good evening gents. I washed my MP’s off with the garden hose and took a few random pics to share. These were my first pair of White’s & have been rebuilt once from size 13D to 12D. White’s graciously did this for free to compensate for my stupidity in ordering the wrong size. Such great people.

looks fantastic, how were you able to get them to do a straight tip captoe like yours

 

[Davey13]

Don't get discouraged. The entire reason to go with something like Whites is because they can do more customization than a standard mass-produced footwear manufacturer. What it will come down to now is being as specific as possible on what any remaining issues are. I had to go through three tries before I got my Packers to fit correctly. The same with other forms of footwear. There is one Allen Edmonds last that fits my foot perfectly, all the others are a compromise. And similar to your issue, it is my pinky toe that is generally the problem.

Thank you that gives me some hope.

 

[Davey13]

Alright well at 10hrs you’re really making very little progress. After a week or two of wear you should feel the footbed collapsing and little and the boot feeling a little more roomy. Just keep plugging away. You can try throwing on thicker socks for a few hours of wear to help hurry it along and you can tie your laces looser while your break them in. And remember, you’re going to have to walk around in them for them to give.

Got it. You know, I feel better today in them, more so than yesterday. Thank you.

 

[b1lf]

I have a friend sending in his Lucchese boots for a re-sole... and when helping him pick out a new style sole (they were leather soled and he rides a motorcycle)...... I was fairly surprised when I saw this:

Basically, it's the Vibram 430 sole.... available in a two piece design. I'm happy with what I recently received, but in my research... a lot of people with the same relative tread depth were between the 430 and the 'commando' half sole.

430 as in the full variant... and the commando to have that solid-leather-heel look. The 'commando' I've heard negative things in terms of comfort and fast wear..... so it was easy to choose the 430 for the minor cosmetic "negative."






Just want to throw this option out there for those who want the best of both worlds, which the above seems to be an obvious demonstration of.





PS, this is week 2 of wearing my Bounty Hunters to work. These are harder to break in than my steel toe Danner boots; I can feel the footbed molding to my arch. This week, comfort is much improved as they continue to mold to my feet. The 430 sole on the BH is a big upgrade to the 'wedge' sole in terms of traction. In reality there's very little to compare between the two but I'm enjoying the break in and daily wear of these guys.

 

[SouthNarc]

Semi Dress in Cinnamon Waxed Flesh with close trim, antique hooks and eyelets, and commando sole.

I did this make-up because I wanted a sleeker boot like the M&P but had the arch and comfort of the 55 last. White's has a display boot in Spokane in close trim so I was able to compare the SD in regular and close trim next to an M&P and to me, subjectively, there's not a real difference in how sleek they are.

I'm super happy with this make-up and these will become my new travel boot so I'll put a lot of wear on them.

 

[pbrmhl]

Those waxed flesh boots are magnificent! Every time I see a pair like that, I think maybe it’s time to buy something other than Brown Dress or Black Dress. Then I look at my Dress leather boots and say, “nah.” Too many great choices!

 

[mr. burns]

Really need to send my bounty hunters in for a resole and reheel. Almost worn to the stacked leather on the left heel. The Vibram 700 lasted me over 3 years, wearing them 40+ hours a week, walking a ton on concrete.

Question is do I send them to White's or Baker Shoe for the job and can they do a heel more similar to the logger style that Viberg uses. I like the straight taper vs curve heel.

 

[Imyouricecreamman]

Got soaked this morning. I guess water Buffalo AINT water proof

 

[linafelt]

Really need to send my bounty hunters in for a resole and reheel. Almost worn to the stacked leather on the left heel. The Vibram 700 lasted me over 3 years, wearing them 40+ hours a week, walking a ton on concrete.

Question is do I send them to White's or Baker Shoe for the job and can they do a heel more similar to the logger style that Viberg uses. I like the straight taper vs curve heel.

