Custom White's Boots ... Thoughts?

[andy b.]

Holy sh|t!

I think my natural veg tan belt is somewhere around 16oz as well. It's about 1/4" thick.
There used to be a Tandy leather store a few minutes from my house and belt blanks were about $15. The hardware was maybe another $10. The belt will certainly outlast me. And my son. And any future grandchildren. LOL

 

[andy b.]

I saw the attached picture on whitesboots.com and thought pointed toe packers might have single row stitching.
Thank you for the sizing info. How is taller heel in packers (pointed toe) comfort wise? if I plan to wear them all day long (office environment mostly : )).

The heel height is a little more noticeable than say a BH standard heel, but it isn't weird or uncomfortable. It doesn't feel like high heels. I mean, I have never worn high heels (as in women's shoes), but they look unstable and uncomfortable. The 695 heel is fine to walk around in.

 

[johng70]

Anyone have Burgundy leather boots? Have you found any laces that pair well with them?

@Legal Eagles - didnt you get some Burgundy HH boots recently?

I have burgundy HH as well. These laces pair very well:

ProTOUGH(tm) FLAT "Black w/ Black" Kevlar Reinforced Heavy Duty Boot Laces - 2 Pair Pack

Soft, comfortable, flat 8mm wide bootlaces reinforced with Dupont Kevlar. Standard lengths for all quality work shoes and boots. The flat laces assure easy lacing and comfort across the instep. The reinforcing Kevlar assures a no break pull.

greatlaces.com

 

[klank74]

So I've worn my new SD's, my very first pair of custom boots of any kind, last night and all day today, and it has been life changing! I have never in my life, ever owned a pair of shoes that truly "fit" me. I can't remember the last time I've been able to walk around without heel slip of any kind. It totally changes the way I walk. I am able to take longer, more confident strides because my feet finally feel locked into the boots I'm wearing. Sure theres some discomfort in places, but I can already tell that once they are broken in, they will feel amazing.

On a side note, I'm looking at getting some different laces for them. The newer waxed laces that White's sends with them now are nice, but I'd like something with a little bit heavier. I'm looking at Mercury + Maia and Danner laces on Amazon, and Great Laces. What size do I want for my SD's? 54"?

 

[montanamike]

So I've worn my new SD's, my very first pair of custom boots of any kind, last night and all day today, and it has been life changing! I have never in my life, ever owned a pair of shoes that truly "fit" me. I can't remember the last time I've been able to walk around without heel slip of any kind. It totally changes the way I walk. I am able to take longer, more confident strides because my feet finally feel locked into the boots I'm wearing. Sure theres some discomfort in places, but I can already tell that once they are broken in, they will feel amazing.

On a side note, I'm looking at getting some different laces for them. The newer waxed laces that White's sends with them now are nice, but I'd like something with a little bit heavier. I'm looking at Mercury + Maia and Danner laces on Amazon, and Great Laces. What size do I want for my SD's? 54"?

Glad to hear they are working out!

I like the heavy waxed laces from Guarded Goods. I've run 48 to 54 on mine. There is some variability on personal preference of length. For me, 52 is ideal, 48 and 54 work. The Guarded Goods laces are similar to the Whites but beefier in all aspects

 

[Legal Eagles]

On a side note, I'm looking at getting some different laces for them. The newer waxed laces that White's sends with them now are nice, but I'd like something with a little bit heavier. I'm looking at Mercury + Maia and Danner laces on Amazon, and Great Laces. What size do I want for my SD's? 54"?

Here is what I would do... take the current laces out of your SD. Find a flexible metal or cloth tape marked and numbered in some uniform increment of length... I like inches or centimetres... fair warning some units like furlongs, leagues, or cubits can be odd and unwieldy.

Measure your existing laces in the unit of length measure you prefer. Remember that number, it is what I call your "baseline" or "starting point". Then this is the tricky part... you add or subtract from your "baseline" a number of inches or centimetres based on your own personal preference and whether you want the new laces to be longer and shorter... then order your new laces in the same length as the number you calculated.

Here is the neat part... if you want the same length in the new laces as the old, you don't need to add or subtract anything! Just order a lace with the same number of length units as you measured your baseline to have. Assuming the lace vendor uses the same unit of measurement you did (which is why I prefer inches or cm over cubits) then Bob's your uncle!

TL;DR - Measure your existing laces and go from there... 54" (3 cubits for our ancient history aficionados) is standard on White's SD.

 

[MikeLimaPapa]

I'm just going to leave this right here

In the comments they say you can have the 5050 on the MP, which although expected, is (I think) the first official mention of it from White's.

 

[Netvine]

What then is the exact difference between a 5050 last and 55 last?

 

[Legal Eagles]

What then is the exact difference between a 5050 last and 55 last?

I believe it is the heel and arch of the 55 with the sleeker "dress" toe of the Barrie/MP.

"55 in the back, MP in the front..."

I am curious about White's post because I thought the MP last was the Barrie last... not "loosely designed off" the Barrie last.

So my question, how does the White's MP last actually differ from the traditional (read Alden), Barrie last?

 

[Sledge42]

@Legal Eagles:
It IS different than the Alden Last. When I was getting into White's Boots I spoke with Kyle about it. Here is is response to me:
The Barrie last that White’s has is the same last shape as Alden, but it’s scaled to White’s sizes. White’s run about a half size larger then Alden.

you won’t get as much arch support in the Barrie last as the 55, but since it’s all leather construction, you will get more arch in a White’s Barrie last compared to an Alden.

 

[Legal Eagles]

@Legal Eagles:
It IS different than the Alden Last. When I was getting into White's Boots I spoke with Kyle about it. Here is is response to me:
The Barrie last that White’s has is the same last shape as Alden, but it’s scaled to White’s sizes. White’s run about a half size larger then Alden.

you won’t get as much arch support in the Barrie last as the 55, but since it’s all leather construction, you will get more arch in a White’s Barrie last compared to an Alden.

Same shape... different size... got it!

 

[wordfool]

"55 in the back, MP in the front..."

So basically comfort at the back, business in the front. Do we christen it the "Mullet last"?!

 

[iamntbatman]

Took the MPs out for a weekend of adventure. They performed admirably. Granted the tongue isn't fully gusseted, but as long as I didn't submerge them that deep they kept my feet completely dry even walking through streams and such. I also included some shots of the area I was in, as a bonus in case any of you like looking at things other than boots.

 

[klank74]

Took the MPs out for a weekend of adventure. They performed admirably. Granted the tongue isn't fully gusseted, but as long as I didn't submerge them that deep they kept my feet completely dry even walking through streams and such. I also included some shots of the area I was in, as a bonus in case any of you like looking at things other than boots.

Wow! Great looking boots and amazing scenery!

 

[hoppy_IPA]

@iamntbatman - awesome pics. looking forward to viewing them on my laptop after work to see them in full size!