I'm with you -- I like a straight heel with just a bit of taper if possible, rather than the full curve. I ordered my BH's orginally from Baker, and one thing they will do is to grind down the heels a bit to get rid of the White's "shelf" that is sometimes sticking so far out in the back of the boot/heel. I seem to remember asking if they could also do a bit of an inward taper, and they tried but I think it was barely noticeable.

As for re-soling, I sent mine back to Baker's after a few years for a resole and, as much as I like Baker's and Kyle, I was not entirely happy with the results. No major problems (unlike Alden, which once ruined a pair boots that I send for resoling), but the work seemed a bit sloppier than the original White's work. Now, I think that's hit or miss, cause sometimes White's can be sloppy too! But the stitching was off a bit, and the stitching thread on the welt seemed to be a less waxy, more easily frayed thread than on the original White's (seemed to be I say, though I am not sure). So, minor stuff -- except, I am fairly certain that the boots came back just a little bit bigger than when I sent them in. Hard to tell, based only on feel, and they were too big to begin with, but I swear they came back about maybe a quarter size or so bigger. I asked them about that, and they said it was unlikely, and I didn't press it. But overall I would now probably lean toward getting a resole done by White's I guess. And if the heel came in with too drastic of a "shelf" I would just take it to a local cobbler to sand down a bit.

 

[hoppy_IPA]

I’m not sure what the Viberg heel looks like but White’s can do a straight taper. Here what I had them do on my BH’s

 

[mr. burns]

I'm with you -- I like a straight heel with just a bit of taper if possible, rather than the full curve. I ordered my BH's orginally from Baker, and one thing they will do is to grind down the heels a bit to get rid of the White's "shelf" that is sometimes sticking so far out in the back of the boot/heel. I seem to remember asking if they could also do a bit of an inward taper, and they tried but I think it was barely noticeable.

As for re-soling, I sent mine back to Baker's after a few years for a resole and, as much as I like Baker's and Kyle, I was not entirely happy with the results. No major problems (unlike Alden, which once ruined a pair boots that I send for resoling), but the work seemed a bit sloppier than the original White's work. Now, I think that's hit or miss, cause sometimes White's can be sloppy too! But the stitching was off a bit, and the stitching thread on the welt seemed to be a less waxy, more easily frayed thread than on the original White's (seemed to be I say, though I am not sure). So, minor stuff -- except, I am fairly certain that the boots came back just a little bit bigger than when I sent them in. Hard to tell, based only on feel, and they were too big to begin with, but I swear they came back about maybe a quarter size or so bigger. I asked them about that, and they said it was unlikely, and I didn't press it. But overall I would now probably lean toward getting a resole done by White's I guess. And if the heel came in with too drastic of a "shelf" I would just take it to a local cobbler to sand down a bit.

Thanks for the info. When I got the boots new, the left had a pretty noticeable shelf, but over time it gets kinda smooshed and curves back toward the heel counter and basically looks the same as the right now.

I’m not sure what the Viberg heel looks like but White’s can do a straight taper. Here what I had them do on my BH’s

nice.

 

[b1lf]

Some ****** iPhone pics of the HH BH in action.


First weekend (home) with them:

Untitled by B1LF, on Flickr





Yesterday, week 2 on the jobsite.
(Right one is creasing quite a bit for only 2 weeks; I use Woodlore cedar shoe trees every time I take them off my feet).

Untitled by B1LF, on Flickr




View

Untitled by B1LF, on Flickr

 

[linafelt]

Some ****** iPhone pics of the HH BH in action.


First weekend (home) with them:

Untitled by B1LF, on Flickr





Yesterday, week 2 on the jobsite.
(Right one is creasing quite a bit for only 2 weeks; I use Woodlore cedar shoe trees every time I take them off my feet).

Untitled by B1LF, on Flickr




View

Untitled by B1LF, on Flickr

Holy crap, those are some good lookin' boots... The creasing, yeah, HH sometimes has wonky creasing, but seems just be the nature of the beast.

And what is that beautiful view?